MOST Guardian readers will be aware that Warrington Borough Council has invested £30 million in Redwood Bank – but are they aware of the controversial past of the two people behind the bank?

The bank’s website stated that it is ‘wholly owned by Redwood Financial Partners Ltd, a company controlled by Jonathan and David Rowlands, and in which Warrington Borough Council has a 33 per cent stake’.

This makes it clear who was controlling the bank at the time of WBC’s investment.

That statement disappeared from the website recently, so some change may have occurred, but a report in Private Eye indicates the Rowlands family retain control.

David Rowlands has been nicknamed ‘Spotty’ Rowlands by the press as a result of his colourful business dealings.

He has featured in several high profile court cases and had uncomfortable revelations about his business dealings and private life exposed in the popular press.

To save space here, can I suggest that you just ‘google’ the names to read for yourself all about Spotty and his son Jonathan.

Some of these events were a few years ago but it is not all ancient history.

The Rowlands family remain no strangers to controversy. As recently as last July, judge Christopher Butcher QC is reported to have made some highly uncomplimentary comments following a case in the High Court.

He said David Rowlands had been ‘less than frank’, ‘aggressive and argumentative’. Jonathan Rowlands fared little better.

The judge considered he ‘had a tendency to give misleading or evasive evidence’.

This court case was unrelated to the Redwood Bank.

But one must wonder whether WBC was aware of these comments, and the family history, when it chose to entrust public money to the control of these individuals.

If it wasn’t aware, it suggests that normal due diligence tests were neglected. If it was aware, wouldn’t it have been better to choose (for investment) a start-up venture whose backers had unblemished reputations?

I should declare an interest at this point – I am a retired member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, a body which is committed to upholding standards in public finance.

And can I add that I have no political allegiance.

CHRIS HAGGETT Warrington