An Isle of Wight parish council with a ‘dreadful reputation’ descended into a shouting match on Tuesday (18th February) over the recent resignation of its clerk.
Towards the end of Shalfleet Parish Council’s (SPC) extended, fractious meeting, tensions reached fever pitch as discussion moved onto Tina Bailey’s departure from office last month.
The last item on the Extraordinary Meeting’s agenda involved agreeing to ‘recruit a new clerk’, following guidelines from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Good Councillor’s Guide to Employment’.
Ms Bailey left her position amid a row with councillors Steve and Thomas Cowley who said she was ‘illegitimately’ in the job.
The former clerk cited the Cowleys’ conduct and a ‘toxic unworkable environment’ as reasons for the exit.
Councillor Chris Beane said:
“We’ve seen 2 clerks who have resigned feeling stressed, bullied and unable to continue.
“There are 2 distinct problems with hiring a new clerk. First of all, this council has such a dreadful reputation as an employer, the chance of getting someone to apply is very difficult.
Article continues below this advertisement “The second thing – I think it places us under distinct legal and financial risks employing a third clerk before we have addressed the issues.”
Councillor Beane said the council was “not at the stage” where it could “possibly consider hiring a new clerk” and was “in effect suspended”.
Referring to the Cowleys, Councillor Jonathan Hill said it was “morally impossible” to “even consider employing someone to put in front of you”.
He said:
“I have seen you behave the way you have done. I have seen you shout at clerks. I have seen you shout at members of the public.”
Councillor Steve Cowley hit back:
“There is an agreement between NALC and the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) which specifically says it is important to recognise that bullying does not include appropriate criticism of employees’ behaviour.
“Fair feedback…is not bullying.”
Councillor Hill said:
“Yours is bullying, and coercive behaviour. You bully everybody”.
Councillor Thomas Cowley described the bullying accusations as “hearsay” with “nothing substantiated”.
The authority ultimately voted against hiring a new clerk.
Parishioner Marcus Gilbert attended SPC for the first time on Tuesday evening.
Speaking after the meeting he told the press:
“Shambolic – I felt that the chair (Councillor Steve Cowley) wasn’t doing his role and in my understanding, the chair should be there to allow all elected councillors to have their opinion heard and said which wasn’t happening.”
Councillor Steve Cowley said on Wednesday (19th February):
“Democracy can be a messy business some times. I have always been open and transparent and tried to ensure that local residents can come and be heard.”
Local residents can come and be heard says cowley, but we will ignore everything they say,because you must do as I say.. if ever there was an advert for doing away with parish and town councils this is it.
Wow!
It is time that this pair of bullies were thrown out!
How dare they speak to females and behave like this?
How can father and son be top of a parish council after both voting each other in?
They should stand down and hand control over to people who care about their community before this gets into the national press and makes the island a laughing stock. This pair of violent councillors seem like inbred mutants and it’s no way for people in power to behave.
Out. Out. Out.
Thoroughly agree.
I totally agree that these two bullying morons should be removed asap. Maybe then democracy will and common sense will return. But the problem seems that nobody seems to have the balls to do it and for anyone trying to remove them should be strongly backed by other members.
Makes me laugh, who do Councillors think they are!
They need to grow up, time for them to be
removed from their positions.
Numpty’s
Surely the only way to resolve this, is a vote of no confidence.
If the likes of us can figure this out, why can’t the elected members sort it out?