TOWN Hall bosses are being asked to publish a top-secret report into why a Bury teacher was suspended for nine years costing taxpayers a fortune.

Mr Anthony McNally, an English teacher at Woodhey High School in Ramsbottom, was suspended in 1995 after a 15-year-old boy accused him of inappropriate touching.

He was cleared by the school's governors and no action was taken by the police, but the council kept him off work on full pay while a series of inquiries was launched and several judicial reviews held.

Tottington man Mr McNally, who always denied the charges, finally left his £25,000-a-year post last year after reaching an agreement with the local authority. The council was left with a bill running into hundreds of thousands of pounds in salary and legal costs, and called an investigation.

It has emerged that an independent inspector invited councillors to a meeting two months ago when he presented his findings: but members were not allowed to take copies out of the room, or even make notes.

Lib Dem councillor Vic D'Albert said: "There have always been questions and concerns hanging over certain aspects of this case: the councils conduct, the conduct of the school and governors. It might not be to everyone's liking to publish the report, but it might allay some concerns.

"Even if we had to sanitise it in a certain way, the main points should be published. At the very least, theres an obvious public interest concerning the cost to the council taxpayers of Bury. They might say that its all in the past now and what purpose would it serve, but my view is that we have to say its cost us X amount, we are being open and transparent about it, and it won't happen again because of X and Y."

However, Mr Mark Sanders, the councils chief executive, said the council was hamstrung by legal considerations.

"We took counsel's opinion and were told we could not release the report because of the evidence and allegations involved, he said.

"The investigator found that the council was not blameworthy of doing anything wrong in the circumstances. There were serious delays in the way the Department for Education handled the case, and there are unresolved legal issues concerning who is responsible for dismissal of staff."

Mr Sanders did say that he hoped some of the report could be disclosed. "There is some high level stuff in there that should come out and I would be happy to see published. I have asked for counsels opinion on that already."