Following a legal challenge from Wharfemeadows Action Group (WAG ) in March 2007, Leeds City Council instructed a leading QC to provide 'independent advice' into legal aspects of its decision to erect this unpopular fencing.

This advice was given in March but Leeds City Council refused to make it public until last week when it was forced to do so as the result of a Freedom of Information request from Greg Mulholland MP.

We were astonished to read Coun Andrew Carter's weak attempts to use this legal opinion to justify both the fencing and the catalogue of errors that have characterised his Executive Board's handling of this whole fiasco.

The legal document (which we have read carefully) clearly criticises the council, its leaders and senior officers in several important aspects and actually offers some advice about how they should act to try to put matters right. In the interests of the whole truth, the legal document can be read in full on our website (under Stop Press): www.wharfemeadowsactiongroup.
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Far from putting matters right, Coun Carter is now making matters worse. He should have had the honesty to admit what his own QC has told him and the decency to apologise to the people of Otley for the way the City Council has conducted itself and allowed this unnecessary and expensive fencing to be erected despite the continued overwhelming opposition of local residents and visitors. Common sense has been cast aside and the 6,136 people who signed a petition against the fencing have been ignored and treated with contempt.

This does not reflect well on a council leadership which has a duty to ensure open, democratic and accountable local government.

Tony Hartigan, on behalf of Wharfemeadows Action Group