Just
Are you Solicitor or do you have a legal background. I would have thought not paying could involve the leaseholder being evicted. Surely you should pay under protest. I have not got a legal background before anyone asks.
Also someone needs to look at the lease very carefully. Until the lease details are fully known dangerous to advise people not to pay.
If you refused to pay a private freeholder you could be on very sticky ground. Surely just because the freeholder is the council should be no different.

Also , I have ,mentioned before but no answer , did not the surveyor spot any potential problems and your solicitor advise you on the lease.