A SOLICITOR’S letter appears to show that individual Ledbury councillors cannot be made personally liable for legal costs, after the town council lost a judicial review.

But this interpretation has been denied by the council’s temporary clerk, Mel abOwain.

The letter, from the council’s solicitors, and sent in advance of the Judicial Review states the council was “standing on firm ground” and that “if the Standing Committee follows legal advice and acts within its powers in good faith then its members cannot be held individually liable”.

Mr abOwain said: “The letter states that Counsel advised that the council was “standing on firm ground’. This was clearly not correct and of course, colours our view on the rest of the letter.”

Council reserves have paid legal bills reported to total £220,000. Recent discussions about the costs have taken place behind closed doors, despite calls for greater transparency, and Mr abOwain revealed there is now a hold on releasing the paperwork. The council’s solicitors had advised “to delay this release pending our barristers report on the Judicial Review process, due within the next couple of months”.