Some of the actions at Hemingbrough
may be unlawful. Certainly, many are very nasty.
I believe I am correct when I say the
Clerk to Hemingbrough Parish Council, Mrs Julie Leighton-Eshelby, is employed
by the Council, under section 112 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972, to support
the Council's activities.
Clerks are employed to implement
Council decisions. Clerk’s are expected to
provide advice and guidance for Councillors. Councils use public money to pay for Parish Clerks to access advice
from Specialists such as the Yorkshire Local Councils Associations.
Parish Clerks are supported by ‘Monitoring
Officers’ of nearby principal councils, such as Selby District Council.
Parish Clerks are NOT answerable to any individual Councillor - not even the Chairman! No single Councillor can act as a Clerk's line manager - not even the Chairman!
Clerks are not responsible when Councillors make prats of themselves, with or without guidance.
Clerks are responsible for putting together the Council agenda.
Clerks are not Secretaries. Clerks are not at a Chairman’s beck and call. Councils and residents expect Clerks to be independent, trusted, objective Officers. It is reasonable, therefore, for Residents to ask Clerks about their duties and results.
So, with defined roles and oodles of advice, what has gone wrong at Hemingbrough, and for so long? What has been done to stop the very nasty behaviour around the Council table?
(To
be continued).
