Cllr David Wimble: Undeclared Company Directorships, Media Influence, and Years of ‘Talking Rubbish
Joint Bronze Medal
Cllr David William Wimble (pictured)– known to many as the voice of local radio and for so long the pen behind The Looker & The Hurricane has long been one of Kent politics’ more recognisable characters. Speaking at the Kent County Council Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee on Thursday, 17 July 2025, Wimble remarked that he had been “talking rubbish for years”.
But beyond the public persona, a closer look at his official declarations, or rather his Register of Interests for Kent County Council (KCC), Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) and New Romney Town Council (NRTC) reveal notable gaps — and they are not the kind of gaps that can be explained away as clerical errors.
The Companies Behind the Personality
A check of Companies House records shows that Wimble appears in four companies using two different names – David Wimble & David William Wimble. The address he gives is the same for two of the companies and this show on his Register of Interests at FHDC and NRTC. He is linked to several local media companies:
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Marsh Media Ltd – the accounts and confirmation statement are overdue
Some of these, particularly The Looker and The Hurricane, have long been fixtures of local political discourse for years. Others have a lower public profile but are still active trading entities.
The Kent County Council Register
At Kent County Council (KCC), Wimble’s official Register of Members’ Interests does not include his home address. This is because it is being withheld under section 32 of the Localism Act 2011, which allows an address to be omitted from the published register if the Monitoring Officer considers that including it could lead to the member being subjected to violence or intimidation.
However, Wimble’s address is already in the public domain — it appears in Companies House filings, on the Folkestone & Hythe District Council Register of Interests, and in the New Romney Town Council Disclosable Pecuniary Interests register.
The KCC register also does not specifically name all of his company directorships. Instead of listing Radiowaves Media Ltd, The Looker Newspaper Ltd, and Marsh Media Ltd, the register uses only broad descriptors such as “newspaper editor”, “Radiowaves Media owner”, and “Kent Model Exchange owner”.
The Kent County Council Members’ Code of Conduct is clear on what is required. Under section 4.1(a), it states:
“Details of any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain by you or your partner.”
Company directorships are legally recognised as “offices” for these purposes. The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 require their disclosure by name, not by description. Government guidance on openness and transparency confirms that pecuniary interests include:
“business interests (for example their employment, trade, profession, contracts, or any company with which they are associated)”
By omitting the actual names of several companies, the register does not give the public the clarity that the law intends.
The Folkestone & Hythe District Council Register
At Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC), Wimble’s Register of Interests shows he has declared his directorship of Feel Good Radio Limited. But Radiowaves Media Ltd, The Looker Newspaper Ltd, and Marsh Media Ltd are absent.
Here, the council’s Code_of_Conduct contains an especially relevant clause. Under Other Registrable Interests, paragraph 1.1(e)(iii) states that members must register:
“any body of which you are in a position of general control or management and to which you are appointed or nominated by your authority
(e)(iii) one of whose principal purposes includes the influence of public opinion or policy (including any political party or trade union)”
Both The Looker Newspaper and The Hurricane exist precisely to influence public opinion — they publish editorials, political interviews, and opinion columns on local issues. Wimble, as director of the companies behind them, is clearly “in a position of general control or management” of these publications.
The omission of these roles from the FHDC register appears inconsistent with the exact, verbatim requirements of 1.1(e)(iii).
The New Romney Town Council Register
Wimble also serves as a councillor at New Romney Town Council (NRTC). Here, the relevant rules are found in the council’s Standing Orders 2023.
Standing Order 25 – Code of Conduct and Disclosable Pecuniary Interests states:
“All councillors shall observe the Code of Conduct adopted by the council.”
“If a councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest as defined by the Code of Conduct adopted by the council then he/she shall declare such interest as soon as it becomes apparent, disclose the interest and leave the meeting for the item, unless he/she has obtained a dispensation.”
“The council’s proper officer shall hold a register of member’s interests, including pecuniary interests, which shall be available for inspection by the public at all reasonable hours and published on the council’s website.”
“Failure to register or disclose such interests is a criminal offence under the Localism Act 2011.”
The NRTC Register of Interests for Wimble shows the declaration of The Looker Newspaper Ltd, Feel Good Radio Limited, and Marsh Media Ltd. However, it does not include Radiowaves Media Ltd, which meets the statutory definition of a disclosable pecuniary interest.
Why This May Constitute a Criminal Offence
Section 34(1) of the Localism Act 2011 states:
“A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, the person—
(a) fails to register a disclosable pecuniary interest in accordance with a requirement imposed under section 30(1) or 31(2), or
(b) participates in any discussion or vote in a meeting in contravention of section 31(4).”
Directorships of companies are defined as “offices” under the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012. If a councillor fails to register such a directorship within 28 days of election or re-election, and has no reasonable excuse, they meet the legal criteria for committing a criminal offence under section 34(1)(a) of the Localism Act.
In Wimble’s case, Companies House records confirm directorships that are not recorded in the public registers at KCC and FHDC. It’s clear he has been the person of significant control since these companies were incorporated – Unless there is a legally valid reason for these omissions — one which would amount to a “reasonable excuse” under the Act — the statutory test for a criminal breach would be satisfied.
Evidence Chart: Declared vs Undeclared Directorships
The public register is not a PR exercise. It is the core mechanism by which residents can see, in black and white, what financial and business interests their councillors hold. The Localism Act 2011 does not allow for selective disclosure, convenient omissions, or vague descriptors. It demands accuracy, completeness, and transparency — without exception.
When those requirements are ignored, it ceases to be a question of political style or personality; it becomes a failure of governance and a breach of the law. Councillors who flout these statutory duties do more than erode public trust — they chip away at the very foundations of democratic accountability. In Cllr David Wimble’s case, it is now abundantly clear that he has not only been “talking rubbish for years” — he has been spinning porkies for just as long.
The Shepway Vox Team
Dissent is NOT a Crime
Lock him up
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