Five resign at Northamptonshire parish council labelled ‘dysfunctional’ by outgoing councillor

Spratton Parish Council has seen five resignations in a fornight.

Last week it was reported three councillors on Spratton parish council, including the chairman and vice chairman, had handed in their notice for “personal reasons.”

This week it has emerged both the council’s recently employed clerk Gill Evans, and another member, Carol Bull have also tendered resignations.

And more has been revealed as to why two of the councillors left the authority, after their resignation letters were posted on the village noticeboard at the request of the clerk.

One of those written by Michael Heaton, who was previously chairman of the village’s neighbourhood plan steering group, wrote: “The council has become increasingly dysfunctional. While I had remained able to withstand the personal pressure from outside the council, recent in-fighting has sapped my will to continue.”

The noticeboard also featured the resignation letter of the parish council’s now former chairman Lynne Hogg, who wrote: “Due to external and internal issues that have encountered since being co-opted on the parish council, I cannot see a united way forward.”

Daventry District Council was informed councillors Lynn Hogg, Michael Heaton and Fiona Keable had resigned from Spratton Parish Council on Thursday, August 27.

Members of Spratton Parish Council were contacted for a response to the resignations and the accusation the small authority was “dysfunctional.”

Councillor John Hunt said that the council had recently come under a lot of external pressure which had prompted some to hand in their notices.

He said; “What I will say is this is one of the best parish councils around. It’s done some excellent things; we create a new wood, a new pocket park. I could go on.”

“Everybody on this council has either resigned because of very much unfounded allegations going around by a very small minority. Frankly we are fed up of it.”

The September parish council meeting has been cancelled as a result of the resignations and the authority is not due to meet again until Tuesday, October 20.

A Daventry District Council spokesman said the parish council is set to hold elections to replace the councillors who have left.