Town councillor resigns, and another threatens to go

Welshpool Town Council is now three councillors short, with a fourth threatening to resign last night following a heated debate at the monthly meeting.

Town Mayor, Cllr David Senior, announced that former Mayor, Cllr. Malcolm Douglass, has resigned with effect from February 14.

“In his resignation email he said it has been a privilege and honour to serve the town and especially to have been their Mayor,” said Cllr Senior, who praised Cllr Douglass for his service.

It means there are now three vacancies to fill, but there could well be a fourth should Cllr Hazel Evans go ahead with her threat to quit following an emotional outburst last night.

Her tirade followed an update from Cllr Alison Davies, chair of the Town Council Planning Committee, over plans to remove a bollard/pillar on the Oldford estate, which is strongly opposed by the town council.

While councillors are in agreement in opposing its removal, the Castle Ward’s four councillors said last night was the first they had heard of the latest exchange between the town council and Powys Estates.

Cllr Phil Pritchard led the argument by saying they had been kept in the dark, while Cllr Evans took it one step further and questioned why she was even bothering as a councillor and was seriously considering calling it a day.

Town Clerk, Anne Wilson, immediately sent copies of the correspondence to the councillors as the meeting progressed.

Cllr Steve Kaye urged Cllr Evans to step back, saying she was an invaluable councillor for the ward, but the obviously upset councillor repeated her threat to quit.

The latest third resignation, and potentially a fourth, leaves the council somewhat threadbare but members were told there would not be elections until May, with Cllr. Davies proposing that the council should work closely with MyWelshpool, and other local media, to encourage more people from the town to step forward.