MINEHEAD mayor Cllr Jean Parbrook was on Wednesday reported to the police for alleged harassment by members of the Minehead Community Group.

The move came after angry exchanges at the town’s annual meeting at the Old Hospital on Tuesday night, when Cllr Parbrook was threatened with police action unless she offered her resignation. After claims that she and members of her family had harassed members of the community group, Cllr Parbrook told the meeting: “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Many of the 130-plus electors at the crowded noisy meeting greeted her replies with boos and heckling.

The following morning, group member Michael Burke made a formal complaint against Cllr Parbrook at Minehead police station and later gave a statement detailing his allegations.

He later told the Free Press that another member of the group had made a similar complaint.

“There are legal precedents under the 1997 Protection from Harassment Act and we are waiting for word from the police about the next step,”he said.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mr Burke claimed that complaints had been made against group members which were “sometimes quite deliberately hurtful, untrue and aimed at their line managers in their places of work”.

“As the harassment cases grew to several people, Minehead Community Group sought legal advice and contact with Avon and Somerset police. We have been advised by both that there is a possible case here.”

Speaking to the Free Press, Mrs Parbrook said: “I honestly don’t know what this is all about or how it involves my family.

“I have heard nothing from the police and, with police cover so thin on the ground in West Somerset, I think it’s irresponsible to involve them in things like this. If anyone is being harassed it is the council and its members.”

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