A COUNCIL representing thousands of villagers has been plunged into turmoil after six members resigned amid a bitter war of words.

The Evening Press today reveals a catalogue of crisis at Strensall and Towthorpe Parish Council.

Five members of a "modernising faction", including a former chairman, resigned saying they were not prepared to tolerate personal attacks

The finance chairman left, claiming he found it "impossible" to work with a former chairman and supporters

The clerk of 21 years resigned, blaming an "intolerable" working atmosphere

A local government watchdog has probed five complaints, made from within the council, about members' actions

A member only co-opted last week and who has not attended a meeting admitted she was now having second thoughts.

Former council chairman Philip Thorpe has become the latest member to step down as problems in Strensall showed no signs of abating.

His decision follows a meeting which was due to discuss controversial modernisation plans, but instead received resignation letters from John Middleton, Trevor Lund, Linda Pope and Keith Wellburn - all backers of the plans.

The raft of resignations now leaves seven members from a maximum 14 on the council, which represents about 6,000 residents and manages £13,000 a year in taxpayers' money.

After last week's meeting, council chairman Coun Elizabeth Blacklee blamed a series of personality clashes for the walk-outs. Infighting was not in residents' interests, she said, adding the council was now looking to future. It still had enough members to continue, with an annual general meeting due in May.

Simmering tensions, with one set of councillors backing change and another opposed to their methods, came to a head over plans to reform the clerk's post.

Former finance chairman Charles Harland, who resigned last November, said he found it "impossible" to work with former chairman Mr Thorpe or the group of councillors who have now stepped down.

He said changes to the post, shelved following the resignations, would not have benefited residents.

Critics said an increased salary, longer working hours, with no apparent extra responsibilities, and a new office could cost village taxpayers an extra £10,000.

Mr Harland, 66, said: "I support modernisation, but not change for the sake of change." Long-serving clerk Shirley Walker, 54, said she stepped down due to "intolerable and impossible" circumstances.

She told the Evening Press the "arrogant attitude of a small group of councillors" during ill-tempered meetings effectively forced her out, amid complaints about the way minutes were presented. "I'd done the job for 20 years and all of a sudden some people said it wasn't right," she said.

She is now considering whether to change her mind and stay in her post, following the five resignations.

However, a source close to the five who resigned last week said they left because they were unhappy with presentation of minutes, were not prepared to tolerate personal attacks, and were unhappy with the council's attitude towards change.

In a statement, Wendy Thorpe, wife of Mr Thorpe, said: "There has been some vindictive behaviour by a small group of people on the parish council against my husband and all the other councilors (the four councilors who resigned last week) who have also resigned, who made any suggestion of updating the parish council and moving it forward.

"It has been at times been very unpleasant, but my husband stayed on until April 16 to meet his obligations to residents regarding current planning applications and an appeal. His resignation will now allow him more time to work along with other residents to continue to protect the environment and green belt at Strensall."

Coun Blacklee refused to be drawn on Mr Thorpe's comments, saying he was entitled to his views.

Former councillors Linda Pope and Keith Wellburn declined to comment. The Evening Press was unable to contact John Middleton or Trevor Lund.

Meanwhile, Debbie Priestley, who was co-opted to the council last week, is now deciding whether to become a full member.

She said: "I really want to do something for the village, but I don't think that's possible at the moment with all the infighting going on."

Standards board investigates complaints:

A spokeswoman for the Standards Board for England - which investigates complaints against parish councils - said that five complaints had been received since January about alleged code of conduct breaches at Strensall and Towthorpe Parish Council, only one of which was still outstanding.

The body is still investigating that complaint, lodged by a councilor, about whether Coun Ralph Plant, who is still on the parish council, failed to declare a personal interest.

A complaint that Coun Thorpe failed to treat others with respect, made by a council employee, was not referred for investigation.

A complaint that Coun Blacklee brought the authority into disrepute, made by a fellow councilor, was also not referred for investigation.

Investigations into complaints against councillors Lund and Pope found in both cases that no breach had occurred. Neither was investigated.

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, April 21, 2004