A village local authority has called in the police to investigate how a story was leaked to the press.

The move by Port St Mary Commissioners came after the Examiner reported how extraordinary general meetings had been held at the town hall to discuss the position of the clerk.

We were contacted by Constable Stephen Gorry at Castletown police station who said he is looking into the events ’up to and including that press article and how that information has entered the public domain’.

Our journalist informed him that we do not reveal the sources of our stories.

Chief Constable Gary Roberts told the Examiner: ’A complaint has been received from the board, which indicates that an offence under the Local Government Act may have been committed.

’The legislation has a clause preventing improper disclosure of information without the permission of the local authority.’

Our report last month revealed that two EGMs were held one after the other to discuss the position of clerk Alastair Hamilton who has been off on sick leave since the beginning of January.

Both meetings were held in private as issues relating to staffing are not discussed publicly.

Port St Mary Commissioners has made headlines in recent weeks after announcing one of the biggest increases in rates in the island.

Commissioners Laurence Vaughan-Williams claimed members had been ’muzzled’ from giving the true reason for the 5.2% increase.

The board was also criticised by the Information Commissioner over the use of covert CCTV cameras to catch dog owners who allow their pets to foul the streets.

In May last year, we reported on the discovery of a £200,000 discrepancy in a village’s finances. The discrepancy in the cash-backed reserves dated back more than 15 years.

Details of the rates breakdown were put on the authority’s website last Friday.

Listing contributory factors for the rates rise, it states reserves have been used on Town Hall improvements and to buy Manxonia House.

There is a further 3% salary increase expected in the coming year and refuse disposal costs at the energy from waste plant increasing by 4.52%.

It adds: ’Taking the above into account and given the extra workload the authority has taken on from the Department of Infrastructure over the last few years, after holding the rates between 2012-2016, raises over the past two years have been necessary.’

The top expense is salaries, at £267,084. Other high expenses are: refuse, £83,130 and office expenses £52,315. Manxonia loan interest and charge is £16,333.

The breakdown includes £5,488 for the discretionary payment of an attendance allowance - in Port Erin, by comparison, it is £1,440.

The office said the clerk is still on sick leave.