Meopham Parish Council is asking for cash donations from parishioners to help cover legal bills – but will not say why.

About £10,000 is said to have been spent by the council, based at The Windmill, Meopham Green, on advice about “staffing matters”.

Chairman Cllr Douglas Powell and acting clerk Sarah Steven declined to tell the Messenger how the cash was spent.

Parish councillor James Ferrin said: “The invoice was for work carried out up to the end of February. It could be expected that there will be further invoices.

“A motion was tabled to request the acting clerk to get a statement of work carried out by the solicitors to give clarity as to what was being paid for. This motion was rejected.

"As such, councillors will not be made aware of the work carried out for the payments.”

The council passed a motion to open a “public subscription towards existing legal costs.”

Cllrs Harry Rayner, Barbara Wade, Douglas Powell and Peter Hasler voted in favour while Cllrs Jo McTavish, James Ferrin and Max Bramer voted against it.

Cllr Ferrin said: “If, as a resident, you want to pay towards the parish council’s legal bills you now can. When this was tabled at the meeting it generated rolls of laughter from the members of public present.

“It was pointed out by one councillor that much of the advice could have been had for free from bodies such as ACAS. Another said such a request would bring the council into disrepute.”

The council plans to spend more on an investigation into “past criminal activities at Meopham Parish Council” – up to £1,000. The acting clerk said she was unable to discuss it.

Cllr Ferrin questioned why any issues had not been referred to the police and was told other bodies such as Revenue and Customs might also be involved.

Some evidence that a problem really exists was asked for but none was presented.”

The parish council annual meeting is on May 28 at the St John’s Centre, Wrotham Road, at 7pm.

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Residents can help out the parish council by donating here:
Lloyds TSB
Sort Code 30-93-60
Account Number 00332403
Reference Public Subscription Legal Costs