A COMMUNITY council in rural Montgomeryshire will be disbanded after its members decided en masse to not stand at next month’s elections in an ongoing row with a former clerk that has led to several investigations.

Trefeglwys Community Council will be left with no councillors after the elections on 4 May, with current councillors refusing to stand until long-standing issues are resolved.

The issues have led to an ongoing police investigation, solicitor involvement, a One Voice Wales investigation, and two Information Commissioner investigations.

The issues, which have not been revealed by the council as official investigations continue, has led to the resignation of two clerks who were left to deal with the fallout.

The council said in a letter to Powys Council’s returning officer to “inform him of the circumstances” the council finds itself in, that no members would be seeking re-election – leaving the community without a council for the foreseeable future.

In its letter, the council said there was “continued pressure” on councillors due to the “unresolved issues” that “will continue to cause disruption and distress to the council”.

“Councillors feel that they are not in a position to best serve the community whilst having to deal with this matter as it is continuing to cause distress and has been extremely time-consuming and disruptive to the smooth running of the community council,” the letter said.

“It is not fair on the community to continue spending its money on resolving this matter which the council feels has become vindictive in nature.”

Chair of the community council, David Jerman, said he was “very concerned” about the turnover of clerks due to the ongoing issues, and that the matters need to be dealt with for the council to function properly.

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