West Norfolk Council (WNC) will receive the compensation following a legal battle against one of its own councillors, Simon Nash.

The mistake left the authority out of pocket after a judge ruled against its attempts to claim back costs of an earlier court hearing brought by the councillor.

It is the latest twist in an extraordinary row between Mr Nash and his own authority that has lasted nearly a decade and has cost WNC at least £14,000 in legal fees.

Simon Nash, councillor for Setchey Ward at West Norfolk Council (Image: Simon Nash)

CONDUCT COMMOTION

The legal battle was sparked by a standards hearing into Mr Nash's conduct, which he claimed breached his human rights.

Mr Nash, an independent representing Setchey, took WNC to the High Court, believing his right to a fair trial was breached during the standards hearing in January last year.

He was found to have broken codes of conduct over a series of emails to officers in which he accused officials of "corruption" and "acting like a dictatorship" - complaints he says were made acting as a

© Eastern Daily Press