THE Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has paid out £1.4m to Lakeland Waste Management for work done during the foot-and-mouth epidemic.
Although LWM, based at Newbiggin, Penrith, was originally pursuing £1.7m in outstanding invoices from Defra, it finally decided to settle for a £1.4m payout.
The agreement comes after LWM issued High Court proceedings in the Commercial Court, in London. Cumbria Waste Management, which partly owns LWM, has launched a £5m claim against Defra at the High Court.
Andrew Smith, lawyer to the companies, said: "Extracting sums due from Defra is like pulling teeth. It seems as though the larger the amount due the longer it takes for Defra to pay up."
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