Two Freedom of Information disclosures have lifted the lid on how the Wisbech Town Board operates, offering the most detailed account yet of its processes, spending decisions, and governance.
Among the revelations is the awarding of a contract for a new Town Board website to Chaos Internet — a March based digital marketing and website design company where the managing director is Iain Kirkbright who is also chair of the Town Board. The FOIs reveal the steps taken internally to manage the potential conflict of interest.
Set up under the Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods, the Wisbech Town Board oversees the development of a long-term regeneration plan that could steer up to £20 million into the Fenland town over the next decade.
But until now, public visibility of its workings has been limited. The FOIs, issued by Fenland District Council (FDC) in response to CambsNews, provide a rare window into how decisions are made and who is influencing them.
A board with big responsibilities — and delayed transparency
Membership of the Board is diverse: elected representatives, community members, and senior public-sector figures, including MP Steve Barclay and FDC leader Cllr Chris Boden.
Chairing the group is local businessman Mr Kirkbright, praised in the official FOI response for his community-focused business background.
Transparency is formally built into the Board’s Terms of Reference. Meetings, agendas, and minutes should be published — unless there are clear legal reasons not to. But the FOIs acknowledge that in practice, publication has been slow. Minutes from multiple 2025 meetings had not appeared online, with the council blaming delays on officer workloads and the still-unpublished Town Board website.
That website, now expected by the end of 2025, is central to future transparency.
The website contract: Chaos Internet and procurement
One of the FOIs focuses entirely on the procurement and award of the Board’s new website contract — a process that attracted scrutiny after it emerged that the winning bidder, Chaos Internet, is owned by the Board’s own chairman.
The FOI confirms explicitly: the contract was awarded to Chaos Internet, not Chaos Media. It also states that chair Iain Kirkbright declared an interest at the relevant Board meeting and abstained from both discussion and recommendation, as required under the Board’s Code of Conduct.
As for the process itself, FDC applied its internal procurement rules rather than holding an open public tender. Because the contract value was under the threshold requiring full advertisement, officers sought quotations directly from six suppliers — a mix of local companies and firms the council had worked with previously. Three returned quotes. Chaos Internet’s was the cheapest that met the specification.
The decision was reviewed by the Board (minus the Chair) and then formally approved by FDC’s Section 151 officer. The total contract value: £9,805. It includes hosting for three years, after which further funding decisions will be needed.
In other words: while the award did go to a company linked to the Chair, all FOI disclosures confirm that the conflict was declared, procedures were followed, and the chair removed himself from the decision.
Financial decisions, wardens, youth projects, and debate over priorities
Beyond the website, the FOI responses set out a detailed record of meetings held through 2025. The September meeting, in particular, illustrates the Board’s workload and internal debates.
Members were told that while the Board’s overall budget “is in a good position,” actual Government funds had not yet entered the council’s accounts.
Corporate support costs will begin in April 2026, reducing future room for manoeuvre. In this context, councillors and community members debated funding priorities — from education initiatives and leisure facilities to small-scale neighbourhood grants.
One of the largest allocations so far is the £99,999 drawdown grant for Town Centre Wardens, delivered through Wisbech Town Council.
The award led some to speculate whether it was deliberately kept below the £100,000 threshold that would have triggered a “key decision.” But the FOI insists the figure is an estimate based on staffing and equipment costs, not an attempt to avoid scrutiny.
Youth provision has also been a theme. A £10,000 grant funded new inflatables and equipment at Hudson Leisure Centre, with weekend sessions planned — although publicity became its own debate. Cllr Steve Tierney argued against promoting the Board’s role prematurely, saying criticism should be avoided until more projects were delivered.
Education was repeatedly raised. Community representative Amanda Scott and others pushed for investment linked to local schools and family hubs. Officers confirmed that consultant Stephen Rosevear would bring forward proposals, while a new system for monitoring grant expenditure is being designed to strengthen oversight.
Internal tensions and a board still finding its footing
Minutes show moments of tension over confidentiality. Cllr Boden asked whether certain discussions should be held privately, especially those concerning commercial or financial matters. Officers reminded members that yes, some items must be restricted — but the overall presumption must be openness.
Other discussions highlighted the challenges of balancing strategic regeneration goals with everyday demands from residents. Should the Board fund repairs at Wisbech Castle? Contribute to leisure centre improvements? Prioritise small grants for community groups? Or keep its powder dry for the more ambitious four-year plan still under development?
A clearer picture — and a public appetite for more
The FOI responses, taken together, offer the most comprehensive public account yet of the Wisbech Town Board’s early months: how it allocates funds, how conflicts of interest are recorded, who influences decisions, and how its governance is evolving.
They also reveal a Board with significant responsibility, internal debate, and growing pressure to demonstrate transparency to the town it serves.
With the long-delayed website finally due by year’s end Wisbech residents will soon have far better access to the Board’s decisions, priorities, and future plans.
