CALLS have been made for the entire board of directors of the Cotswold Water Park Society to stand down following a criminal investigation into the society's finances that this week led to the sacking of the society's chief executive.

A joint letter from the three parish councils in the water park, South Cerney, Ashton Keynes and Somerford Keynes, calls for the resignation of every member of the board.

The letter demands wider membership for the CWPS and questions the need for the Cotswold Water Park Joint Committee.

The calls were made following the arrest of CWPS chief executive Dennis Grant and finance director Nick Hansen were arrested last month on suspicion of theft, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and false accounting. On Tuesday Mr Grant had his bail extended to August 11.

But at a meeting of the CWPS Joint Committee this week it was confirmed that Dennis Grant, who has been suspended from his post ever since his arrest, has been axed as chief executive of the society.

Tasha Flaherty, joint acting chief executive, said: "The situation is quite unusual. We are certainly assisting the police and the economic crime unit in Gloucester with their investigations."

She said steps had been taken to protect CWPS in the event that a criminal case was pursued against either Mr Grant or Mr Hansen, but that a case could take up to two years to investigate.

She said the decision to fire Mr Grant was made last week by a disciplinary panel made up of CWPS board members Rupert Saunders and Richard Knight.

Along with Ms Flaherty, CWPS director of conservation Matthew Millett is joint acting chief executive.

Mr Grant last week had his bail extended until August 11. Mr Hansen is due to answer bail today.

When contacted by the Standard this week, Brian Atfield, chairman of the CWPS board said he had no knowledge of the call to resign by local parish councils and was surprised it had not been passed on to the society.

The letter has been sent to the chief executives of the four local authorities that contribute public money directly to the society, Gloucestershire County Council, Cotswold District Council, Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council.

GGC chief executive Peter Bungard said: "My council has no direct control over the manner in which its business is conducted.

"It is important to understand that Cotswold Water Park Society Limited is an organisation entirely separate from this council, with its own independent status at law."

David Neudegg, chief executive of Cotswold District Council, said: "The council is aware of increasing frustration regarding the operation of the Cotswold Water Park.

"Given the current police investigations some caution must be exercised in what can be said."

A WC spokesman said: "We will respond to their enquiry in due course."