A SENIOR Lib-Dem was hit with a £6,400 bill after agreeing to pay damages to two Green councillors who he alleged had forced homeless people to sleep in the snow.

Cllr Paul Twigger agreed to settle with Cllrs John Coyne and Sarah Jennings, who both represent the St Michaels ward, ahead of a defamation trial.

The case centred around a planning application to use a community building in Lark Lane as an overnight homeless shelter.

The Greens proposed an alternative venue, before Cllr Twigger published a leaflet claiming that “shockingly, the city’s Green councillors refused to allow a local community building to be used, meaning some homeless people were forced to sleep rough in temperatures well below zero.”

The Greens had sought an apology but documents obtained by the Daily Post showed Cllr Twigger’s legal team had claimed justification on the grounds the leaflet’s statement was true.

But before the trial could take place, Cllr Twigger – shadow cabinet member for children’s services and member for Knotty Ash – agreed to pay £6,000 costs and £200 damages each to Cllrs Coyne and Jennings.

The two Greens had to take the action as private individuals because political parties cannot sue for defamation.