Mark Winnington, the council's cabinet member the environment, said the authority was taking a "belt and braces approach" to the situation.

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He said there was a need for a "belt and braces" approach to make sure such "shoddy journalism" was not repeated.

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Ms Thomson said the measures in the bill were more than a "belt and braces approach" to combatting money laundering or mortgage fraud as it added an additional offence because it included "that element of recklessness".

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You might expect green groups to applaud this belt-and-braces approach.

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