THE Information Commissioner has ordered Pembrokeshire County Council to release documents it has always refused to make public.

In 2005, Councillor Mike Williams used the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to request documents relating to the council's economic development consultant, Dr Michael Ryan, and his company ORA Ltd.

Following his employment in 2000, at £475 per day, Dr Ryan set up a new company, Euro-Ryall, with cabinet member Brian Hall.

But a storm of controversy blew up when a leaked fax revealed how Euro-Ryall planned to buy up county businesses.

The district auditor investigated but ruled that because Euro-Ryall never traded, there had been no actual conflict of interest.

After the storm died down Cllr Williams used FOI to request a summary document submitted by ORA, plus Dr Ryan's CV, the ORA company profile and a list of relevant projects. The council refused and Cllr Williams complained.

The information commissioner has now ordered the company profile and projects list be released.

The council claimed the information could be used to make approaches "with the purpose of questioning the credentials of ORA Ltd and Dr Ryan himself."

But the commissioner said: "If such approaches were designed to find out whether work was undertaken then the disclosure would, if anything, serve the interests of a greater transparency in relation to the council's relationship with ORA Ltd and Dr Ryan."

The council is considering its response to the decision.

Cllr Williams said: "Serious questions need to be asked as to why the council has spent almost 18 months fighting tooth and nail to resist divulging information when the information commissioner has found that they didn't have a leg to stand on. I hope they have learned their lesson, and release all documentation as a matter of urgency."

But, in a further twist on Monday, Cllr Williams has learned a further FOI request, asking for copies of correspondence between PCC and the information commissioner, had also been refused.

Cllr Williams has complained and asked that the council reconsider its decision. He said: "Frankly, I don't bloody believe it."