Cumbria parish council 'no confidence' petition is 'perverse'

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Parton, CumbriaImage source, Google
Image caption,

Parton is a small village on Cumbria's west coast

Calls for a council to be disbanded amid a "no confidence" petition are "perverse", its leader has said.

Residents are calling for Parton Parish Council in Cumbria to be dissolved amid concerns over how it is being run.

A petition with 165 signatures has been submitted by a group of villagers angry about the conduct of members.

Chairman Rob Huck dismissed claims six new councillors, understood to be members of the same community organisation, had "taken over."

"We may as well accuse the Conservatives of 'taking over' parliament following the general election and petition for their removal," he said.

'Some irony'

Copeland Council, which deals with standards, will discuss the matter next month.

The authority confirmed it had received a high volume of conduct complaints, some of which have been upheld, following May's elections, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A meeting of Parton Parish Council on 11 December had to be abandoned after members of the public refused to leave.

Mr Huck said it was a "matter of some irony" that they had "deliberately prevented lawful council business from taking place".

"Matters of confidentiality" prevented him speaking further but petitioners would eventually see "what the present council is undertaking in very difficult circumstances is for the good of the community," he said.

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