Labour leader of Telford & Wrekin Council officially rebuked for breaking solicitor accounting rules

The Labour leader of Telford & Wrekin Council has received an official rebuke from the Solicitors Regulation Authority after a firm he helped manage spent money that should have been held in client accounts.

Cllr Shaun Davies was one of three managers at now-closed Cooper Rollason LLB when the firm got into financial problems in 2004. They used money that should have been held in protected client accounts to cover office costs which is a breach of SRA rules. Cllr Davies was the firm's compliance officer at the time and responsible for stopping such breaches occurring.

Davies and the other two partners were give the rebuke by the SRA which is a permanent mark on their record and ordered to pay £200 costs but escaped a more serious referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Panel which could have seen them struck off and receive an unlimited fine.