A COUPLE have been paid substantial damages after false allegations against them including child abuse were published on a council website in a planning dispute.
The completely untrue allegations related to both their private and professional lives.
The claims ranged from child abuse and other criminal activities to professional misconduct.
The comments were uploaded to East Riding Council's website after initially being included in formal objections sent to the authority over a planning application submitted by the couple for a development in Beverley.
At the time, similar allegations against the couple – who both have senior, professional jobs in Hull – were included in anonymous letters posted to people living near the development site.
It is understood details of the financial settlement were the subject of a confidentiality agreement between the couple and the council.
However, they say they are now happy for the figure to be made public subject to agreement from the council.
In a statement, the couple said: "We were appalled that anyone in the community could be both sick and vicious enough to send anonymous, libelous and defamatory letters to the council by way of objection to a simple planning application, but we deplore just as much the actions of the council in publishing and disseminating these lies."
The Mail can also reveal the council's handling of the planning application has triggered two separate standards complaints against Councillor Bryan Pearson, who chairs the authority's eastern area planning sub-committee.
No action has been taken over one complaint, which claimed Cllr Pearson's "disrespectful and arrogant" attitude during a committee meeting was "tantamount to bullying and intimidation".
The second complaint is still being investigated by the authority's monitoring officer Matthew Buckley.
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The council has so far refused to confirm the size of any damages pay-out after the Mail submitted a request under the Freedom Of Information Act over the issue.
In a statement, the authority said: "East Riding Council is unable to comment as this is a legal matter."
Although the comments were removed from the website, the couple say they do not believe the council has appropriate measures in place to improve monitoring of the public comments facility.
Like most councils, the East Riding publishes details of all planning applications it receives on its website, including letters of objection.
On the website's planning application section, it says: "Please note that all responses will be published on the council's website and will be open for viewing by members of the public.
"You should, therefore, refrain from making any comments that could be considered as defamatory or prejudicial as this could result in action being taken against you.
"The council can take no responsibility for any comments made in planning responses, but we will investigate any potentially defamatory or prejudicial comments brought to our notice.
"Comments that the council considers to be defamatory or prejudicial will be removed and will not be taken into account in the planning decision."
No one has been prosecuted over the false allegations.
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