Could you answer my question about where you think the council messed up, you seem to reply to others but not this crucial point
The pathetic fall out and subsequent acting like petulant children (on all sides) about four years ago.
It became a finger pointing "He said", "She said" situation and that's lead to the situation we find ourselves in today.
Professional people shouldn't act in that way - personalities and not the situation at hand took over and it just spiralled into something it never should have done.
It's perfectly reasonable to think someone is an absolute arse but on a professional level that shouldn't cloud your judgement.