AN appeal against a decision that found a councillor guilty of victimising a council officer, has been upheld on a point of law.

Councillor Geoff Driver was found to have conducted a vendetta against Shirley Harrison, the council's assistant director of legal and administration, in December 2001.

Preston City Council was also implicated in the original decision by the Liverpool-based tribunal.

But at a hearing of the employment appeal tribunal in London on Tuesday, March 11, appeals by both Coun Driver and the city council were upheld. The full reasons behind the judgement are to be revealed at a later date.

Conservative Greyfriars representative Coun Driver said: "The last few years have been somewhat stressful not just for me but my family as well. I am very pleased at the decision."

He said he would be putting in a claim for costs.

Mrs Harrison, who is married with three children, is waiting to see a report of the court's decision before she considers whether to appeal. She said: "I am still a council employee and there is no reason why I shouldn't continue to be employed by the council."

Jim Carr, chief executive of Preston City Council, said: "The council appealed on the grounds that it could not be held responsible for the actions of an individual councillor and this appeal has been successful, although we are still awaiting full details of the judgement."