MORE than £16,000 of public cash has gone down the drain following the council's failure to fix a leaking shower. A judge has rapped the local authority for wasting public funds in a county court battle against a tenant on the Newton estate. And, after describing the council's actions as 'incompetent, inefficient and bungling', Judge Appleton added: "I hope someone looks into this waste of public money."

Robert Lloyd of Skiddaw Road claimed that water was leaking from his shower into the kitchen back in 1992. He withheld his rent claiming that, as landlords, the council should have repaired the problem.

As the dispute became more complex and acrimonious legal proceedings were started by both sides and, although the council's legal team were confident of winning, the judge strongly backed Mr Lloyd leaving the city council to pick up the bill.

At Lancaster County Court Judge Appleton said: "For various reasons - incompetence, inefficiency, bungling or some other curious policy - the repairs were not carried out for a three year period."

"It seems that because of the presence of a bath, the shower repair was not deemed to be an emergency. I dismissed this. If the 'council' chose to ignore this they did so at their own peril. No sensible property owner would repair plaster without first repairing the the leaking shower."

Judge Appleton added: "I think the 'council' has wasted public money and something is wrong with their internal communications. It certainly was for the period in question. I hope someone looks into this waste of public money."

Housing chief Cllr Ian Barker said that he disagreed with Judge Appleton's comments and branded the damages as "grossly excessive".

He said: "There's been an internal review and officers are satisfied with the way the matter was dealt with. We received external legal advice which advised that we proceed to court and although we feel the damages are excessive we will of course pay them."

Housing chief Ian Barker

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