West London senior councillor 'under investigation' after whistleblowing allegations

A senior west London councillor is being investigated by the local authority after a whistleblower made claims of fraudulent activity and financial gain.A report ahead of Hounslow Council’s audit and governance committee on Tuesday, November 3, outlines the claim made by a council employee against a cabinet member.The member in question is not named in the report and it is unclear whether they remain in their executive role.The whistleblower came forward in May 2026 and the investigation remains “ongoing”, with no findings of wrongdoing at this stage.When asked about the councillor’s identity, a council spokesperson said: “As per usual practice, the council does not comment on whether a complaint has or has not been received.”Following the local elections in May, council leader Councillor Shantanu Rajawat appointed a new Cabinet. The whistleblowing report does not specify whether the allegation relates to any current Cabinet member or a former office-holder.Cllr Jack Emsley, leader of the Hounslow Conservatives, described the allegation as potentially serious and questioned the length of the investigation.He said: "This is yet another potentially serious allegation against a Hounslow Labour Cabinet Member. The report suggests this issue has been ongoing for over six months, which raises questions over process and transparency."Residents in our borough need to be able to have confidence in those who are in charge of our borough's services."A spokesperson for Hounslow Labour criticised the comments, saying: "Whistleblowing is by its very nature an allegation made with legal protections for those making the allegation.Read More"There is an internal team who are responsible for investigating these. The Labour Group are not aware of the allegations, and it is right that the internal process is allowed to be completed."Cllr Emsley knows this and should know better than to seek to cast aspersions."Whistleblowing reports riseThe same report shows Hounslow Council received 17 whistleblowing reports through its Safecall system between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026.That compares with three reports during the previous 12-month period, representing an almost fivefold increase.Council staff can raise concerns through Safecall, an independent service that accepts reports online or through a 24-hour telephone hotline. Reports can be submitted openly, anonymously or semi-anonymously.The council said each disclosure is forwarded within 24 hours to senior officers, who assess the concerns raised and determine whether further investigation is required.According to the report, the increase was partly driven by multiple disclosures relating to the same issue, as well as a rise in reports concerning bullying.Most cases that have already concluded were either found to be unsubstantiated or dealt with through the council's Resolution Framework.Three cases, including the allegation involving the unidentified Cabinet member, remained ongoing or required further information at the time of reporting.