Wednesday 30 November 2011

District Council criticises JPC and Parish Clerk

Monitoring Officer says:  "the Parish Council is Dysfunctional"

Stratford District Council's Standards & Ethics Committee has failed to sort out the "Dysfunctional" Beaudesert and Henley-in-Arden Joint Parish Council and will wash its hands of this authority. The District Council has attempted to sort out the problems of factionalism in the JPC but with no result in sight they are pulling out.

In August 2010, a complaint (SEC019) was lodged by the parish clerk, Mrs Jenny Walsh, against Cllr Bill Leech. After an investigation lasting almost 6 months and costing around £10,000, he was found guilty on one minor matter. All the rest of the allegations were rejected. He had to serve a two week suspension and the Ethics committee asked for the whole parish council, including the clerk, to agree to professional mediation.

Liam Nevin, the District Council's Monitoring Officer, who was not at the meeting, had reported that mediation was not possible because of the large number of councillors declining to participate, along with the parish clerk. Cllr Leech had supported mediation. In a letter to the parish clerk and the chairman of the Joint Parish Council, Cllr Roger Hubbocks, the Monitoring Officer had said: "I am dismayed by the manner in which the matter has been addressed and which I fear will simply reinforce the perceptions expressed by the sub-committee that the Parish Council is Dysfunctional."

Mr Nevin asked the committee to close the case and the committee agreed with his recommendation.

Mrs Walsh told the press that the Henley Joint Parish Council has made no proposals to change the way it operates!

Cllr Leech said: "I do not believe I have ever done anything wrong. I have challenged the excessive and unnecessary expenditure by the parish council. Let's hope that a new, fully functional and inclusive council will be elected next May.


Respected Resident Comments
Dear Editor,
I cannot believe the pomposity and disdain with which certain members of our local parish council are treating their positions. This includes the Chairman Cllr Roger Hubbocks, the previous Chairman Cllr Len Goodman and the parish clerk Mrs Jenny Walsh. She in particular has it seems been nothing but a real trouble maker since taking the position. She is after all only a clerk.
Roll on May and hopefully the residents of Henley will see sense and elect people who put the residents first and not themselves. I would insist these councillors contribute towards the £10,000 they have wasted on our behalf.
Peter Knight - Resident of Henley