CALLS have been made for the Vale council to release details of an investigation into whether forged letters were submitted in favour of a planning application.

An official council report stated that some of the letters of support which they had received in favour of the application for new sports facilities and 200 houses at Sully's sports field may have been forged.

The police were contacted but have since dropped their inquiries.

The plans, submitted by the Sully Sports and Social Club and developers St Modwen, were rejected by the Vale planning committee in November 2016

But fresh outrage emerged in the week running up to the decision as it emerged that some of the 800 letters, which those behind the application claimed were in favour of it, could have been fake.

An internal council investigation was launched following a complaint from a member of the public and it was revealed that around 20 per cent of a sample selected may not have been genuine.

Richard Grigg, Plaid Cymru spokesman in the Vale said that further details on any investigation would be helpful.

He said: "How long will we have to wait for the report on the investigation into the scandal of the bogus letters received by the Vale planning department?

"The letters were apparently from members of the public but it was only when an eagled-eyed resident smelt a rat that this scandal was exposed.

"At the planning committee, Plaid Cymru councillors were not allowed to speak on the confidence trick with the Vale claiming legal issues prevented debate."

He went on to say that the episode has "cast a shadow" over the planning process and has the potential to further damage the reputation of the Vale's planning system.

He said: "Rather than being open and upfront about the investigation, the Vale has reverted to type.

"It is beginning to look as there has been a deliberate tactic of refusing to let residents know what has been discovered.

"The public needs to know what steps have been taken to ensure that any attempts to subvert the planning process will be quickly and effectively identified and appropriate action taken.

"We need a full report to be published so that the issues involved can properly aired."

Councillor Kevin Mahoney who represents Sully said: "The Vale council should reveal the full details of the investigation.

"I am seriously concerned that this has been allowed to happen.

"I think the council should release the details of what they found and be open to suggestions as to how we can tighten this up.

"Perhaps this could include making sure the addresses are verifiable."

Chris Thorne from the Sully Conservatives said: "There are clearly serious concerns over the way the proposals for the BP Sports Field in Sully have been handled by the Labour-run Vale Council - and until we see a full record of the investigation into the forged letters concerns will not be quelled."

Councillor Neil Moore, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: "I take great comfort from the fact that in this particular case, the council viewed the concern raised by a member of the public extremely seriously, implemented an audit investigation and referred the matter to the police.

"Once referred to the police, it was a matter for them to progress as they saw fit.

"The reason members were advised that it would be inappropriate to debate this aspect at planning committee was that the matter was being investigated by the police and it was essential that the police investigation was not prejudiced.

"That said, all appropriate information relating to the concern raised by the member of the public was covered in the planning committee report.

"I cannot see how the incident has ‘cast a shadow’ over the planning process and ‘damaged the reputation’ of the department or the council when the steps that were taken were robust and immediate."