A senior councillor who sent out a ‘political’ letter using council resources has repaid the public purse.

Kirklees Council issued an apology for allowing the letter to go through its postal system without checks.

But the councillor who drafted the letter – Cabinet member for housing and relief of poverty Cathy Scott – resisted calls for a personal apology.

Clr Scott sent out a letter from herself and her two Dewsbury East Labour colleagues – current Mayor of Kirklees Clr Paul Kane and a former mayor Eric Firth – in response to correspondence from a Tory rival.

Mark Eastwood, set to stand in Dewsbury East in May’s local elections, wrote to residents in Eastborough about parking permits raising fears that fees could rise from £15 a year to as much as £265.

Councillor John Taylor.

The row was raised at a meeting of the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday when Kirkburton Tory councillor John Taylor asked about “politicking on the ratepayer.”

Cabinet chairman Clr Peter McBride said he was unaware of the matter but Clr Taylor persisted and challenged Clr Scott on why she had refused to apologise.

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Clr Scott said: “The letter was sent out in good faith in no way to distress anybody. It was sent in response to a letter sent out by a potential candidate.

“I did not use the council’s stationery for it to be used in any political view.

A letter sent by Dewsbury East Labour councillors Paul Kane, Cathy Scott and Eric Firth using Kirklees Council resources.

“The postage was repaid so I don’t see why any apology was made. The council apologised on their part. I have refuted some things that have been alleged which I do stand by. It was not a political letter.”

She turned to Clr Taylor and said: “As a councillor I don’t think you should be here questioning when I have spoken to the chief executive and the governance team. It’s not for you to decide who is guilty or not guilty.

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“I have answered the questions and I have refuted it was the three Dewsbury councillors, it was myself.

“It was a letter in response to a parking letter which had been sent out to residents in my ward saying charges could go up to as much as £265.

“It was not a political letter, it was a fact. I stated that was not the council’s intention.”

Councillors are not allowed to send politically-motivated letters through the council’s postage systems and the council’s chief executive Adrian Lythgo has sent a reminder to all councillors about their responsibilities.

Dewsbury East Conservative candidate and deputy chairman of Dewsbury County Conservative Association Mark Eastwood with the letter sent by Labour councillors using Kirklees Council resources.

A council spokesman said the complaint had been dealt with and added: “The letter was not in line with the guidance because it included the words ‘Mark Eastwood Conservative candidate.’

“It was for this reason only that an apology was issued by the service responsible. Council officers should have ensured that the letter was not sent. It was not an apology on behalf of the councillors involved.

“There is a high volume of correspondence between councillors and residents on an ongoing basis, and it is very unusual for a mistake of this sort to be made. The postage has been refunded.”