Highways England has announced changes to its Board of Directors, with a re-appointment and a new non-executive director.

While children enjoyed their half term break, the workers gave up their spare time to swoop on Tillington Manor Primary School in Stafford and give the main hall a makeover.

The refurbishment was undertaken by the team carrying out work on behalf of Highways England to upgrade the M6 between junctions 13 (Stafford) and 15 (Stoke-on-Trent) into a smart motorway.

The work will improve journeys in the area by adding extra capacity and technology to the motorway.

As a ‘thank-you’ for the support of the community during this exciting new motorway upgrade, construction firm Kier, which is working on the M6 project, runs a Smart Giving scheme offering practical help to local charities, projects, educational establishments or vulnerable groups.

Tillington Manor was highlighted as in need of a spruce-up and workers from the smart motorway project took up the challenge.

From the red gloss skirting boards to the top of the newly-painted walls, and after removing hundreds of staples, the hall has been given a complete facelift. As well as the decorating, the team went ‘above and beyond’ with a few extra chores including clearing out the guttering.

Highways England smart motorways project sponsor Peter Smith said:

We were delighted to be able to give a little something back to the local community and are grateful to the workers for volunteering their time.

Highways England is grateful for the patience of communities living near the motorway while this important upgrade is carried out.

Chairman of the governors and borough and county councillor Jonathan Price dropped in on the workers to personally say thank you for the work they had done. Councillor Price said:

I cannot express how grateful the school, pupils and myself as chairman of the governors are for the work that has been done. And what a great bunch of guys they were.

The hall was looking very tired, it needed work doing. I am so impressed with the work that has been done, it has given the school a new lease of life. The children were really chuffed when they saw it.

For these guys to volunteer their own time to do this, it is just phenomenal.

Richard French, Kier highways project director, said:

As a project we will be working in the area for several years, we’re keen to be a good neighbour and to help support the local communities around us. This painting project is an ideal example of one where we can contribute by volunteering time to improve a local amenity, we are delighted that this one will benefit school children from the community.

Smart Giving commits time and resource from the smart motorway project to benefit the communities where it is based and where some of the resulting construction activities may cause disruption.

Making use of a wide range of skills, expertise and the personal commitment of the project team, the scheme aims to provide long-lasting benefits and a legacy for the community.

There is no offer of financial support, the scheme is very much geared to committing time to the group and matching the skills available to the benefit of local people.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Delighted pupils are enjoying a smart new-look school hall thanks to the efforts of the team working on the M6 in Staffordshire on behalf of Highways England.

David Green (56), from Liverpool, signed a disqualification undertaking following an investigation by the Insolvency Service. The ban prevents him from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Bilt Group Limited was incorporated in February 2016 as the vehicle to carry out significant construction projects in Liverpool, particularly in the Chinatown area.

Just 10 months later, however, in December 2016 Bilt Groups’s principle customer decided to terminate the company’s contract as they weren’t satisfied with the standard of work delivered.

Without revenue coming into the company from the principle funder, Bilt Group was unable to pay its debts and entered into liquidation, owing £590,000 to creditors.

Insolvency practitioners were appointed to wind-up the company when they reported to the Insolvency Service that payments worth in excess of £1 million had been paid by Bilt Group to third parties and were not necessarily legitimate business expenditure.

Investigators discovered that David Green caused Bilt Group to move around £375,000 to a separate company which was also under David Green’s control, while payments in excess of £660,000 were made to third parties not clearly linked to the company’s trading activities.

Further investigations found that there was no evidence within Bilt Group’s records that these payments were genuine company expenditure.

On 6 December 2018 the Secretary of State accepted a 7-year disqualification undertaking from David Green and his ban was effective from 27 December 2018

Signing the undertaking has meant David Green did not dispute that he failed to supply adequate books and records to liquidator that would have explained the nature of the company’s transactions.

Martin Gitner, Deputy Head of Insolvent Investigations for the Insolvency Service, said:

David Green was trusted with funds to carry out important redevelopment projects in Liverpool. But he blatantly disregarded his responsibilities when he paid significant sums to third parties totally unconnected to the building works.

Seven years is a significant ban and should serve as a warning to other directors that there are serious consequences if you are found misusing company funds.

The Serious Fraud Office announced on 17 January 2019 that it had opened a criminal investigation into a suspected fraud relating to the Liverpool Chinatown redevelopment. The Serious Fraud Office encourages members of the public who have invested in this redevelopment to complete an online questionnaire.

David Green is from Liverpool and his date of birth is April 1962.

Bilt Group Limited (Company number 09981687 ).

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings. Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

Director of company responsible for developing Liverpool’s Chinatown has been disqualified for seven years.