ACCUSATIONS of bullying and blackmail abounded after Monday's meeting of Beaudesert and Henley Joint Parish Council where a contentious decision to withhold payment to the town improvement committee (TIC) was made because its chairman had signed a letter stating his loss of confidence in the parish council.
Complaints to the district council's monitoring officer are set to follow after the latest in the ongoing Henley saga. The trouble began on Monday when council chairman Les Goodman updated councillors on the request made by Cllr Bill Leech for a parish poll on the issue that confidence has been lost in the leadership and management of the parish council and that all existing councillors should resign immediately and that there should be an election for a new parish council as soon as possible.
Subsequently some 46 residents wrote to Stratford District Council to express their dissatisfaction with the management of the council.
Cllr Goodman said: "I and the clerk have personally seen each individual letter that was sent. I also have a list of names of the people requesting that parish poll and I think that it's absolutely wonderful that one of the councillors here tonight wants a parish poll to get rid of himself. I shall ensure that all councillors have a list of these names.
"A chairman and a member of the committee of the TIC are on that list and considering that the TIC has received in excess of £40,000 over the years I would ask you as councillors whether you wish to continue to support that organisation."
This announcement was met with gasps from the assembled public and a number of those in attendance, as well as two councillors, later said that they intended to complain to the district council's monitoring officer as they feel distributing a list of names amounts to intimidating and bullying behaviour.
Clerk to the parish council Jenny Walsh said that she was advised by the democratic services manager at the district council that letters requesting an election, including by parish poll, are in the public domain and can be viewed by anyone who requests to see them.
The chairman of the TIC, officially known as the Henley War Memorial Trust, Peter Crathorne, said after the meeting: "The TIC didn't write a letter. It was in my personal capacity as an elector in the parish of Henley. The TIC have nothing whatsoever to do with the matter and couldn't under the terms of the trust."
A second shockwave hit when Cllr George Matheou, a trustee of the TIC, spoke in response to Cllr Goodman: "First of all I'm trying to recover from what you have just said. It comes as a shock to me. My first reaction is I must have a chat with the chairman of the TIC. I had no idea what was happening. I'm going to ask the parish council to withhold the £3,000 we have signed today."
At this point TIC chairman Mr Crathorne left the hall in apparent disgust, although he later said he had another meeting to go to. He said: "I was cross. He's supposed to be one of our trustees and knows the situation relating to the finances. I did feel that it was unreasonable to deal with it quite in that way."
The TIC is the charity which manages the memorial hall and the memorial playing fields, used by seven sports clubs including cricket, football and tennis and the Scouts. The parish council has given annual grants to the TIC for about 40 years to ensure the sporting and cultural heritage of the town is maintained. The trust receives £18-20,000 a year and the council's grant makes up a significant £6,000 of this.
Cllr Goodman agreed to withhold the cheque until the matter was discussed at the next parish council meeting on Monday 26th April.
The draft minutes of the meeting will state that Cllr Matheou proposed that in the light of information brought to the meeting by the chairman regarding the TIC, consideration should be given to deferring payment of the first instalment of £3,000 to the TIC pending the matter being brought before the council at its next meeting on 26th April. The minutes will state the proposal was seconded by Cllr Hubbocks and there were no objections noted by councillors.
However, there was confusion among councillors as a couple of them could not recall a vote taking place and accused the chairman of making an unlawful decision in that he has no right to make decisions as an individual. Besides, even if a vote had taken place it took place within a section of the agenda for exchange of information only.
John Garner, treasurer of the TIC, said of Cllr Matheou's proposal: "It means we won't be able to pay the water rates. He's trying to blackmail us because we feel unhappy with the way the parish council is operating recently. He should know better."
The matter will no doubt be raised at the annual assembly next Monday at 7.30pm in the Baptist Church hall, when there will be a call for a town poll proposing the resignation of all current councillors and a new election.
Report by Rebekah Smith - Stratford Herald - Thursday 15th April 2010
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