Councillors in Whitchurch are to be given lessons on how to get on with each other after multiple complaints were sent to the Standards Board for England about their behaviour.
Tim Collard, monitoring officer at North Shropshire District Council, visited councillors at a town council meeting last week after the Standards Board directed that a “process of mentoring and training of members is undertaken”.
This will include conflict resolution, their role as councillor, the Code of Conduct and council procedures.
The process is to start next month and Mr Collard must then send a report to the board by August 10.
A letter from the Standards Board to Mr Collard revealed 35 complaints had been submitted against various members of Whit-church Town Council since August 2004.
It also said there were issues over whether or not members had properly declared personal and prejudicial interests.
The letter read: “I also believe that unless constructive action is taken, allegations are likely to continue to be made against members of Whitchurch Council.” It is hoped advising members may prevent similar allegations from being made in the future.
The complaints were not investigated by the board who have instead directed Mr Collard to undertake a review of each of the councillors’ registers of financial and other interests.
The mentoring and training came to light after Peter Appleton, the previous monitoring officer at NSDC, wrote to the Standards board.
Joanne Sheppard, a spokesperson for the Standards Board for England, confirmed they had sent the directive to Whitchurch Town Council.
Peter Martin, Whitchurch Town Clerk, said: “I am hoping Mr Collard’s proposals will implement appropriate changes to bring better management of the council.”