MINEHEAD Town Council was holding its first legally-constituted meeting for over a month last night (Thursday) after weeks of turmoil caused by the lack of a qualified town clerk.

Since the resignation of Mrs Sue Sanders on June 4, three council meetings have been abruptly suspended -one after less than five minutes - after opposition councillors claimed that meetings without a “proper officer” were illegal.

At an angry meeting on June 26, members voted to instruct the mayor, Cllr Norman Hercock, to notify other local councils that the town council was unable to legally continue its day-to-day operations.

The motion said that an “an officer of appropriate experience” should be employed on a temporary basis for not less than three months.

Cllr Hercock was given a week to find a qualified replacement for Mrs Sanders, and members last night welcomed Wiveliscombe Town Council clerk Bryan Howe, who is taking the job on a part-time basis for an initial period of three months.

Cllr Hercock told the Free Press: “ This is the start of a new era for us. We have to move forward and be positive.”

A retired former senior West Somerset Council finance officer, Mr Howe has been working part-time in the council offices for the past three weeks.

Since Mrs Sanders’ resignation, the office had been run by two female clerical staff, one part-time.

They have now been joined by another retired West Somerset Council finance officer, Andy Giles, former clerk of Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council, also on a three-month part-time contract as temporary finance officer/assistant clerk.

It was agreed to pay the new staff from £15,000 set aside for the council clerk’s salary.

Councillors were introduced to Mr Howe and Mr Giles at an informal meeting on Tuesday, and one said: “They have a wealth of experience and are exactly what we want. There could be some real changes for the better.”

Opposition councillors John Malin and Terry Venner, who pushed through motions that the authority could not operate legally without a qualified clerk, also welcomed the appointment of the two new officers.

Cllr Venner said: “Everything must be transparent from now on , with no more secrets.

“We have got two people prepared to get the wheels rolling and this should be the beginning of a new way forward for this council.

“It is most important that councillors abide by our standing orders and financial regulations.

“If they had, a lot of what has happened in the past few months could have been avoided.”

Cllr Malin added: “We are extremely fortunate to have found two very experienced people to help and advise us. We have been like a boat at sea with no captain and very little crew.”

Cllr Hercock told the Free Press that councillors at Tuesday’s informal meeting were “all 100 per cent for the appointments”.

“There was very positive feedback and everyone is pulling together to make a new start,” he said. “I really feel we are beginning to move forward.

“The new officers’ contracts are for three months but that might be flexible depending on the circumstances.

“In any event it will give us time to advertise the posts and find the best possible staff.”

The saga began at a meeting on June 13 when opposition members pointed out that the member of staff taking the minutes was not a qualified clerk and under standing orders the proceedings were illegal.

Further meetings on June 22 and June 26 were also abandoned, one amid angry scenes when 60 members of the public refused to leave after the mayor tried close the meeting.