A FURIOUS protest is being made to the Ombudsman and the Freedom of Information Commission over a secret decision by Teignbridge Council to pay nearly £8,000 to a Teignmouth garage – towards a move that didn't happen.

Cllr Roy Phillips, one of the men behind the move, is angry at the compensation payment to Swansons, the Ford dealers.

The firm was originally offered land at the rear of Eastcliff car park so they could relocate from their Brunswick Street site in the town centre, which is earmarked for redevelopment.

But the controversial deal was withdrawn by Teignbridge in the face of a storm of protest from people concerned at commercial development at Eastcliff.

This was followed by a decision taken behind closed doors to compensate Swansons for the expense of drawing up plans.

Cllr Phillips said on Tuesday: 'I'm bloody mad about it. This was a cynical use of a closed meeting.'

He stressed that he and Cllr Vince Fusco both believed the decision to pay compensation was 'against the known public interest'.

They are to complain to the Ombudsman that the options for Swansons were not discussed in an open meeting.

Despite the 'great concern' over the issue, Teignmouth Town Council was not consulted. If it had been the compensation offer would never have been made, Cllr Phillips said.

'We tried to call the decision in but we failed to get the fifth councillor,' he went on. 'We were told that the decision was done and dusted.'

But he pledged to raise the matter again at both Teignbridge and Teignmouth Councils.

'Why have confidential meetings when there is no need? This was an improper use of the confidentiality clause, and the public perception is that Teignmouth wanted it hidden,' he said.

Over the years, he has seen an increasing tendency to hold closed meetings when a few figures were involved. But the meetings could be conducted without mentioning the actual amounts, he insisted.

'This is such a big issue, people are entitled to know,' he said. 'When the council tax has gone up and we are so desperately short of money, now they give away £8,000.'

Cllr Fred Tooley, twice a mayor of Teignmouth, joined in the protest. 'We are quite concerned and quite disgusted,' he said.

'If you get on a horse and the horse goes down you've lost your money. If you put in a plan and the plans go down it's the same thing.'

There were three representatives from Teignmouth on the executive committee – Cllrs Geoff Bladon, Sylvia Russell, and Don Tracey – who should have looked after the town's interests. 'It's disgusting,' he said. 'When council tax has gone up by £18 a month they are allowed to do this in secret, behind closed doors. It isn't right.'