Parish Council Fostering 'Fresh Look' After Elections In Shalfleet

An Isle of Wight parish council that has been plagued by infighting is fostering a “fresh outlook” post-elections, its new chair has said.

It follows months of strife, including a walkout and absences, accusations hurled, a clerk resigning over a ‘toxic unworkable environment’ and fractious meetings.

Newly elected chair Cllr Jane Timbrell spoke of a “different atmosphere” at Shalfleet Parish Council (SPC) following an election earlier this month.

Two new councillors, Chelsea Breslin and Pamela Edna Broadhead, have joined the local authority alongside councillors Christopher Beane, Jonathan Hill, Jacky Laurie and Cllr Timbrell.

Cllr Beane has said “recruitment is all in hand” for a new clerk.

Val Taylor is meanwhile serving as a locum clerk, with Gareth Hughes as SPC’s responsible financial officer.

Cllr Timbrell said:

“The first meeting we had – it was very quiet; the atmosphere was different. It was more of a team effort, we just seemed to gel.

“We’re trying to foster the community…support local initiatives, secure funding for local projects and hopefully get more people to the meetings.

“I said we ought to do surgeries where people can talk to us all outside of a meeting – so we’re having our Meet The Councillors day on Saturday, June 7; it’s funded by us as councillors because we’re not expecting parishioners to pick up the tab.

“We invited the ward councillors to come along so people can meet them.”

She added there would be “total engagement” with parishioners, rather than “sitting back and waiting for things to happen”.

A focus since town, parish and community council elections on May 1 has been creating a new online presence for SPC.

The authority’s old website, described as a “mess”, is to be relaunched with standing orders, minutes, agenda items and photographs from around the parish.

SPC’s ‘Meet your Councillors’ coffee morning will take place on June 7 between 10 and 12 at Shalfleet Village Hall.