A COUNCILLOR has accused the town clerk of treating him unfairly over setting agendas for meetings.

Cllr Stan Williams, chairman of Lyme Regis Town Council's town management committee, spoke out at last week's (7) strategy and finance committee meeting that town clerk John Wright is "not happy to speak" to him - and requested committee chairmen put together meeting agendas instead of council officers.

Mr Wright sought advice from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), but Cllr Williams was not satisfied with its response, which stated there was nothing in law saying who should be in charge of setting agendas.

Cllr Williams said: "I'm still not happy with this.

"There is room for manoeuvre and it is totally wrong in my opinion. All I ask is that I get fair treatment and it's quite wrong in my view.

"This is not the way to run a council. We are digging a hole - he's not happy to speak to me."

Mr Wright defended himself, highlighting that Cllr Williams is the only chairman complaining about the issue and that he spends a lot of time speaking to Cllr Williams.

He said: "We have been through this a number of times.

"We have a cut off date a week before the meeting because the agendas have to come out. Sometimes we get things at the last minute and I have to say we have not got time.

"There is only one chairman complaining about this. Cllr Williams does spend a lot of time in my office. No other members are actually complaining about this."

Councillors backed the town clerk and his role in putting agendas together.

Deputy mayor, Cllr Michaela Ellis, said: "I have never had the town clerk say to me that something can't go on the agenda.

"If a chairman wants something to go on there, I don't see how that's going to change."

Cllr Jeff Scowen pleaded that councillors let Mr Wright get on with his job.

He said: "It's a bit of a waste of time having to say it over and over again.

"I don't see there is any issue with it. It seems to me we trust the town clerk to do these things. We trust him to do his job, let him get on with it."

Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Owen Lovell, also stood up for Mr Wright.

He said: "I have always found the town clerk responsible.

"Quite clearly it is a situation that requires cooperation between members and officers. It might be difficult to achieve to get something on an agenda within a timescale, but he's always endeavoured to achieve the best for the council."