The Lendal Bridge controversy has taken a darker turn this evening as it has been revealed that the Councils Chief Executive Kersten England has refused to release information about Lendal Bridge to opposition Councillors.
She was asked to provide a copy of the legal advice that she claims to have received and which allegedly supports the Councils use of ANPR camera based prosecutions on Lendal Bridge and Coppergate.
We understand that she has refused to release the information saying to one senior Councillor “It is privileged legal information and will be used for the internal appeal process with the adjudicator”
So clearly the Labour Leadership have decided – without bothering to hold a decision meeting of any sort – to appeal against the traffic adjudicators decision.
This is particularly high handed way for Council officials to behave. They seem to forget who is funding the “legal information” and who ultimately will have to pick up the bill for any subsequent legal action.
Democratically elected Councillors should make decisions like these.
If officials chose do so then they step over the line of what is acceptable behaviour in a democracy.
We would expect the government to step in to address what is now a clear abuse of power.