Residents of Longhope, a village in the Forest of Dean, will cast their votes on May 11 in a parish poll aimed at potentially removing the last three members of the Longhope Parish Council. This vote follows growing unrest triggered by complaints of misconduct and alleged financial irregularities within the council.
At a recent public meeting, 11 out of 40 attendees voted to initiate a formal process to oust the remaining councillors, prompting the Forest of Dean District Council to organise a parish poll. The results of this poll could lead to significant changes in local governance, although councillors have indicated that removal might not be immediate.
A letter from councillors Jacqueline Barker, Clive Williams, and Peter McCoy outlines the council’s current stance. They highlight that while the poll may reflect public dissatisfaction, councillors intend to remain in office temporarily to ensure continuity in council operations and prevent disruption in essential services.
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Financial concerns have escalated recently, with allegations of irregularities prompting the council to plan a report to the police. The council also intends to pursue separate investigations into other matters, emphasizing their cooperation with authorities. Until recently, the council lacked access to key equipment including a laptop and vital records, which have now been recovered, yet the period without these resources strongly impacted their activities.
Additionally, the council has faced multiple vacancies in recent months, with four seats unfilled at the time of the letter’s release. Complaints concerning councillor conduct have mounted over the past year. A letter from the council’s monitoring officer reveals that while some behaviours could have warranted further action, investigations were halted to avoid exacerbating community divisions. The priority remains restoring stability to the parish council.
The Parish Council has been contacted for further comment but has yet to respond. Local district councillors have also declined to make statements regarding the ongoing situation.