A legal battle over access rights in Teesside Freeport has resulted in taxpayers being liable for a £4m legal bill. Lord Houchen and STDC attempted to extract a payment from PD Teesport, leading to significant public costs. The litigation, deemed unnecessary and reckless by critics, has raised concerns about the decision-making of Lord Houchen and the management of public funds.
You’ve to take a breath to comprehend the appalling conduct of Tory Mayor Lord Houchen in his grotesque attempt, with his joint venture partners, to shake down PD Ports for 90% of its revenue. How’s that working with commercial partners & local stakeholders to grow the economy? https://t.co/y4nvn3eKTn
More detail from Wednesday's court hearing in today's @yorkshirepost. Teesworks and STDC offered to drop the case which they eventually lost in exchange for 90% of PD Ports' revenue. The judge said "this approach makes settlement difficult." https://t.co/JA3xfAPOg6
Lord Houchen of High Leven here in a panic trying to disassociate himself from the Conservative Party and Westminster…. Despite literally getting paid to be a Conservative Member of the House of Lords and participating regularly in ‘the nonsense that happens in Westminster’ https://t.co/M0mNlc376e
Responsibility for the waste of millions and millions of taxpayers’ money on this scandalous, reckless and failed shake down rests entirely with Lord Houchen of High Leven. Tees Valley needs a mayor it can trust. https://t.co/lM3ZYclVha
Totally foolish & unnecessary litigation. It’s not just the legal costs of PD. The costs of STDC are borne by the public. They maybe higher than PD’s. Then there’s Teesworks costs. They have been completely funded by the public purse. Appalling & reckless decision making. https://t.co/lPIjcpP5H8
My thoughts on Lord Houchen’s tawdry endeavour trying to shake down PD Ports and losing to the tune of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money. 👇 https://t.co/jK7f55u99A
TEESSIDE FREEPORT Taxpayers (either local councils or the rest of us) are now outrageously on the hook for £4m legal bill after @benhouchen & STDC believed they "could extract a ransom payment from PD Teesport" for access rights (words of the Judge) across the controversial…