Cornwall Councillor Alex Folkes has vowed to fight allegations of "serious child protection concerns" after being ordered to “resign with immediate effect or be removed” from the council. 

On October 16, the Council received information raising serious child protection concerns relating to Alex Folkes and immediately launched a formal investigation into the circumstances.

A council spokesperson said: “In view of the potential seriousness of the issues raised, Councillor Folkes was asked to stay away from the Council whilst the investigation was carried out by senior officers from the authority in consultation with other agencies.

“As a result of the information which came to light during this investigation, the Leader of Cornwall Council, John Pollard, decided that Councillor Folkes could not continue to carry out his Cabinet responsibilities and demanded that he either resigned with immediate effect or he would remove him from his role as the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources. The Council received his resignation on November 4.”

Although the concerns arose in relation to alleged specific incidents which occurred in 2003 and, therefore, before Councillor Folkes became a member of Cornwall Council, the authority said it had an “overriding responsibility to safeguard the welfare of children and young people in Cornwall.”

The Director of Education, Health and Social Care has, therefore, written to schools and children’s settings in the Launceston area to alert them to a “potential risk posed by Councillor Folkes.”

The council spokesperson said: “Following the 2009 unitary elections, some Council officers became aware of an adverse entry on a CRB disclosure form relating to Councillor Folkes. The way the matter was dealt with at that time is now subject to an internal investigation.

“The Council totally condemns any action which poses a threat to children, but does not have the legal power to remove Alex Folkes from his position as an elected councillor.

“Nevertheless, the Chief Executive Andrew Kerr has written to Councillor Folkes urging him to resign from the Council with immediate effect.”

Mr Folkes has issued a statement to the Packet, saying: "An accusation has been made referring to a police investigation which took place more than eight years ago - before I became a councillor. No charges were ever brought and I am wholly innocent of any wrongdoing.

"I discussed this matter with the council’s chief legal officer when I was first elected. Someone is now seeking to raise the issue once again with anonymous letters to the council, local media and others.

"I will be fighting these false claims as I fought the original. The decision by the council to write to sports clubs is totally wrong and unfounded and, I believe, illegal."