Dysfunctional council could be abolished after 'all out civil war'

This story was written by the local democracy reporting service (LDRS), a BBC-funded scheme to improve the coverage of issues relating to local democracy. The Leicester Gazette has been a partner in the scheme since March 2024, and so receives some stories as part of it.

Because LDRS reporters are not employed by the Gazette, their stories do not follow our style guide or standards code****.****

                        Learn more
                    

A “dysfunctional” Leicestershire council could be completely abolished amid claims of “all out civil war” in the area and one councillor saying they wished they weren’t elected.

Witherley Parish Council could be no more after facing years of mass resignations, claims the council is “ineffective” and residents saying they are not being properly represented.

It follows Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) launching a community governance review after petitions were given by residents of the surrounding areas of Ratcliffe Culey and Fenny Drayton that they be removed from the parish.

Now, council bosses in Hinckley have submitted potential recommendations that could see the council completely abolished after residents claim it has become “dysfunctional” and “nothing but trouble”.

It follows recent news that the parish council was unable to function due to a lack of insurance, and that borough councillors were brought in by HBBC to effectively take control at the end of May after it became inquorate – meaning it no longer has enough members in place to lawfully make decisions.

Draft recommendations submitted to HBBC could result in the council being completely abolished due to ongoing issues.

Four options have been drafted up including the possibility of nothing being changed whatsoever.

One option could dissolve the current Witherley Parish Council and split the area into three separate governance zones including Ratcliffe Culey being governed by a parish meeting, Fenny Drayton becoming its own parish council and the villages of Witherley and Atterton becoming a parish council on their own.

Join the conversation

Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community.

Want to support our work? Click here for membership__.__

Another option could see Witherley Parish abolished and the creation of Fenny Drayton and Ratcliffe Culey Parish Council and Witherley and Atterton Parish Council.

The third option sees no change to the current structure, while the fourth nuclear option could see the abolition of the parish council completely and no replacement.

It follows a comprehensive feedback from residents on their thoughts about the review and what they would like to see changed as well as their thoughts of the current parish council and structure as a whole.

One Ratcliffe Culey resident said: “Witherley Parish Council has been mired in controversy for years, this has now developed into all out civil war between the councillors.

“The conduct of meetings … is nothing short of disgraceful and has brought this important area of governance into disrepute”.

A Fenny Drayton resident said they felt the parish had been “in turmoil for three years” due “to fractious behaviour”.

One Witherley respondent, who claimed to have been a parish councillor in the past, said the changes were unnecessary.

They added: “There were frequent malicious interjections from members of the public, neither of whom were residents of Witherley … and every meeting which I attended left me wishing I had not been elected”.

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council is set to meet next Tuesday (June 9) to discuss the recommendations.

Before you go… We've recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we're a small team on a shoestring budget.

Now, we're ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.

The app connects with Bluesky , Mastodon and Threads , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It's a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community.