Liberal Democrats on Gloucestershire County Council have come out condemning the Tory administration after it has been revealed that the total costs of the Judicial Review held in September 2011 was not far short of a quarter of a million pounds.
A High Court Judge back in November 2011 halted Gloucestershire County Council’s proposals for failure to undertake a proper Equalities Impact Assessment. The Tory-controlled council went back to the drawing-board in January 2012 with new proposals to cut funding to seven Gloucestershire libraries.
The total cost of the legal challenge amounted to £238, 317.61, which included both in house and external legal costs for the council.
Liberal Democrat group leader, Cllr. Jeremy Hilton said: “During a time of great austerity, the costs that have been incurred through this legal challenge was needless, wasteful and nothing short of reckless.
“If the job of reviewing the county’s libraries had been done properly from the start and not on the back-of-a-fag-packet then this money could have been better spent on new books for our existing libraries.”
ENDS
Notes:
- The breakdown of costs are as follows: –
- Costs for Judicial Review, Library Proposals (Legal ref 47504) in House Legal Costs £36,947.07
- External Legal costs (for GCC) £59,233.83
- External Legal Costs (PIL) £141,234.42
- Other Expenses (Couriers, transcriptions, court fees) £902.29
TOTAL: £ 238,317.61