Audit Finds No Justification for £300K Asons Grant
- Category: Personal Injury
- Date: 02-04-2025
A formal audit into a controversial £300,000 emergency grant awarded to Asons Solicitors has revealed that there was "no clear rationale or documentation" to justify the payment. The grant, issued by Bolton Council in 2016, was intended to support the law firm’s continued presence in the town and safeguard local jobs. However, the investigation has raised serious concerns about the process behind the decision.
According to the audit report, the council failed to provide sufficient evidence to support why the payment was made, nor did it follow standard procedures for such significant financial assistance. The findings have intensified criticism from both the public and opposition council members, who argue that the lack of transparency undermines public trust in local government.
Asons Solicitors, once a high-profile personal injury firm headquartered in Bolton, had claimed the emergency funding was necessary to prevent job losses and facilitate the firm’s planned office expansion. Despite the funding, the firm ceased trading less than a year later, and its assets were subsequently transferred to a related company.