Braddan commissioners say they are happy to make their accounts available to the public, after seeing off a High Court challenge from a local company.

The authority went to court after Tel's Ltd lodged a Petition of Doleance saying the commissioners had refused to allow the company to inspect books of accounts.

In court, Tel's argued inspecting the accounts meant it could also look through computer records and other documentation, used to produce the annual accounts.

But the commissioners said that would have meant opening up information which could include personal data on ratepayers, tenants and staff.

Braddan's board argued it already provided its annual accounts, both audited and unaudited, for inspection by the public, as required by law.

Deemster Corlett, who heard the case, said releasing the extra information could breach data protection and human rights legislation.

After the case, Braddan chairman Margaret Hodge said the board was satisfied the legal position had now been clarified, something which could benefit all local authorities who could be faced with such a case in the future.

She says copies of all recent audited accounts are available online at braddan.gov.im and all accounts, audited and unaudited, are available at the board's offices.