A Tory environment spokesman who accused Merton Council of cooking-up inflated figures on solar panel investment was sent out-of-date figures by the coucil's chief executive, it has emerged.

The embarrassing revelation is the latest episode in an ongoing spat between rivals Councillor David Dean, Merton Conservatives' environment spokesman and Councillor Andrew Judge, cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration.

In a letter to the Wimbledon Guardian earlier this month, Coun Dean disputed claims in the council's Climate Change Strategy 2014-2017 that more than 700 kWp of solar panels have been installed on council buildings since 2011.

And he demanded a public apology from Coun Judge for allegedly misleading the council with the statistics at a full council meeting on July 9.

But he was basing his claims on an out-of-date document sent to him by mistake by council officers on July 24 which stated the output of solar panels was closer to 300 kWp and they needed to install more to match published figures.

However, figures shown to the Wimbledon Guardian show that Coun Judge's figures were accurate.

As part of its on-going solar energy programme, the council has added eleven solar panels to their books since 2011, most recently at Wimbledon Leisure Centre and Garfield Primary School in June.

Environment officers have confirmed this brings Merton's solar capacity up to 915 KWp this month.

Coun Judge said: "I find it difficult to deal with David Dean because he makes up thing all the time so of all councillors he's actually the most destructive.

"He opposed the Mini Holland bid and he opposed an energy services company. So where he's apparently the Conservative's environment spokesman I think he makes things up and doesn't have the support of some of his colleagues."

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Confused: Councillor David Dean 

Coun Dean said: "I'm not the guilty party, I'm trying to make this right. The fact is, in July the CEO sent me a document saying the council's kWp was 304."

He said he has now demanded an explanation for the error from the council: "It is the duty of a councillor to seek the truth and to date there is no answer to the question."

The out-of-date document sent to Coun Dean was signed by chief executive Ged Curran and Caroline Holland, director of corporate services at Merton Council.

They have yet to comment.