A PARISH is up in arms over the appointment of new members on the parish council. 

People in Briercliffe have called for a vote of no confidence in Briercliffe with Extwistle Council following its second annual meeting of the year on Tuesday evening.

The relationship between the parish council and the residents is thought to have soured over the last four years following changes made to allotment tenancy agreements. 

Some Briercliffe tenant holders, who have lived in the area for years, are said to have been forced to sign new agreements they hadn’t asked for, including abolishing the right of people to have four-legged animals on their allotment. 

The trust between the people of Briercliffe and the parish council is thought to have been damaged further following the appointment of new committee members during the council’s May annual meeting, where a new chair and vice-chair was appointed, along with six member vacancies.

In the recent election, a total of 13 people had expressed interest to become a member of the parish council. Two were co opted based on their experience and four were co opted based on date of expression, including the step father and wife of the former chairman, Cllr Simon Dack, filled two of the vacancies.

Following concerns over the procedural process in May, a second annual meeting was called at Briercliffe Community Centre and a group of around 30 residents visited the Jubilee Street centre to voice their anger over the council’s conduct. 

Cllr Roger Frost, who has been a member of the parish council for more than 30 years and was appointed again this year, walked out of the meeting, which was met with applause from residents, after he described the process as ‘undemocratic’.

After the meeting, he said: “The parish council, in my view, has lost the confidence of the people in the parish and for me it’s a great concern.
“This could have dire consequences on the future of the council and we could end up losing it if we’re not careful.”

One resident, who has lived in the area for 11 years and wished to remain anonymous, said: “We are a disgruntled parish at the moment. We do not feel our voices are being heard.”

The session, held on Jubilee Street, lasted just 20 minutes and had to be adjourned after the six new appointments were rubber stamped.

Briercliffe with Extwistle Council has since defended its selection process and accused parishioners of ‘verbally threatening’ and ‘harassing’ committee members.

A Briercliffe with Extwistle Council spokesman said: “The meeting on Tuesday night was disrupted by a very small minority of parishioners who are seeking to overturn a policy around allotments - this policy brings the parish into line with all other parish councils who have allotments in the United Kingdom. 

"The policy was previously agreed by these people and agreed by a majority vote of the previous council.

"The constant rumination over hypothetical possibilities keeps leading to false accusations through which members of the parish council and the parish clerk have been verbally threatened, harassed and unacceptably vilified by a cohort of parishioners. 

"Parish councillors are volunteers who live in the parish and they receive no payment or expenses for the work they undertake on behalf of the whole parish of Briercliffe with Extwistle.

"Parishioners are encouraged and allowed to submit questions prior to the meetings which will be responded to and discussed, questions cannot be taken on the night as it would be impossible to run the meetings in a timely manner."