The previously suspended boss of a troubled New Deal for Communities partnership in Nottingham who was also chair of England’s NDC Network may not return to his post, Regeneration & Renewal can reveal.
Sam Tarff, who had a suspension lifted last week after an investigation, may not resume his role as chief executive of the NDC programme run by the Neighbourhood Development Company, according to a source. Tarff chaired umbrella group the NDC Network before his suspension.
Stephen Lord, the interim chief executive of the NDC in Nottingham’s Radford and Hyson Green area, would neither confirm nor deny the reports.
Sam Tarff said he was in discussion with the NDC and the rumours were “pure speculation”. An announcement on his position is expected next week.
Clive Jacotine, a government-appointed neighbourhood renewal adviser who carried out a governance review into the NDC, said the body had “started a journey” and that “changes were going to happen”.
Regarding the Tarff situation, he said the “NDC has entered into an agreement to resolve everything”.
Last week, an NDC spokesman said the allegations against Tarff were “unproven”, the investigation had been “terminated and the suspension lifted”. He said both the NDC and Tarff would now discuss their futures.
News of Tarff’s suspension emerged late last year (Regen.net, 19 December 2007). It was the first in a series of setbacks for the NDC, including the resignation of various board members, and the ordering of the governance review into the body (R&R, 22 February, p2).
In July, Narinder Sharma, chair of the NDC board, also stood down. The board is in the process of being overhauled as a part of changes recommended in the governance review (R&R, 18 July, p2). Other recommendations included replacing the NDC board’s chair with a council representative (R&R, 23 May, p1).
In May, a council spokesman also confirmed that, without progress, the Government could withdraw the NDC’s remaining £10 million of funding.