A TOWN Hall lawyer last night revealed the identities of those who saw a top-secret letter about Wirral’s libraries from a government inspector.

Conservative councillors had suggested ruling Labour and Lib-Dem councillors only reversed a controversial closure policy after seeing the confidential report from inspector Sue Charteris.

Last night, Wirral’s director of law Bill Norman released the names of the politicians who saw that letter.

In an email to all councillors, he said council leader Steve Foulkes and deputy leader Simon Holbrook were among the select group of five members shown the document.

The remaining three councillors were cabinet member for children’s services Cllr Phil Davies, environment chief Cllr Gill Gardiner and leader of leisure services Cllr Bob Moon.

Mr Evans said: “As the recipient of the letter, the judgment [on whom should see the report] fell to me and I accept personal responsibility for my decision in that regard – this was not a matter on which I took any external legal advice.

“I have only circulated the draft report to those members within the cabinet and those officers from whom I needed comments prior to responding to Sue Charteris.”

The draft report, sent to the council for fact-checking, was also seen by chief executive Steve Maddox; Jim Wilkie, deputy chief executive; Alan Stennard, director of regeneration; Ian Coleman, director of finance; Howard Cooper, director of children and young people; Jim Lester, head of cultural services; Emma Degg, head of tourism and marketing; and Rosemary Lyon, interim head of legal and member services.