Dudley taxpayers "forced to pay £100,000 over self-indulgent legal complaints" by former Labour deputy leader

Ms Foster resigned her Pensnett and Brockmoor seat three weeks ago citing safety concerns as the reason for her abrupt departure four months after being reelected. However, Tory Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley claimed today Labour forced to resign due to the huge legal cost of Ms Foster's complaints against rival councillors.

He said: "It's ironic that Labour's standards czar has had to apologise for her poor behaviour. Not only that, but at the same time as being critical of our spending plans she has been racking up a six-figure legal bill to protect herself from being hauled before the standards board in public.

"This could have been resolved in-house as every complaint I'm aware of has been for the last 20 years. However, Judy Foster decided she would change that. So, because of her own vanity and ego, council taxpayers are picking up a tab for £100,000 if you include the resulting by-election following her resignation."

He added: "Perhaps the Labour party would like to contribute to the legal bill that has been incurred as a result of her behaviour?"