THREE Forest of Dean District Council leaders have claimed that the damage done by leaked information about a shopping centre deal in Worcester could wreck their chances of future commercial investments.

Council leader Tim Gwilliam, deputy leader Paul Hiett and Cabinet member for development Richard Leppington accused the Conservative oppositiion of trying to ‘kill off this council’.

Indeed, said Cllr Gwilliam, the issue has put in jeapody plans to develop the former Gloucestershire College campus at Five Acres site into a destination leisure facility.

The three district councillors claimed:

l Somebody within the authority deliberately ‘wanted to supper’ the Worcester deal

l Leaking the information was ‘political points scoring’ and left the person they were looking to buy the shopping complex off ‘livid’.

l That, despite claims from the Conservative group on the authority that the Cabinet were being ‘secretive’ about the bid, they had to keep it quiet due to commercial confidentiality.

l And, future investments may have to be done by a ‘delegated authority’ to officers and Cabinet members instead of through the full council because they cannot ‘trust 30-odd people to keep their mouths shut’.

FULL STORY AND REACTION IN THIS WEEK’S FORESTER