DISTRICT councillors will decide next week whether to appeal against an order to release details of alleged overspending on two prestige projects.

The Information Commissioner's office gave South Shropshire Council until September 21 to comply with the order to reveal the worst-case costs of the £2 million Eco Business Park east of Ludlow, and the £7 million Auction Yard project at Craven Arms.

The demand follows a 10 months campaign by businessman and former parliamentary candidate Martin Taylor-Smith who unsuccessfully contested Ludlow as a Conservative candidate in 2001. He made his first request last October for information about budgeted spend; the spending to date and projected spending on the two ventures.

After the council twice refused disclosure, Mr Taylor-Smith used the Freedom of Information Act in December to call in the Commissioner. Following an eight months investigation, assistant commissioner Phil Boyd ruled that the council could not claim exemption under the act.

The council will hold an emergency meeting of its executive committee next Thursday to decide whether to appeal.

Mr Taylor-Smith claimed that by June, Craven Arms had overrun its budget by £3,800 and the Eco Park by £110,530. "Further costs are expected on both projects," he said.

In a statement, the council said: "The Council is facing increased costs on both these projects, outside of its control and due to claims made by contractors and agencies above the budgets and their own estimates." It added: "The council disputes the validity of many of these claims."

Chief executive Graham Biggs insisted: "There is nothing to hide and nothing to cover up."

The claims are still being negotiated. Once they are resolved, there will be full disclosure, he explained.

"There simply isn't anything sinister or underhand in the council's decisions not to disclose information at this stage," added Mr Biggs.

Council leader Heather Kidd claimed: "It's the timing of the disclosure that's the real issue. To disclose information now that we will have to disclose fully in due course anyway is not in the public interest."

Coun Kidd added: "What Mr Taylor-Smith wants us to do is to show the council's hand to the other side in ongoing negotiations about who pays what. This is bound to end up with the council getting a worse deal."