Preston Council Faces Potential £2.2m Claim in Solar Farm Dispute

Preston City Council could become the target of a lawsuit from an Essex local authority, potentially seeking over £2 million, in a legal conflict concerning investments in solar farms. Thurrock Council indicated it allocated funds to more than 50 energy generation sites, which subsequently proved to be significantly less valuable than anticipated, resulting in an estimated £200 million loss. The contention involves the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE), which was responsible for valuing these assets, and Preston City Council is a member of this association. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reported that Thurrock is threatening to initiate legal proceedings against 23 councils across the nation as it endeavors to recover £50 million of its financial losses. Should Thurrock succeed in its legal efforts, and if the financial burden were equally distributed among the 23 councils being sued, Preston’s contribution would amount to nearly £2.2 million. This figure represents just under 10% of its annual operational revenue budget, which stands at £23.7 million. When the BBC requested a statement from Preston City Council, a spokesperson conveyed that the council was “extremely disappointed by the current legal threat by Thurrock Borough Council to recover sums it alleges it has lost as part of its investment in solar farms.” The spokesperson further added: “This is a case that has been ongoing for some time and Preston City Council vigorously defends its position as a member of the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) which is a not-for-profit, unincorporated association.” APSE also expressed its dismay regarding Thurrock’s actions, stating that Thurrock’s media pronouncements risked undermining fairness and transparency, and could potentially lead to additional legal action, which APSE indicated it might need to consider. John Kent, the leader of Thurrock Council, affirmed that the authority would exhaust all available avenues in its efforts to reclaim public funds that were lost through its “well-publicised poor investments.”