By Duncan Bick Brampton reporter

Published at 08:27, Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Brampton parish councillors have been warned about their behaviour following a complaint about members bad-mouthing colleagues.

David Moorat

One member of the parish council, Pat Skimming, has even criticised the atmosphere at meetings as she resigned from the group.

Members’ behaviour was discussed at the council’s last meeting.

Vice chairwoman Gillian Hodgson said: “A member of the public has stopped me to complain that certain members of the council have made disparaging comments about new councillors and the parish clerk. This is unacceptable.”

Mrs Hodgson added that the comments had been made in businesses and public places around Brampton.

Two new councillors have been appointed in 2013. They are Keith Read-Bone and Angela Findon. The parish clerk is a permanent official.

Members of parish councils are obliged to comply with a code of conduct and standing orders, which set out how the body will carry out business.

These include taking a collective responsibility for decisions that are made at meetings.

Ms Findon said that she had heard that some of the negative comments being made were about her.

“Applying for this position is not something I decided to do overnight,” she said, adding that she had twice before considered becoming a councillor.

Ms Findon was co-opted onto the body at its meeting in January.

“I was surprised to hear that some comments were made just a few days later.”

Ms Findon, who runs a community magazine in Brampton, added that the comments she had heard suggested that she would be leaned on by other members.

But she added: “I may not be very big but I am nobody’s lapdog.”

These remarks were made at the body’s last full meeting.

There, the resignation letter of Mrs Skimming was also circulated to members.

She said commitments to her business and an up-coming operation meant she felt unable to carry on as a parish councillor.

“In the atmosphere prevailing caused by certain members, I feel I can no longer continue the cause of Brampton,” she added.

The council’s chairman, David Moorat, reminded members of their obligations.

He said: “You are members of a team, you have obligations to each other.

“As a council we have got to work together as a team.

“Much of my working life, and certainly my management consulting work, has been about getting people to work together in teams.

“That only works when there are some rules of play.”

Mr Moorat also emphasised that decisions made at meetings were the settled view of the parish council.

Mrs Skimming’s position will be filled at the council’s next meeting on Tuesday, March 26.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk