OPPOSITION councillors have demanded to see evidence of how a £300,000 grant given by the council to Asons Solicitors was spent.

At a meeting of the council's corporate and external issues scrutiny committee this evening, the council was asked to share proof of the law firm's expenditure in redeveloping its Churchgate offices.

The Bolton News revealed exclusively last year that Asons had received a £300,000 grant from Bolton Council to help renovate the Newspaper House site.

In a written question submitted to the scrutiny meeting, Lib Dem group leader Roger Hayes said that the council should have seen verified expenditure by Asons Solicitors of at least £1.5 million, 20 per cent of which was made up by the grant.

Margaret Asquith, the council's chief executive, confirmed that the council did have proof of the firm's expenditure but was uncertain on whether the council could release that evidence.

Helen Gorman, the borough solicitor, said that releasing such information was "outside normal business procedures" and that the council would have to consider its position.

Cllr David Greenhalgh, Conservative leader, said: “It is in the interest of everybody, including Asons, for us to see this evidence.”

It was also confirmed at the meeting that the £300,000 grant is recoverable should Asons not continue to employ at least 120 people at its Churchgate office, as that would breach the terms of the grant.

In a written response to a question from Cllr Hayes about whether the grant could be recovered if Asons went out of business, the council said: "The Council is confident that it provided support to an employer in the town centre at a time when its business model was changing and that this investment will be returned through its rates and the wider economic benefit of retaining employment in the town centre."