West Yorkshire Police continue investigation into Lancashire Constabulary’s involvement with troubled Blackpool charity

West Yorkshire Police are continuing the probe into the county force’s ties with the award-winning Jobs, Friends and Houses Community Interest Company (JFH), which had more than £1m of public and lottery money

The force was called in to carry out the detailed investigation into Lancashire Constabulary’s involvement in 2017 by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after Lancashire Police referred itself to the watchdog over the issue.

It is unclear if any raids or arrests have been made and the investigation could still take many months to conclude.

Jobs, Friends and Houses was set up in 2014 in the resort to help former offenders and recovering addicts find useful work and support and was run by a seconded police officer Sgt Steve Hodgkins, along with Justin Nield and Matthew Idle.

It helped a succession of people find work, friendship and support in Blackpool and won a BIBAs award at the Tower Ballroom in 2015 for the Most Inspiring Business of the Year prize but in 2016 began to hit money problems as it expanded and talks began with Lancashire Police and Blackpool Council to save the organisation.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “We are still carrying out investigations into the matter currently. We do not have an update at the moment.

The Gazette contacted the IOPC who were unavailable for comment.