City council deputy leader dies suddenly

The deputy leader of Coventry City Council has passed away suddenly at the age of 57 after a short illness.



Labour Coun Philip Townshend died on Thursday evening and had been a councillor for Lower Stoke for 16 years, having been re-elected in four successive elections.

Coun Townshend had responsibility for equalities, neighbourhoods, policing and democratic issues, and also served five years as the chair of University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust.

He was also a school governor and director of the Warwickshire Law Society Limited.

He is survived by his daughter Kirstie.

A book of condolence will be set up in the reception area of Coventry Council House, in Earl Street.

An inquest will be held into the death of Coventry City Council deputy leader Phil Townshend.

Coun Townshend, aged 57, died in October following a short illness.

A date has yet to be set for the hearing, which will be held at Coventry Magistrates Court.

Hundreds of people attended the funeral of the popular Coventry councillor, who was also a solicitor and a Coventry University graduate.

In tributes council chief executive Martin Reeves said: “Phil was passionate about the city he loved so much and determined to make a difference to its future.”

A public funeral was held at Coventry Cathedral on Monday, November 9, with the council footing the £7,500 bill for a reception and paying £700 towards the Cathedral’s costs.

Among those to pay tribute at the service was Coun Abdul Khan, who has since been appointed deputy leader.

Inquests are routinely held when someone dies suddenly and the cause is unknown.

Evidence is given by witnesses before a conclusion is given by the coroner.

£25,000 council by-election to be held to replace late deputy leader Phil Townshend

A by-election will be held next month to replace the late Coventry City Council deputy leader Phil Townshend.

The Lower Stoke seat on the council has been vacant ever since the 57-year-old passed away following a short illness in October.

Residents in the ward will be able to vote for their chosen candidate on Thursday, February 11.

The by-election will cost taxpayers an estimated £25,000 - but the council insisted it had no choice but to hold a separate selection rather than rolling it into the council election on May 5.

A statement from Coventry City Council said: “Once a by-election is prompted lawfully by any two electors following a casual vacancy which fell outside of the six-month window we have no choice and are required by law to hold it separate to the May elections.”

The list of candidates standing is scheduled to be available by 4pm on Monday, January 18, when the statement of persons nominated is published.

Residents have been receiving polling cards from January 9 confirming that they are registered and telling them where their polling station is located.

Coun Townshend’s role as deputy leader on the Labour-controlled council has already been filled by his former business partner Coun Abdul Khan.

The cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport was appointed by council leader Ann Lucas during a Labour group meeting in November.

Ahead of the decision, Labour councillors were asked by party chairman Coun John McNicholas if they objected to the leader making the appointment. Just one councillor voted against the move, which is in line with the constitutions of the council and the party.

If the majority of members had objected, an election would have been held within the party to decide who would become deputy.

Late deputy council leader Phil Townshend cleared of wrongdoing following fraud allegations



Late deputy council leader Phil Townshend has been cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to fraud allegations which were published just days before his funeral.

Coun Townshend, who would have been 58 yesterday, died suddenly at home in October last year and was buried following a public funeral at Coventry Cathedral in November.

Just days before his family prepared to lay him to rest allegations appeared in relation to the finances of a woman in her 80s.

But West Midlands Police have now confirmed there is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the former deputy leader of Coventry City Council and that no further investigations will follow.

Det Chief Insp Ed Foster, from West Midlands Police’s economic crime unit, said: “We have undertaken a comprehensive review of information following an allegation of irregularities in the private finances of a woman in her 80s.

“As a result of that data review no investigation is to be launched and no further police action will follow.”

Kirstie Townshend told the Telegraph the allegations had caused unnecessary stress for her and the family as they grieved following the sudden death of her father.

She said: “It’s been a horrific couple of months for me and the family.

“I’m pleased that my father’s name has been cleared and that we should be able to move past this and remember the positive and monumental impacts he had on this city and its people.”

Coun Townshend was a practicing solicitor and director of the Warwickshire Law Society at the time of his death and an additional complaint was made to The Solicitors Regulation Authority.

But the SRO has also confirmed there is no ongoing investigation into the conduct of Coun Townshend.

Coun Townshend was the councillor for Lower Stoke for 16 years, having been re-elected in four successive elections. He had responsibility for equalities, neighbourhoods, policing and democratic issues, and also served five years as the chair of University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust.

An inquest into Coun Townshend’s death was opened on Friday and will conclude at a later date.

Investigations ongoing over late Coventry council deputy Phil Townshend, police clarify

INVESTIGATIONS into Coventry council deputy leader Phil Townshend in the months before his mysterious death remain ongoing, police have clarified.

It follows reports in another Coventry newspaper last month which falsely stated he had been “cleared of any wrongdoing” over allegations concerning the finances of a 78-year-old woman, revealed by us in November.

We also revealed law firm Townshends LLP in liquidation still owed £300,000 in tax bills; and council taxpayers would foot an £8,200 bill towards a Coventry Cathedral funeral and reception, amid eulogies from politicians.

Legal restrictions prevented us from going into detail, but we revealed police were among investigating bodies. They were never the sole or main investigating body.

We called on West Midlands Police to clarify in the public interest to prevent the public being misled. It confirmed: “We are aware that civil legal proceedings are ongoing”, although they claimed last month “no further police action will follow.”

The newspaper report also misleadingly alleged the police had “confirmed there is no evidence of any wrongdoing” and that “no further investigations will follow.”

A separate Coroner’s Inquest – into the cause of death at his home last October following inconclusive toxicology testing and an initial post-mortem – takes place on April 29 at Leamington Justice Centre.

Former deputy leader of Coventry council died of natural causes, inquest rules

The former deputy leader of Coventry City Council, Phil Townshend, died of natural causes, a coroner has ruled.

The 57-year-old was found collapsed in his bathroom at his Allesley Village home by colleagues in October last year.

An inquest in to his death heard he had been suffering from severe heart disease - which was the primary cause of his death - while also having a number of painkillers, including morphine, in his system.

The inquest at Warwickshire Justice Centre in Leamington heard that Mr Townshend, who was a solicitor, had become more and more ill over the 12 months preceding his death, but refused to seek medical help as he was “scared” of what might truly be wrong with him.

Mr Townshend’s body was found at his home on October 15, 2015, by Coun Ed Ruane and Coun Ann Lucas, the leader of Coventry City Council.

Part of Coun Ruane’s statement was read out by the coroner, Dr Richard Brittain, which stated that Mr Townshend had told him in the weeks before his death that he was having trouble breathing and it “felt like there was a weight” on his internal organs when he lay down.

Mr Townshend, who also suffered from spina bifida, high blood pressure and bad knees, had not been answering messages from either Coun Ruane or his daughter Kirstie, so Couns Ruane and Lucas went to check on him on October 15.

They found him collapsed on his bathroom floor.

A toxicology report showed that Mr Townshend had drugs in his system, including painkillers codine, morphine, tramadol and tamazipam, as well as amitriptyline - an anti-depressant.

However, Dr Kevin West, a consultant at Leicester Royal Infirmary, said the levels of the drugs meant they were highly unlikely to have been the cause of death, although they could have been a contributing factor.

Inquest hears of late council deputy Townshend’s drugs cocktail & questions over leader Lucas tampering at scene

A CORONER’S inquest into the mysterious death of then Coventry City Council deputy leader Phil Townshend, aged 57, has recorded a verdict of death by ‘natural causes’ – and heard a cocktail of painkilling and antidepressant drugs was a contributory factor.

The inquest at Leamington Justice Centre also heard questions about Coventry council leader Ann Lucas who, along with fellow Labour councillor Ed Ruane had discovered him dead at his home, moving a rug and mess including sick.

Mr Townshend’s daughter Kirstie Logan said Coun Lucas told her in a phone call that the painkillers had been binned, saying: “I spoke to Ann. She said ‘don’t worry about it. There were some painkillers. They were in the bin.”

Coun Lucas, giving evidence, denied under questioning from the coroner, that she had moved any drugs paraphernalia.

The drugs present in Mr Townshend’s blood after his death at his Allesley village home on October 15 last year included morphine, as well as ‘toxic levels’ of antidepressant Amitriptyline, and usually safe levels of sleeping pill Tamazepam and painkillers Tramadol and Codeine, said NHS consultant pathologist Kevin West.

The inquest also heard from the police at the scene who said he had left a ‘last will’ note in the kitchen, and that his financial arrangements had been left ‘oddly’ in order, appearing to make matters easy for his family. His daughter claimed he was always tidy with such matters, but said she did not know of the will note when she left the home before his death.

The police said the removal of the body, by emergency services, was “surprising” and suggested it was unhelpful in assessing the scene, and the inquest heard suggestions Mr Townshend would sleep with a knife under the pillow, or in a bedroom drawer.

Ms Logan made reference to Mr Townshend being the ‘life and soul’ publicly, but often quiet and very stressed, unwell and exhausted at home, with physical pain.

The inquest also heard some indirect references to stressful features in his life in the run-up to his death which the coroner said were not relevant to the inquest.

Mr McGovern recorded a verdict of death by natural causes ‘on the balance of probabilities’ caused by ischaemic heart disease and noted the contributory factor of the drugs, as outlined by Dr West. Mr Townshend had collapsed in the shower and was found in the bathroom. He had dangerous 90 per cent narrowing of the arteries, Dr West said.

Mr McGovern said the evidence from family and colleagues was that Mr Townshend became particularly unwell in the days before his death. He said Mr Townshend took prescribed and ‘self sourced’ drugs for his ailments. His daughter said she did not know where he sourced pure morphine.

Coun Lucas said she had told him to go home from the Council House days before his death and not come back until he was better. Of a conversation she had with the police regarding potential suicide, Coun Lucas said: “I believe she said, ‘Had he ever spoken about harming himself?’ I said ‘never’.”

She added her ‘best friend’ “would never have deliberately hurt himself.”

She explained she had wanted to do some cleaning so that Mr Townshend’s daughter would not have to see upsetting things on her return.

Warwick University delays award for late councillor Phil Townshend amid ‘fraud’ inquiries

WARWICK University has postponed the award of a posthumous degree to the late Coventry council deputy leader Phil Townshend amid ongoing inquiries and revelations concerning allegations he defrauded a vulnerable elderly woman.

The Coventry Observer, some of Mr Townshend’s relations, and members of the public have in the last week raised questions with the university over its decision to award an Honorary Doctor of Laws at a ceremony on July 23 for the former politician, University Hospital chair and lawyer’s services to Coventry.

The Coventry Observer exclusively revealed last November that, before and since his death at his Allesley Village home in October last year, he faced police and other legal investigations into allegations he abused the trust of a sick and elderly woman when acquiring her home in 2011 and other assets, when he had ‘powers of attorney’ over her financial affairs. We also revealed those powers of attorney had been removed with a new ‘court deputy’ for the alleged victim assigned before his death.

We also revealed his firm in liquidation, Townshends LLP, still owed more than £300,000 to H.M Revenue and Customs and other creditors years after its insolvency, and his personal liabilities to the company of £50,000 remained unpaid. Liquidation inquiries and proceedings continue.

While police said earlier this year their fraud investigation had ended, legal inquiries are still ongoing with a view to the alleged victim recovering her property.

The BBC last month reported it had found the allegations raised by the Coventry Observer were serious. Last Friday, the BBC website reported more allegations and moves to enable the alleged victim to recover ownership of her home, where she still lives.

The Coventry Observer has learned one senior family member raised concerns, on behalf of others, with the university including about the impact of the scheduled degree award while legal issues remain ongoing, noting the impact on the frail ‘elderly victim’.

This newspaper and members of the public since last week had challenged the university as to whether the award could bring it into disrepute and cause further hurt to the alleged victim, given the advanced stage of ongoing legal matters into the serious allegations.

The university responded today by saying: “The University was contacted by the family on Monday to ask if we were willing and able to postpone the ceremony until our next set of degree congregations, which will take place in January. We have agreed to the family’s request.”

Posthumous degree for Coventry fraud probe councillor declined 'for family's safety'

A posthumous degree due to be awarded to the former deputy leader of Coventry City Council has been declined by his family over concerns for their safety.

The University of Warwick was to honour the late Philip Townshend but received complaints when it emerged police were investigating him for mortgage fraud.

His daughter has decided not to accept the honour "in the interest of the safety and security of the family".

It has been reported she received death threats over the university's plans.

The university said it was contacted by Mr Townshend's daughter, Kirstie Logan-Townshend, last month asking not to go ahead with the ceremony.

She told the university the decision had "not been taken lightly" but added: "I think it's the right decision to make."

Mr Townshend was accused of ripping off a vulnerable woman, taking out a mortgage on the elderly woman's house without her knowledge.

Police launched an investigation but he was never interviewed before his death in October last year aged 57.

The institution received several letters from members of the public criticising the decision to award him an Honorary Doctor of Laws, the first posthumous degree planned by the university.

Following the request from the family, a university spokesman said: "We will of course abide with this decision, and we will not now proceed with the offered award."

Somehow, I feel that we are going to learn a lot more about Mr Townsend before the dust settles.