£1,000 price tag for petition legal opinion

The authority splashed the cash for a QC's opinion on a petition calling for a referendum on the town's mayoral system, it has emerged.

The consultation cost 800 plus VAT, and the barrister's opinion stated that, legally, the petition may not be a petition after all.

QC Nigel Griffin of 11KBW chambers, a specialist in public law, stated: "Even if it is a petition, it is not a valid petition."

Today councillor Margaret Pinkney told The Star: "When I first read the QC's opinion I was a little taken aback - it reads like something from a 'Yes, Minister' script.

"Of course 11,000 names is a petition, whatever sort of legal spin you want to put on it.

"The money the QC was paid for this is money that should just never have been spent.

"I think this all part of a plan to delay the decision on a referendum over the office of mayor until it's too late."

The Government's planned Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill would block any referendum on the mayor's office for a further five years.

That means if the poll does not take place before the bill is passed, it could not be held until 2012.

Coun Pinkney said: "We are already lobbying MPs who are opposed to the mayoral system and will be lobbying them further when the white paper comes before parliament."

Tal Michael, Strategic Director of Policy, Partnerships and Governance, said: "The referendum debate is an important issue for the council and will affect all of Doncaster.

"It is right that we ensure every step towards this, including complex legal issues, is managed properly and in line with the detailed regulations we have to follow to ensure any petition is a valid one and could not be challenged later."