The Fall of a Town Council less than a year old.

Section 85 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a member of a Local Authority to attend at least one meeting of that Authority within a six month consecutive period, in order to avoid being disqualified as a Councillor.

Barrow Town Council was established following a community governance review with 21 councillors serving 8 wards.

The elections for the council were held in May 2023 with all 21 seats filled on the council.

However, the council has its understood list its Clerk and Rfo and has seen three councillors resign already.

A few meetings were held in the early months of the new council. But since those early meeting the council has failed to hold any further meetings it has published public agendas for and as a result the remaining 18 Barrow Town Council members are as a result of the 6month rule set in legislation now technically no longer councillors and Barrow Town Council has fallen as a result less than a year after been established and costing of £100,000 to establish including the elections held in May 2023.

In the interests of transparency I have written to the Westmorland and Furness Monitoring officer today to inform the Monitoring officer of the situation and the legislation that will now require the monitoring officer to act on 21 vacancies on Barrow Town Council.

The full text of the letter sent to the monitoring officer reads:

Dear ####Redected#####,

I am writing to you regarding a situation that appears to have occurred with Barrow Town Council.

As you are aware Barrow Town Council was formed following local elections held in May 2023 with 21 councillors elected to the council.

The council held some meetings in the early part of 2023 however since those early few meetings Barrow Town Council has failed to hold any valid meetings in the last 6 months period, and I understand is currently without a clerk and RFO also.

Given the 6 month period that has lapsed since any valid meetings have taken place this means all councillor’s on Barrow Town Council have automatically ceased to be councillor’s under the 6month rule set out in legislation.

Section 85 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a member of a Local Authority to attend at least one meeting of that Authority within a six month consecutive period, in order to avoid being disqualified as a Councillor.

I am bringing this serious situation to your attention in your capacity as the Westmorland and Furness Council monitoring officer to act.

Yours Sincerely

Jonathan Davies