A decision to hire a QC for tens of thousands of pounds for two days work as councillors voted through a contentious planning has caused a rumpus in the Cotswolds.

The row goes back to a vote earlier this year which saw Conservative councillors vote against their Liberal Democrat colleagues in favour of the highly contentious plans to build 2,350 homes on land belonging to Lord Bathurst.

It was the biggest planning application the council has ever dealt with.

Both BBC Radio Gloucestershire and Private Eye magazine have pointed out the council hired in top legal advice to the tune of £30,865, to decide, among other things, whether some Conservative councillors, also members of Lord Bathurst's Bull Club, a private dining club, were able to cast their vote.

That the money was paid to cover just two days work has angered many residents who think with an in-house legal team already at the council the money would have been better spent on tackling issues in the town.

Residents speaking to BBC radio reporter Hayley Mortimer on this morning breakfast show with Mark Cummings branded the council's decision to spend such a large sum in such a way "disgraceful" and "disgusting".

Satirical current affairs and news magazine Private Eye called the £30,000-plus fee "nice work all round!".

A statement from the district council said: "We can confirm that Mr Douglas Edwards QC (counsel) was engaged to provide legal advice to Cotswold District Council prior to and during full Council meetings held in September 2017 and January 2018 (and other informal meetings) to consider a planning application for development at Chesterton Farm.

"Additionally, he provided ongoing legal services to the council from September 2017 until January 2018.

"Council officers took the conscious decision to instruct counsel given the complex and strategic nature of such a major application, its impact on the district, and its relationship with the Local Plan.

"The decision to instruct counsel was not due to a lack of staff capacity - indeed, our legal team provided instructions for Mr Edwards.

"The issues surrounding the Bull Club and other member interests were more incidental, but Mr Edwards again provided legal advice which concluded that there was no conflict of interest and that members should be allowed to participate."

The total costs of Mr Edwards' services are outlined in our accounts which are available at https://www.cotswold.gov.uk/about-the-council/information-data/finance-expenditure/