A technicality and pressure from members has resulted in three Workington town councillors losing their seats.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Jacqueline Kirkbride (Cons; Stainburn), Patricia Poole (St John’s) and Ellie Woods (Lab; Salterbeck) did not sign an official declaration between the time they were elected on May 7 and the first full council meeting on May 11.
They signed them in the days after the first full council meeting.
Despite the council’s clerk Catherine Gourlay taking advice from Cumbria Association of Local Councils that due to the situation, it was not an issue and the councillors were not in breach of any rules, it is understood that some councillors on the parish authority objected.
Ms Gourlay then approached the National Association of Local Councils, which reviewed the situation and said that in fact, because the declarations had not been signed before the town council, those seats are technically vacant.
Ms Gourley said the council was working with Allerdale’s monitoring officer to look at the next steps.
The council has two options.
If someone wants to stand as a Workington town councillor, a by-election will be triggered and people will be given the opportunity to vote in their preferred candidate.
But if nobody steps forward to be nominated, the existing councillors can be co-opted on to the council and continue to serve the town.
A spokesman from Workington Conservatives said: “The actions of Workington Town Council, and in particular the former mayor, have resulted in the farcical situation where legally elected councillors have been refused to take their seats at the first meeting following election.
“This technical point has resulted in four duly elected councillors being informed they are not councillors and will result in new by elections being held at the cost of the local taxpayer.
“Jacqueline Kirkbride has always acted in good faith and sought to represent the people of Stainburn. We will work hard to ensure this can continue in future.”
A Labour spokesman said: “In advance of seeing the full text of the legal advice that was given to Workington Town Council on October 11 it would be inappropriate to comment.
“However, there appears to have been some misconduct by Workington Town Council.”
Ms Gourley added that there were no conflicts arising from votes or resolutions made while the three councillors were in post.
