A PARISH clerk has resigned and apologised after a member of the public was branded a 'working class creep' in the middle of a parish council meeting.

The resignation of Jane Ingham, who had been clerk to Stillington Parish Council for almost 18 years, followed the felling of a 250-year-old sycamore tree in the heart of the village.

She made the abusive remarks at a parish council meeting on March 17, after a member of the public, John Denton, began asking why the council was not aware that the county council was intending to fell the tree because it was unsafe.

A report on the tree, including the recommendation that it was to be cut down, was received by Mrs Ingham on February 20, but was not brought to the attention of parish councillors until March 17 - six days after it had been felled.

In a letter to parish councillors who met last night, York solicitor Jonathan Morley, representing Mr Denton, said: ""My client and others were very concerned about the felling of the .... tree.

"He was invited to state his views to your council, and did so in polite and reasonable terms. I understand that ... the clerk responded by throwing stationery on the floor and calling him a "working class creep" and a "working class git", and by making other abusive remarks."

Describing Mrs Ingham's behaviour as 'quite unacceptable', Mr Morley said the council should 'take action to ensure that nothing of this kind ever happens again.'

He added: "You may feel that the first step in the right direction would be a written apology from the clerk."Parish councillors last night accepted Mrs Ingham's letter of resignation, and also a letter from her husband, parish councillor Mike Ingham, resigning his seat on the council.

Parish council chairman Coun Christine Cookman told the meeting Mrs Ingham had already apologised in writing. She said the council would also write to Mr Morley and offer its own apology for what had happened.

She said Mrs Ingham had been 'very diligent, very knowledgeable and very efficient' and would be 'deeply missed'.

Speaking after the meeting, she added: "I would like to reiterate the good work that she has done in the past 18 years. She has guided a lot of people through parish council business."

Mrs Ingham said today: "I have no comment."

The council is advertising for a new clerk. It is also seeking suggestions from residents for ways of replacing the tree.

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