Hadleigh Nub News

I have read the letter from a resident posted on Nub News on Sunday 17th railing against the town council. Sad state of town heads should roll

In 2018/19 there was a campaign against the then councillors, calling them incompetent and wanting their resignation. The public got their own way and at the 2019 elections eleven councillors did not re stand, leaving only four councillors to go forward for re-election.

The new council, mainly Hadleigh Together candidates became the town council. They decided to run it quite differently and abandoned previous work, following, they said, the way that Frome run their council.

Their four years in office were very impressive; From a council of 15 members, 16 resigned while in post and re-elections or co-options were required. Three mayors resigned in post, two town managers came and went. Towards the end of the Hadleigh Together reign at last a town clerk and a projects officer were appointed who are still in place and have been working to try and re-stabilise the council.

The 2023 elections saw a number of new brave souls standing for council, but not enough for an election. The candidates were appointed and others co-opted to make the Council viable. Four of the previous councillors did not stand for re-election, Mr Knock, Mrs Schliep, Ms Wiltshire and Mr Roberts.

The current council under its present mayor are restabilising (sic) the council, performing their duties, most of which are unseen, and raising the profile of our town. Your current mayor is seen out and about with residents and holding a 'surgery' in the church most Friday mornings.

Is it not time the staff and councillors are given some praise for the work they have undertaken this year? If I were only to read Nub News and the online comments I might be agreeing with the residents that constantly deride the council and staff, making their work much more difficult and many of the comments about them being personal and extremely nasty, but may be being nasty about people and giving derogatory nicknames is much more fun to read?

If you don't like the way the councillors are functioning there are still vacancies, so stop moaning and join them. Maybe you can correct what you think is wrong.

Jan Byrne, ex councillor

*Letters can be sent to Hadleigh Nub News either by using the black Nub It button on the news page here. Or email the editor: [email protected]

Letters are the opinion of the writer, and not necessarily those of Hadleigh Nub News, but in the interest of openness and transparency will be printed as long as they are legal and in keeping with the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and Editor's Code of Conduct, which we abide by.