An Isle of Wight parish council is in turmoil after the shock resignation of its clerk.
Shalfleet Parish Council’s Tina Bailey quit amid a row with councillors Steve and Thomas Cowley who say she was ‘illegitimately’ in the job.
The announcement follows months of strife within the council, including a walkout and decisions not to attend meetings by councillors Jonathan Hill, Jackie Laurie, Jane Timbrell and Chris Beane.
The four councillors previously blamed their walkout and absence on an ‘untenable environment’ caused by ‘inappropriate’ and ‘unacceptable’ behaviour from the Cowleys.
Ms Bailey cited the conduct of the Cowleys and a ‘toxic unworkable environment’ as reasons for her resignation.
She said the decision was to ‘safeguard’ her health and wellbeing, according to a letter sent to Shalfleet parish councillors.
Ms Bailey added she would not be involved in ‘any recruitment process’ due to the council being ‘rendered unfit’ to offer employment to any individual.
With one month’s notice, her last day in the job will be Thursday, February 20.
The Cowleys both deny poor conduct towards Ms Bailey.
Council chair Steve Cowley accused Ms Bailey of ‘bad behaviour’ in response to the resignation.
He said:
“Tina was illegitimately reemployed by the ‘new’ councillors in October. I have not spoken to her since she walked out of a meeting in November.
“Tina refused to attend the last two meetings. The new councillors also failed to attend.”
Cllr Steve Cowley has called an ‘extraordinary’ meeting for this Wednesday to ‘catch up’ on some unaddressed issues and hear Ian Boyd, director of the Arc Biodiversity & Climate consultancy, speak about the Isle of Wight Council’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
It is understood councillors Hill and Timbrell will not be attending.
Cllr Hill said:
“I will not be attending any meetings involving Shalfleet Parish Council until the scheduled meeting on February 12.
“There is nothing on the agenda that is urgent and all matters can be put or re-put on the agenda for the February 12 meeting.
“I apologise to Ian Boyd, I would have liked to have him speak, hopefully another day.”
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