11-year ban for Birmingham director after obtaining close to £635,000 worth of government grants to plant forests in England.
From January 2013, Pritesh Ladwa (33), from Sutton Coldfield, was the sole director of The Forest Project (TFP) Ltd.
Incorporated in June 2010, The Forest Project TFP helped create new forests, including reclamation and development of brownfield land into green sites.
Whilst he was director, Pritesh Ladwa received 6 grants from the Forestry Commission between March 2013 and April 2014, worth almost £635,000, to create woodlands in South Yorkshire, County Durham, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The Forest Project TFP, however, did not own any of the sites when making the applications and thereafter, inaccurately claimed to the Forestry Commission that in every case all work had been completed.
But it was found that Pritesh Ladwa had not ensured the company adhered to the terms and conditions of the grants and the Forestry Commission asked for the grants to be returned.
The Forest Project TFP Ltd then went into liquidation in August 2018 owing £536,870 to the Forestry Commission. Only one grant had been repaid following a confiscation order from earlier criminal proceedings in 2016.
The liquidation of The Forest Project TFP triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service into Pritesh Ladwa’s conduct. Investigators discovered that, as well as the misconduct relating to the grants, between January and July 2018 Pritesh Ladwa had paid himself more than £67,000. He also transferred £30,000 to an associate following the sale of company assets.
Pritesh Ladwa failed to deliver accounting records up to the liquidator to explain the reason for these transactions, which took place after the Forestry Commission had sent invoices to reclaim the grants.
On 22 January, the Secretary of State accepted an undertaking from Pritesh Ladwa banning him from acting as a company director for 11 years after he did not dispute that he provided inaccurate information to The Forestry Commission and failed to adhere to the terms of conditions of the six grants he received.
Pritesh Ladwa’s ban started on 12 February 2021 and means that he is banned from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.