THE war of words between two former prime movers in the city council and sacked tourism chief David Christley is finally over leaving the public potentially facing a whopping £40,000 legal bill.

This week solicitors acting for David Corker, the council's former chief executive and ousted Labour leader Stanley Henig agreed an out-of-court settlement with Christley's lawyers in a bid to avoid possible further costs at a court hearing. Christley will also receive apologies from both Corker and Henig.

Despite the massive bill only £15,000 will be going to Christley -- this will cover both his lawyer's fees and damages. The remainder estimated at £25,000 has been spent by the council's insurers in a series of attempts to bring the long-running battle to an end.

David Christley brought the action after two statements, one by Henig and one by Corker, were issued following his dismissal from the city council's tourism department in November 1998. Christley took the matter to an industrial tribunal where the chairman lambasted the council's actions and procedures.

In a stinging six-page report it was found that Christley had been unfairly dismissed and deprived 'natural justice' -- the city council's actions were described as "procedurally and substantively unfair". Christley was awarded £29,000 from the authority which also had to meet a five-figure bill for costs.

Following this David Corker, then acting chief executive, issued a press statement which Christley claimed re-stated the very charges used to dismiss him. As there was clearly no compelling evidence to prove this in light of the tribunal findings Christley claimed it was defamatory. Then at the end of January 1999 former council leader Stanley Henig compounded the issue by publishing another statement which, once again, appeared to re-state the charges against Christley.

On 29 January 1999 council chiefs were informed of the potential danger of their actions by The Citizen but, despite the clear threat to the public purse, declined to amend, withdraw or substantiate their statements.

Christley's lawyers issued against Henig personally and intended to do the same with David Corker but both cases were passed on directly to the council's legal department. The council's insurer's solicitors then, acting for Henig, tried unsuccessfully to have the case thrown out of court on the grounds that Christley's action was out of time and that his statement was not capable of being defamatory. Despite instructing a top barrister at the Manchester hearing the judge dismissed the council's application and refused them leave to appeal.

The authority then offered to pay Christley £1,000 on behalf of Henig with no apology and vowed to argue Corker's case on the same grounds - despite their previous court failure.

The offer was refused and Christley's lawyers have now accepted a new settlement which will cost the cash-strapped authority £40,000. As intense negotiations start between the council and insurers over who pays for what council chiefs are bracing themselves for a personal injury claim from Christley which runs into six figures.