WILLITON Parish Council is on the verge of becoming dysfunctional, it was claimed this week. One of its members was censured - and it emerged that Government watchdogs have been asked to investigate at least seven separate complaints into the conduct of no fewer than nine councillors. The action against Cllr Diane Hooper, which will only be verified after advice has been sought from the Somerset Association of Local Councils, followed a motion of censure put forward by vice- chairman Cllr Bill Gulliford at the council's monthly meeting on Monday. He claimed her "continuing attitude of belligerence and intransigence makes it impossible for the council to function as a coherent and functional unit". Cllr Hooper has attempted to highlight her concerns and alleged discrepancies in the authority's accounts, causing some friction with clerk Sandra Turpin, and finally incurred the wrath of fellow councillors when she approached the council's internal auditor and accountant. The censure, backed by five councillors but opposed by two - Cllrs Elizabeth Peeks and Paddy Gower - means Cllr Hooper will be banned from attending all working group and committee meetings or representing the council on any outside organisation for the next three months. She will, however, be allowed to attend the council's full monthly meetings. Cllr Hooper left the chamber while the issue was discussed, telling her fellow councillors that she had been advised to do so. But in a letter read out by acting chairman Cllr Gulliford, she said she felt it was inappropriate for the issue to be discussed at this stage because it was currently being investigated by the Standards Board for England. Fellow councillors are understood to have asked for the investigation but Cllr Hooper herself has lodged complaints with the Standards Board against Cllrs Derek Howells and Peter Cleere. Williton resident Roger Peeks has also sparked separate investigations into the conduct of Cllr Howells and council chairman Cllr Eddie May and a further probe into the actions jointly of Cllrs Howells, Angela Bray, Derrick Cridland, Peter Cleere, Tad Mandziej and Bill Gulliford. Local Royal British Legion member Bert Pearson has also reported Cllrs Hooper and Peeks to the Standards Board. Although the details of the complaints have not been revealed, most are believed to centre on the views of the differing factions within the council on the running and future use of Williton's memorial ground. The continuing controversy over a replacement changing room pavilion, which some councillors had wanted to be a joint development with campaigners working for a new village hall, has also been a cause of disagreement. The Standards Board is believed to have concluded its investigations into the majority of complaints, deciding to take no action, but is understood to be looking further into those against Cllrs Cleere and Howells lodged by Cllr Hooper. Councillors backed a three-month time limit for the censure action against Cllr Hooper because it was believed the Standards Board would conclude its investigation into her conduct within that time. Cllr Howells told Monday's meeting that all councillors should treat each other with respect and that the action of any councillor who "bullied, harassed or called into doubt" a council employee could not be tolerated. "This council is on the verge of becoming dysfunctional," he said. Cllr Cleere said it was evident from the authority's standing orders, which set out the way it should act, that any approaches to the internal auditor or accountant should have gone through the clerk. "I have no problem with concerns or issues being raised but it is the way it has been done that worries me." But Cllr Peeks claimed the council could be seen to be acting like a kangaroo court and could be accused of harassing Cllr Hooper because she was unable to defend herself. "She is not in the room and she cannot explain her behaviour or why she did things." Cllr Peeks put forward a lost amendment to the censure motion which called for a meeting to be held between the parties involved to attempt to resolve the problems. But other councillors insisted that previous opportunities had been unsuccessful and action needed to be taken now. The council's newest member, Cllr Bray, who was co-opted just a few months ago, declared she was "totally disgusted and fed up with the constant disruptions and bad feeling towards the clerk". She said that being reported to the Standards Board was getting in the way of councillors getting on with more important issues. "We should all be working together for the good of the parish. We have an excellent clerk and we should make sure we keep her. "We need to work together to make Williton a better place." Cllr Paddy Gower likened the current crisis to children squabbling. "I have nothing against the clerk - she has her opinions on the way things are done and Cllr Hooper has hers. It doesn't need to go this far."