More sparks fly amid parish council meltdown
ALL is not well within the corridors of local parish power with complaints, resignations and chaotic rows gripping a small Midland council.
Kingshurst Parish Council in Solihull had already made headlines after police were phoned at one raucous meeting.
But now an internal investigation has been launched after more verbal sparring set recent proceedings alight.
One parish councillor has now put in an official complaint.
The meeting on November 17 saw squabbling between councillors and shouts of “shut up”.
The Post has seen an email exchange between Cllr Maxine Dawson – who raised the complaint – and chairman Cllr David Cole.
When contacted, Cllr Cole said an internal investigation would be carried out.
But he said vice-chair Alvin Fellows had resigned from the council, which meant an election was needed first. “There will be an investigation,” said Cllr Cole. “It would have been Alvin but he has resigned.”
Cllr Cole – a former borough councillor – added he wanted the matter sorted out “quickly and in an unbiased way”.
But he added: “I can’t investigate myself. I’m innocent until it’s investigated.”
In an email sent to fellow councillors, Cllr Dawson wrote: “I wish to raise a complaint regarding the chaotic behaviour and unprofessionalism at our meeting on Thursday evening.”
She added: “This kind of conduct is completely unacceptable. As councillors we are expected to be professional at all times and provide all and any relevant details to all members of our parish when requested in a calm and conducive manner.”
But Cllr Cole took exception to her email, writing back and suggesting her “letter was a bit of a cheek”.
It’s not the first time the Solihull parish council has hit the headlines.
In January an extraordinary meeting was held to discuss the fate of
20,000 bees – but it descended into chaos with a row so fiery its chair felt compelled to phone the police.
And in September 2021, Cllr Sheila Daly left colleagues stunned by claiming desperate Afghan refugees flown to Birmingham Airport after fleeing the Taliban would soon be “blowing us up”.
She later apologised and said: “Just ignore me, I’m old.”
A Kingshurst Parish Council spokesman said: “Kingshurst Parish Council over the last 12 months has been working tirelessly in the community and has had many great successes, such as the four-day Jubilee event, Beacon ceremony and the Commonwealth Games.
“We accept the conduct of one of our councillors at the full council meeting held on November 17 was not what we expect from our councillors and this will be addressed as an internal matter.
“Cllr David Cole ensured the meeting was swiftly brought to order as the issues raised were actions for our finance committee to resolve and not the full council.
“The meeting was not squabbling by councillors but just one councillor wanting immediate answers to questions, which could not be provided at the time.
“Your sources are clearly trying to show us in a bad light as it is clear Kingshurst Parish Council has shown great improvement in the last 12 months.”
Cllr Dawson did not respond to a request for further comment.