A probe into possible fraud during a refurbishment of a Croydon arts venue has been completed a year after investigators were appointed.

Work to renovate Fairfield Hall was completed in 2019, but went nearly £40million over the original £30m budget.

The refurbishment was carried out by Croydon Council-owned developer Brick by Brick.

A report published by the authority’s auditors in February 2022 found there were “serious financial control and legal failings” in the project and that more than £60m went out to Brick by Brick without “properly executed written contracts”.

In the wake of the report, the council appointed investigation firm Kroll to look into the issue.

The finished report was discussed at an appointments and disciplinary board hearing on Thursday afternoon (March 22).

Most of the discussion took place behind closed doors but in the public part of the meeting, Zoe Newman from Kroll explained the process which included sifting through two million pages of emails from 11 members of staff relating to the project.

The company also requested interviews with 50 people related to the project, with a total of 26 taking part in interviews and five providing written responses.

Ms Newman said three of these people dropped out after the Penn Report – a report on financial mismanagement at the council – was leaked.

The committee unanimously agreed that Kroll’s investigation and report have “achieved the objectives set and can be relied upon”.

The council was waiting for the outcome of the investigation before taking action to “hold those responsible to account”.

After receiving the report the committee said it would take legal action against its former chief executive, Jo Negrini, in a bid to recover some of the £437,973 settlement she was given when she was laid off in August 2020.

LDRS contacted Ms Negrini before publication.

It also agreed to refer a damning report into failures and mismanagement at the authority to the Metropolitan Police.

At the meeting, Croydon Council’s current chief executive, Katherine Kerswell, said: “The strength of feeling first expressed by residents in the late summer of 2020 has not waned.

"This centres on the belief that misconduct while holding public office should not be rewarded and people should be held to account for the damage to Croydon’s services and finances.”

She said while disciplinary action took place against two councillors and three members of senior staff, all of them resigned before it could be completed.

Ms Kerswell said the committee should urge the government to put new arrangements in place so councillors can be held accountable for their actions.

Croydon Council has not yet released the findings of the report to the public