Whitchurch mayor holds talks on £80,000 overspend
The mayor of a town in Shropshire was meeting office staff today in a row over an £80,000 black hole in its finances.
Councillor Peggy Mullock, the mayor of Whitchurch, was due to meet with the council's temporary office manager after questions were raised about the departure of the council's former clerk. It comes after angry residents attended a specially arranged meeting last Thursday.
During the meeting councillors were asked to justify the black hole in their finances and reveal the reasons behind the departure of ex-town clerk Peter Martin, who resigned last year.
At the time councillors, who turned down a Shropshire Star freedom of information request about the cost of Mr Martin's departure, said they would answer residents' questions, but not straight away.
Residents applauded Julia Gallacher, 69, when she accused councillors of putting 'Whitchurch in wonderland'.
She said: "I was very distressed to read there was an £80,000 overspend, it's very worrying.
"The local churches are trying to start up a foodbank and it just seems this is Whitchurch in wonderland," she added.
"We have an £80,000 overspend and there are people who are so impoverished in town that there's a need for a scheme to feed them.
"The question of the town clerk needs to be resolved," she added
Councillor Mullock was meeting with Richard Thomas in the clerk's office today but said she did not know how or when the residents' questions would be answered.
Lee Jakeman, who is already the clerk of Newport Town Council, has been named as the new £35,000-a-year clerk for Whitchurch.
