Lead Councillor Responds To Questions On His Business Arrangements

Published on: 28 Aug, 2014
Updated on: 12 May, 2015

Cllrs Stephen Mansbridge and Monika Juneja, both directors of One Hit Consultancy Ltd and Two Hit Consultancy Ltd.

Council leader Stephen Mansbridge (Con, Ash South & Tongham) has responded to questions from The Guildford Dragon NEWS about companies he has joined, or formed, with Cllr Monika Juneja (Con, Burpham).

Rumours and speculation about their business association have been circulating for some time.

Company House records show both their names associated with two companies: “One Hit Consulting” and “Two Hit Consulting”.

One Hit Consulting Limited is recorded as having assets of and liabilities of £9,422. On July 28th 2014 R. Juneja resigned as company secretary, and Mr S.D. Mansbridge became a new board member. A change of name was also recorded on this date.

Two Hit Consultancy Limited is a Private Limited Company incorporated on April 17 2014. Its registered address is given as: 4 River View, Walnut Tree Close, Guildford and its status is shown as “Active”.

Both companies are now shown on  Guildford Borough Council’s website as entries in the register of interests for Cllr Mansbridge and Cllr Juneja. The specific date on which they registered these interests is not known.

Below are the questions put to Cllr Mansbridge and his response.

Questions:

1. Why have you joined or formed the consultancy companies “One Hit Consulting” and “Two Hit Consulting” with Monika Juneja?

2. When did your involvement commence with each company?

3. Why do you need two separate companies similarly named?

4. What kind of consultancy service is/was it intended for the companies to offer?

5. Have the companies traded to date?

6. Are there any other investors or sponsors of these companies other than you and Cllr Juneja?

7. Why was your involvement in these companies not entered onto the council’s register of interests immediately that you joined or formed them?

Response from Cllr Stephen Mansbridge:

“I would normally regard these questions as an intrusion on life beyond the council and that they are not deserving of an answer, but on this occasion I appreciate it would be helpful to provide an explanation,

“There is only one active business, One Hit Consulting.  The business activities are interim recruitment, professional services and general consultancy and it has two directors, who own 100% of the shares – Monika Juneja and myself.

“There are other people associated with the business in an Associate capacity. From my perspective,  I want to move my working centre of gravity back to Guildford, although the business will have a national rather than a local focus.

“The various entries at Companies House reflect a name change and, I appreciate, might seem confusing, but there is nothing illegal or underhand in any of this

“I have set-up the business with Ms Juneja because we have worked together for some years. She is a talented person and I think her skills complement my own and others in a commercial sense.

“I retain an Associate involvement with my former business, AGM Transitions.

“There was no pecuniary element until there was equity investment, so we were not ‘late’, we were in fact ‘ahead’ in registering our interests of any pecuniary involvement, although we did decide to change the name.  In any case, I think this is semantics as we have not sought to hide anything – far from it.”

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