News

A long serving member of Hawkinge Parish Council who failed to attend the monthly meeting on Wednesday (9 July), has tendered his resignation by letter.

Cllr John Heasman handed copies of the letter from Cllr John Punnett to councillors during the meeting.

Cllr Punnett explained that he was unhappy with the recent changes to council procedures which he said were preventing him giving a response to questions from parishioners due to not having financial and other details.

He said in his letter of resignation: "My main concern is the financial aspect and I intend to make a submission to the District Auditor at the time of the annual audit."

Parish Council Chairman David Callahan said: "I regret the resignation of any councillor.

"Regarding Mr Punnett's letter of resignation, he has made allegations which are not supported by fact."

Cllr Punnett's letter of resignation is published below.

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Dear Cllr. Callahan,

I ask you to accept this letter as my resignation from Hawkinge Parish Council.

I consider that due to recent changes you have made to the council's procedures, including the method of reaching decisions, it is no longer acceptable for me to remain on the Council. The new system, in various ways, is preventing me giving a response to questions from parishioners due to my not having financial and other detail as required by myself.

The debate and decisions made by small committees of members which are expected to be ratified by full council, results in members being deprived of all of the information which led to their decision. Resolutions are now made based on partial knowledge and trust, which is sometimes clearly misplaced.

It was this method which led to the situation of employing a new clerk on a salary equivalent to the combined salaries of a total of three similar PC clerks. It was not until after the decision of the ' group' who appointed the new clerk, followed by ratification, that members became aware of the detail of the appointment and its cost. I am very suspicious of the arrangement as regards the means of filling this post.

This appointment was the reason for the Parish Council having to make an increased demand on its local tax payers totalling 22.9 per cent. This was not necessary, had the procedure and system remained with minor modification, as used by the previous clerk, costs would have stayed nearly as before. The system worked satisfactorily and of most importance, all members were involved in debate of all matters.

The small group meeting agendas are not publicised, which results in their being no attendance by the public. The people who attend full council meetings are not aware of the reasoning and logic which has led to ultimate decisions being decided at these group meetings and then not debated fully by the PC committee .

The comment has been made that this implies secrecy.

I resent having to attend a meeting with a member of the public who had to use the Freedom of Information Act to gain information in order that I could also see the detail I had requested from the clerk two months previously and at later dates. Also there was no need for the rudeness shown to us after this meeting. It would have been so easy for her to email us these details instead of initially refusing our requests.

I resent being told to attend a meeting of three councillors out of nine on the PC, about my concerns, which had all been sent in a signed letter to the clerk and should have been debated by the full committee not sent to this Kangaroo Court, and give me the right to explain the need of more openness for the way the public's money is spent.

I was also informed by this group that I meet the Chairman of the local Standards Committee to be told what, I don't know! My only concerns have been and still are, for financial openness and council credibility to their parishioners.

There are numerous other complaints I could make about the way the Council has developed, the means of conducting its affairs in these sub-committees, where all the councillors and the public should have full detail of all aspects of its business.

There is a new system of grading mail which determines who sees it. I have evidence of mail being addressed to the chairman and intended for all councillors to see and not included in meetings as correspondence, This is not how to run a Public Body.

My main concern is the financial aspect and I intend to make a submission to the District Auditor at the time of the annual audit.

John Punnett
 

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