Councillor ordered to pay £1,749 costs says it was worth it

CONTROVERSIAL councillor Tom Reynolds has been ordered to pay costs of £1,749.80 following an unsuccessful court action against Frodsham Town Council alleging defamation.
But the outspoken Castle Park ward councillor says it was worth it.
He said: “It is important to ‘stand up’ and be ‘counted!’”
Cllr Reynolds took the Town Council to court alleging defamation and there was a hearing at Warrington County Court on March 11.
This followed a long-running saga leading to the resignations of the former Town Clerk, Jon Wild, and council chairman Mark Warren, amid allegations of “systemic bullying” by Cllr Reynolds – allegations which Cllr Reynolds has always denied.
As a result, Cllr Reynolds was suspended from membership of all committees. Subsequently, the council agreed to lift the suspension, but Cllr Reynolds chose not to accept a place on any committee.
At the court hearing, solicitors acting for the council successfully applied for Cllr Reynold’s claim to be “struck out” on the basis the claimant had failed to provide proper particulars of his claim.
After the hearing, Cllr Reynolds said: “I took Frodsham Town Council to court because I really had no other option.
“The ‘system’ had failed me. There is no ‘councillor’ body to refer to.  Frodsham Town Council were ignoring me.
“Cheshire Association of Local Councils  refused to help, stating they represented councils NOT individual councillors. The Cheshire West and Chester (CW&C) monitoring officer refused to help. “
Cllr Reynolds admitted a court claim was always a “high risk”
“On my ‘day’ in court, I didn’t even get to present my case…I’d filled in the wrong form. This resulted in Frodsham Town Council’s solicitor filing for a ‘strike’ which the judge granted.  I’ve got £1,800 of costs, as a result.
“Was it worth it?  Yes. It is important to ‘stand up’ and be ‘counted!’
Cllr Reynolds has argued throughout that the Town Council was in contravention of the Localism Act 2011 when it investigated the complaints against him and suspended him from committees.
He says the investigation should have been carried out by CW&C and that in November last year he was notified by CW&C that a formal investigation would be held and an  independent investigator had been appointed.
But the results of the investigation have not yet been published.