The National Park has agreed to pay £9,400 towards a member’s legal costs totalling £40,602.61 the Western Telegraph has learned.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority held an extraordinary meeting yesterday (Wednesday) and excluded the public and press as they considered a report on a claim for indemnity of legal costs and expenses.

Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse made an application for reimbursement of legal fees, incurred after he was cleared of breaking the Authority’s code of conduct by the Adjudication Panel for Wales in 2007.

The Authority’s indemnity insurance does not cover retrospective applications.

Members voted to hold the discussion in private, but the Western Telegraph understands that the monitoring officer’s report and minutes of the meetings will now be made available to the public, following the decision to use public money to pay part of the amount claimed.