HEREFORDSHIRE Council has won the right to a multi-million pay-back from a company it took on to provide a number of services - but which it over-paid.

Yesterday’s judgment at London’s High Court revealed that over a 10-year period between 2003 and 2013, the council paid Amey Wye Valley Ltd a staggering £204,133,291.

The council claimed this included a substantial over-payment which Mr Justice Fraser said in his decision had been put at £9,500,632.

An adjudicator earlier ruled that the council was right in its claim and that it was entitled to return of money over-paid during the contract period – the £9,500,632 – along with the adjudicator’s fees.

The company’s contract remit included highways, rights of way, building services and ancillary roles such as catering and printing.

The council had asked the High Court to enforce the adjudicator’s decision but Amey launched cross proceedings claiming among other things that the decision was “unenforceable.”

Backing the council though, the judge said it was entitled to judgment for the full amount the adjudicator had awarded it which was to be “adjusted for interest.”

He dismissed the moves by Amey and said they were not entitled to any of the declarations they had sought from the court.

In a statement, a spokesman for Herefordshire Council said: "We are pleased with Monday's High Court ruling. Our contract with Amey ran from 1 September 2003 to 31 August 2013 and we have been taking action to resolve a range of disputed matters since 2012. 

"This particular ruling relates to the amounts paid for inflation. It is the culmination of a dispute resolution process as set out by the contract and legislation. The council has, in line with proper contract management principles, made payments to Amey in accordance with our contract, until the dispute is resolved."

The council said it will continue to take all reasonable steps to resolve all remaining matters, acting in the interests of the council and the people of Herefordshire.

"Given that those matters are yet to be determined, we do not wish to comment further," the statement added.