Borough advertises 11 vacancies after town council left without councillors or clerk

A statement on Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s website advertises 11 vacancies on the town council.

Yarm Town Council’s website lists no councillors and no clerk. An automated reply statement from isa website said: “YTC does not currently have a Town Clerk and any enquiries relating to the Town Council or other services should now be directed to the Stockton Borough Council offices.”

According to a BBC report, the final four councillors, Pamela Smailes, Brian Newcombe Bob Wegg and Barbara Wegg had quit having “cited ongoing hostility and a toxic atmosphere around the council as reasons for their departures” together with a number of personal disputes.

Stockton said it would explore the statutory powers available to allow the appointment of temporary councillors at Yarm.

Information on other council websites states that the Local Government Act 1972 allows district and unitary councils to make sufficient appointments to vacancy town or parish seats until a quorum is achieved.

These appointees can be drawn from - in order of their availability -  district councillors for the ward in which the parish/town is located, a county councillor for the division concerned, district councillors for adjacent areas and other councillors.

Mark Smulian