Two, long-awaited reports into how Walsall MBC treated a whistle-blower will finally be made public next month.

District auditor, John Gregory, has announced he will publish his report on the case of Peter Francis on 11 September.

‘I am pleased that there is now a date for publication of the report,' Mr Francis told The MJ.

‘I hope the council will keep its promise of scheduling a special council meeting to debate fully the findings.'

Mr Francis resigned from the council in 2005 after reporting his bosses for the misuse of public money. As head of programme management in the regeneration team, he made several allegations, including one relating to a £1.6m public relations contract.

He reached a settlement with the council last year after an employment tribunal found he had been unfairly dismissed. The case of Mr Francis was raised in Parliament in April, when MP David Winnick called for publication of both the district auditor's report and the council's own internal investigation into what happened. Walsall MBC's interim chief executive, David Martin, said: ‘As with other interested parties, we are keen for this report to be made public as soon as possible.

‘Walsall MBC has long-since identified and addressed a number of issues raised in the report.

‘The council is committed to being open, transparent and accountable – that is why we also commissioned an independent inquiry.

‘Assuming the district auditor releases his report on the date planned, we will release the independent report at the same time.'