Hadleigh town council have voted to make town clerk Wendy Brame as their responsible financial officer, to replace Alicja Barnes (for reasons which are unclear but were referred to as 'the situation in the office'), then immediately backed a move to appoint a new accountancy company of more than £800 a month, but refused to give details.

Mrs Brame, who complained she had so much work earlier in the financial year, she could not take holiday she was paid more than £1,000 of taxpayers money in lieu, was given the added responsibility at the town council's monthly meeting last Thursday.

In the next agenda item councillors voted to appoint 12 Magpies Accountancy: "for the finance function of the Town Council for up to six hours per week at a cost of £35 per hour plus additional costs including banking, reporting and audit preparation work for as long as required."

That amounts to more than £200 a week paid for by Hadleigh taxpayers in addition to staff costs.

Mrs Brame insisted that she was happy that 12 Magpies, run by a sole proprietor based outside of the Hadleigh area.

However, Mrs Brame refused to give further details about 12 Magpies when councillors questioned her about their details, and why a firm outside the town had been unilaterally chosen by her.

Councillor Peter Gower asked for more details about 12 Magpies, if they had been validated and why no accountancy companies from Hadleigh were given the opportunity to offer their services.

Mrs Brame refused to answer the questions and appeared to snap at Cllr Gower, apparently supported by the stand-in chairman Cllr Bill Wilson who did not back the councillor.

She turned on Cllr Gower and said:

"I would like to think that you would think I had done my research into someone that could look after the financial function of the council in the short term, That is all I have got to say about the company that you are about to vote for."

The motion was passed with only Cllr Gower voting against, and Cllrr Rolf Beggerow abstaining. All other councillors present voted in favour, without appearing to complete thorough due diligence.

In the song about Magpies, (Is there a 'secret' being kept which needs to be told?) it starts with 'One for Sorrow', 12 Magpies is known as a 'Wealth' while a number of Magpies together is called 'A Mischief'.