Dudley taxpayers "forced to pay £100,000 over self-indulgent legal complaints" by former Labour deputy leader

Ms Foster resigned her Pensnett and Brockmoor seat three weeks ago citing safety concerns as the reason for her abrupt departure four months after being reelected. However, Tory Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley claimed today Labour forced to resign due to the huge legal cost of Ms Foster's complaints against rival councillors.

He said: "It's ironic that Labour's standards czar has had to apologise for her poor behaviour. Not only that, but at the same time as being critical of our spending plans she has been racking up a six-figure legal bill to protect herself from being hauled before the standards board in public.

"This could have been resolved in-house as every complaint I'm aware of has been for the last 20 years. However, Judy Foster decided she would change that. So, because of her own vanity and ego, council taxpayers are picking up a tab for £100,000 if you include the resulting by-election following her resignation."

He added: "Perhaps the Labour party would like to contribute to the legal bill that has been incurred as a result of her behaviour?"

The legal saga is believed to have started with name calling between the Conservative Pensnett and Brockmoor Tory Councillors Sue Greenaway and Rebekah Collins  and Labour's Ms Foster.

These then graduated to complaints about conduct which the Tories claims Labour politician demanded was investigated by external lawyers, which costs are now being paid by the taxpayer.

Ms Foster's resignation sparked a by-election which is being held on Thursday, December 19.

Alex Dale, who is the Conservative candidate in the by-election, said: "It's not for me to comment on the conduct of the elected members concerned. However, it is clear is that Judy Foster's actions may have cost the taxpayer a huge amount of money.  

"Ms Foster allegedly insisted on the council using an external solicitor to investigate the complaints rather than letting the council's in- house legal officer complete the investigation. Neither of the other two Councillors involved forced the council to spend exorbitant amounts of money on legal fees in the same way.  

"This is unprecedented and has cost Dudley Council around £80,000. If you add the cost of the by-election following her resignation then Ms Foster, through her own self indulgence, has cost Dudley tax payers close to £100,000."

Ms Foster was first elected in 1998 and is the longest serving Labour councillor on the Dudley Labour benches.

She said when resigning in the first week of November: "I am resigning as a councillor, the reason is concerns for my own safety, I cannot say any more at this time."

Despite Councillor Harley's comments Ms Foster maintains she resigned due to safety concerns. She told the Star she could not comment on the matter further and Labour's press office would provide a comment about the situation. 

However, Labour's London press office HQ refused to give a comment about Ms Foster's resignation or the charge she cost Dudley taxpayers £100,000. 

The findings of an investigation into the legal costs concerning Ms Foster's complaints will be discussed at full Dudley Council on Monday.