LOCAL government came to a grinding halt in Silsden last week following an apparent power struggle over the chairmanship of the town's parish council.

The monthly meeting lasted just five minutes when a row broke out over whether sitting chairman Coun Paul Bromley had been elected properly.

Coun Lawrence Walton, who had been vocally opposed to Coun Bromley's election, said his colleague had not been elected properly because strict guidelines were broken.

He claimed previous chairman Michael Anderson had not signed a special acceptance form during his term of office and did not have the full powers of parish council chairman.

Coun Anderson had used his casting vote to elect Coun Bromley, who had also failed to sign the same form at the May annual meeting and had, in turn, used his casting vote to elect the vice-chairman, Ann Harvison.

Coun Walton quoted parish council rules set down by the Government and claimed that the chairman and vice-chairman had been elected illegally.

"Coun Bromley took the chair and used his casting vote and the only way is for both of these elections to be run again," he said.

And he told Coun Bromley: "You are not chairman and Coun Harvison is not vice-chairman. You are just hanging onto office illegally."

He claimed the election must be run again when all councillors were present to be able to vote.

His argument was backed up by Coun Michael Elsmore, who added: "Silsden Parish Council, in order to remain credible and legal, must abide by the law laid down by Parliament."

Parish clerk Joanne Conway commented that the council may have always been "illegal" because this was the first time a chairman had ever had to sign an acceptance form.

"How is this helping the people of Silsden," she said.

In a statement issued this week, Mrs Conway confirmed that Coun Bromley had been elected correctly but his appointment was then made void.

"However, following his failure to sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Chairman, a fact which was neither commented upon nor raised as a requirement by either myself, nor any other member of the parish council present before the end of that meeting, Coun Bromley ceased to be chairman at the conclusion of that meeting.

"As Coun Bromley was chairman for a duration of the May meeting, Coun Mrs Ann Harvison was correctly elected as vice chairman.

"The July meeting of the parish council will commence with Coun Mrs Harvison in the chair and the first item of business will be to elect a chairman."

Mrs Conway later confirmed that previous chairman Michael Anderson had signed an acceptance form, although this had been administered by a previous clerk.

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