91Èȱ¬

Update 14th March 2022: In September 2018 the Solicitors Regulatory Authority confirmed that their investigation was closed with no further action, after they determined that there was no evidence of professional misconduct.

A director at Staffordshire County Council is being investigated over alleged professional misconduct.

A complaint has been made about John Tradewell and Matthew Angus, a senior solicitor at the council, potentially breaching the Legal Services Act.

Councils' solicitors must only work for their authority under the act and the 91Èȱ¬ understands it involves work being done outside that remit.

The Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) is looking into the complaint.

In a statement the SRA said: "We can confirm a complaint has been made against John Tradewell and Matthew Angus that we are looking into."

The 91Èȱ¬ understands the complaint was first lodged with the SRA in December.

Mr Tradewell, director of strategy, governance and change at the county council is also acting chief executive of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

He joined the borough council in January after the suspension of two council officials after almost 1,500 people were unable to vote in June's general election.

A Staffordshire County Council spokesperson said it had not been contacted by the authority to date about a complaint, but would be happy to help with any queries should they do so.

Neither Mr Tradewell or Mr Angus have been suspended from the council, the spokesman added.