It is usually politicians who accuse the media of ’fake news’.

But Isle of Man Newspapers has been forced to write to a local authority after village commissioners put out misinformation at a public meeting.

Ratepayers who attended a public meeting at Port St Mary town hall on June 25 were informed that a police inquiry into a leak to the press had been concluded and no further action would be taken.

Those at the meeting were told by a board member that the reporter had told the police that the leak had come from two commissioners.

But this is not the case. Isle of Man Newspapers never reveal the sources of its stories to anyone.

The Commissioners called in the police after Isle of Man Newspapers revealed in January that two extraordinary general meetings were held to discuss the position of the clerk, Alastair Hamilton.

Then in April, the board announced it had reached an agreement regarding matters that led to Mr Hamilton’s resignation in January.

Editor Richard Butt has written to board chairman Dr Michelle Haywood asking for the issue to be raised in public session at the next available board meeting - for the record to be set straight.

He wrote: ’At the public meeting, ratepayers were given misinformation about the leak to the press of details relating to two extraordinary general meetings held to discuss the position of the clerk.

’At the public meeting - which we attended - commissioners claimed that the reporter told police that two commissioners were the source of the press report.

’This is incorrect. Constable Stephen Gorry contacted our reporter, Adrian Darbyshire, by email on the evening of Saturday February 24 to arrange a time to discuss the matter.

’Adrian spoke to PC Gorry on the Monday morning and informed him that Isle of Man Newspapers does not reveal the sources of its stories.’

He added: ’The same reporter told commissioner Alec Merchant in a private discussion on the street in Port St Mary that he did not know the source of the story as it was written by a colleague - and that he had told the police we don’t reveal our sources.

’His colleague Melanie Wright has similarly not revealed her sources to anyone.

’We would like the record to be set straight.’

Sergeant Jonathan Dale of the Southern Neighbourhood Policing Team told iomtoday: ’I can confirm there is no on-going investigation into the alleged offence as no evidence was found against any person.

’I can also confirm that PC Gorry had no knowledge of the source of the information.’

Last month’s public meeting was called to discuss the authority’s 5.2% rates rise and the controversial purchase of a run-down building.

Commissioner and former chairman Laurence Vaughan-Williams insisted the rates rise had nothing to do with Manxonia House - but rather it was due to the need for a contingency fund over Mr Hamilton’s departure.

Options for the future of Manxonia House were due to be discussed - in private session - by the board on Wednesday but that meeting was postponed.