Council commissions legal advice over leak of information following confidential briefing of members

Details: 07.Mar.2025

Police could be called into Harborough District Council after a draft local plan was leaked days before it was set to be discussed in public, the council's leader is reported to have said.

According to a BBC News report, Cllr Phil Knowles told a full council meeting last week (24 February) that the authority had commissioned legal advice on whether intellectual property (IP) had been broken as a result of the leak.

Cllr Knowles said that the local authority is “looking to get the police involved”, the BBC report added.

A council spokesperson confirmed that Harborough is awaiting "specialist legal advice regarding information that was shared on social media following a confidential members briefing and will consider its options once that advice is received".

The council has since discussed the local plan in a public meeting on Monday (3 March).

Adam Carey