TAUNTON Deane taxpayers will be charged up to 70p each to cover the costs of an argument between opposing local politicians.
Taunton Deane Borough Council has been landed with a £36,422.68 bill after 15 councillors took their own authority to court over proposals to merge with West Somerset Council - even though it won the case.
The councillors must pay a total of £1,800 to cover court fees and a contribution towards the council's costs over the failed judicial review hearing.
Deane House bosses say they had no choice but to defend the action, while Independent councillor Ian Morrell, who led the legal action, accuses the council of wasting taxpayers' money.
Mr Morrell said the action was taken to force the authority to consult the public over the merger plans and that three attempts were made to thrash out a "free alternative dispute resolution".
He added: "(Council leader) John Williams refused and pursued influence with taxpayer's money.
"This exorbitant legal bill is no great surprise as TDBC has form as an extravagant spender - over £8 million on consultants for Project Taunton and millions wasted by championing the SouthWestOne debacle.
"As the claimants are convinced the merger with its guesstimate savings would be bad for Taunton Deane, we personally paid dues the court ordered us liable for.
"Let’s see if councillors who support the merger are prepared to be held accountable and use their own money on a project the majority public do not support."
A Deane spokeswoman said the proposed merger was democratically backed by the council.
She added: "These costs were only incurred as TDBC was faced with a legal challenge in regard to the democratically taken decision on the proposal for a single new council.
"The decision made in July was considered democratically sound, vindicated by the judicial review being refused. "The council had no choice but to refute the legal challenge seriously and to defend it robustly."
She said public consultation had been planned - and is currently underway - long before the High Court application, which a judge labelled "academic and premature".
The spokeswoman added: "The council considered the possibility of arbitration, but as the decision to propose a single new council had been made democratically, there was no basis for discussion.
"The commitment to consultation was made in the formal business case and reiterated at full council in August 2016, so, again, there was no basis for arbitration.
"It must be remembered that Taunton Deane Borough Council did not seek nor wish legal action at a cost to council taxpayers."
A small proportion of the council's legal bill will be borne by West Somerset Council, but the bill for the Deane's 52,000 taxpayers represents 0.65 per cent of the money it raises on the average council tax bill.
The final decision on whether top proceed with the merger will be made by the Secretary of State.
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