LANCASTER City Council should bow its head in shame over the sacking of David Christley, a member of its cabinet claimed this week.

Cllr Geoff Wilson condemned the costly botched sacking of the former Morecambe tourism chief and a statement sent out by two leading lights in the council which lead to defamation proceedings.

The final bill for the long-running affair was presented publicly to a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday.

Cllr Wilson, the MBI representative on a panel which heard Mr Christley's appeal against his sacking, said: "Mr Christley's life has been torn to pieces by the activities of this council and, in the process, it has cost the council an awful lot of money.

"It is a salutary lesson for this council to learn that officers and members clearly took these actions despite the advice of one local newspaper.

"We need to be very very careful in what we say when we issue press statements in future. We cannot just go around saying whatever we want.

"It is very sad that, because of changes in the House of Lords, Mr Christley has been denied the chance to sue that council for a more substantial sum of money."

Mr Christley was awarded £29,000 at an employment tribunal and, more recently, the council has had to shell out £10,000 in an out of court settlement of defamation proceedings against the council for statements issued by former acting chief executive, David Corker, and the then council leader, Stanley Henig.

Mr Henig and Mr Corker sent out a statement defending the council's actions, despite being warned of its potentially defamatory nature by The Citizen.

The council also faced a legal bill of £29,541.47 for its and Mr Christley's legal costs in respect of the defamation proceedings.

The council's insurers paid 50 per cent of the figure, less a £5,000 excess, leaving taxpayers to foot the remaining £24,770.74.

Cllr Wilson added: "We have broken a man's life and for that we as a council should bow our heads in shame."

The Citizen can reveal that, despite the scandal, no disciplinary action against officers or councillors is being considered.... this in the same week that the former tourism officer had his home repossessed.