The independent inquiry into former Kingston Council leader Derek Osbourne is yet to begin - despite being announced seven months ago.

The investigation was announced in June by current council leader Kevin Davis, following the Conservatives' victory at the local elections in May.

Coun Davis said at the time he had hoped to have a draft report of findings ready by last autumn.

But this week, he said the inquiry had been stalled due to commitments faced by the chosen Queen’s Counsel (QC).

He added he was hopeful the inquiry, budgeted at £10,000, would begin later this month.

But Liberal Democrat opposition leader Liz Green said: "It will take several months and it seems to be dragging on.

"It was agreed that it would be an independent chair but the last I heard was that they [the Conservatives] wanted somebody with legal knowledge to chair it - but they do not cost £10,000.

"They cost about £1,000 an hour. My understanding is that they cannot get one within the budget they have set themselves."

Kingston labour leader Linsey Cottington said: "I think there are very few QCs that will get much work done for £10,000.

"The council has to figure out whether if it wants to stay within budget or find some way of dealing with things – it obviously has not worked out yet."

Coun Green added she never believed an inquiry was needed because the police investigation had not found a link between Osbourne’s crimes and his public work.

But both Coun Davis and his predecessor, the late Howard Jones, have stated the inquiry should examine aspects of Osbourne’s tenure not covered by the police investigation.

That could include decision-making regarding funding, in particular to youth groups, as well as his behaviour toward young people he came into contact with through his various public duties.

Osbourne was released from prison on licence on October 28 last year after spending nearly a year in jail, including time inside both Wandsworth and Brixton prisons.

He was jailed in 2013 after pleading guilty to 17 counts of making and distributing indecent images.

These included extreme images of children, animals and violence against women, which he posted under the online pseudonym Dave Strider.

The Conservatives have always insisted the inquiry should cover all aspects of Osbourne's leadership.

At the time of his arrest, he was the public face of the council’s children’s services improvement plan, following the damning 2012 Ofsted inspection.

He was also a vocal supporter of the Rose Theatre, and its youth theatre group.