Legal fees to defend officers 'should be revealed'

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, A panel found the need to show prudent use of public funds was a key factor

An independent panel has ruled the cost of a legal case defending a number of Guernsey Police officers should be released.

The Committee for 91热爆 Affairs said it was "very disappointed in the decision" and said the information should not be released when it was asked as part of a freedom of information (FOI) request.

The FOI Appeals Panel found there was an overriding public interest and the details of what the police spent on legal fees defending local officers should be released.

It said: "The panel consider that the prudent use of public funds, particularly where the amounts involved may be significant engages the overriding of the exemption."

Deputy Rob Prow, President of the Committee for 91热爆 Affairs said: "We鈥檙e very disappointed in the decision, which seems rather nonsensical given the appeals panel acknowledged we鈥檇 applied an exemption correctly.

"We鈥檙e currently taking advice and considering our options, noting also that the appeal panel鈥檚 ruling isn鈥檛 binding."

Follow 91热爆 Guernsey on and . Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.

More on this story
Guernsey needs FOI law with 'real authority'