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Dear Editor,

Re:- Tit Bits column and the 'casting vote' debate

A 'barrack room lawyer' friend of mine tells me that the casting vote system cannot, or should not, apply, at such a time as there is not a chairman to cast the casting vote.

At the end of the reign of the last parish council a chairman does not exist. The chairman is dead, long live the chairman; meaning the new one to be elected. So, for that short time there is no such thing as a chairman.

As there are nine members a vote could never have required a casting vote but that can only apply if all nine actually vote.

As two elected members could not be there the logical approach was that the vote be by ballot with postal votes counting.

Apparently Cllr. Punnett asked for a ballot vote at the request of one of the elected members who was unable to attend.

This, he tells me, seemed to not be favoured; I wonder why, so he withdrew his request.

The result, we have is Mr. Callahan again.

I can only hope that henceforth the 'management' of affairs will now improve.

No doubt other such 'lawyers' will comment which makes for excellent reading on your site.

In the meantime the councillor who requested that she vote, may well ask why the vote she wanted to make and perhaps, should have been allowed to make, was not acceptable. I cannot find a direction that dictates votes have to be by a show of hands.

Another parish council tangled web I wonder?

Peter Hogben