London, December 30 (ANI): A British council has decided to take its former chief executive to court, claiming more than 750,000 pounds in damages over a misleading job application.

Cheltenham Borough Council has filed a suit against Christine Laird, accusing her for "misrepresenting" and "mis-stating" her capabilities in order to get the 85,000-pound-a-year job, which she dropped in 2005.

Laird's tenure, which commenced in 2002, was said to have been sailing troubled waters, with regular spats with the decision-makers, especially with Liberal Democrat leader Andrew McKinlay, reports the Telegraph.

While Laird, who was suspended on full pay in June 2004 for undisclosed reasons, had spent her three years of service claiming to be sick, owing her condition to stress, McKinlay alleged "he was forced to give up his day job to keep the authority running".

It was revealed that in May 2007, the council had originally taken both Laird and her ex employer, the Welsh local authority Rhondda Cynon Taff, to court, claiming "her fitness for the role had been mis-represented in an application questionnaire she provided and a reference from the other council".

The claim against the other council, however, had been abandoned following Cheltenham's decision to sue Laird only.

A spokeswoman said: "It has been decided, with the support and advice of counsel, that the public interest would be best served, both economically and in terms of enhancing the prospects of success, for the council to concentrate its efforts in pursuing the claim against Mrs Laird alone." (ANI)