The dispute is believed to stem from the appointment of council clerk
A council meeting descended into chaos resulting in five councillors resigning one after the other. The five councillors had previously voiced concerns regarding governance at Caldicot Town Council and declared in a statement that they “do not believe sufficient progress has been achieved” in tackling the issues they had raised.
A statement released by the council said it “does not recognise the suggestion that there are ongoing governance failings” and that it operates in accordance with its rules, statutory legislation, national regulations and its code of conduct.
Four of the five had walked out of a council meeting in October, expressing frustration that bodies responsible for upholding standards on local volunteer councils — which are permitted to employ their own staff — indicated they either wouldn’t, or couldn’t, pursue their complaints.
The dispute is believed to stem from the appointment of council clerk Mark Tredwin in September 2024, initially on a probationary basis, before being confirmed in a permanent role in 2025.
Complaints had been lodged against the clerk, who is understood to have the backing of a majority of councillors. The council has a full membership of 16, though it now faces six vacancies following the resignations and the recent death of a fellow councillor.
Amongst the concerns highlighted was a claim that a member of staff had been prevented from returning to their duties following sick leave, alongside internal personnel issues and tensions between the clerk and dissatisfied councillors.
The situation has now intensified following the departures of councillors Jill Bond and Rachel Grumach, who represent the West End ward, Tony Easson representing the Dewstow ward, and Castle Ward councillors Robert Wilsher and John Woodfield.
Three of the five were originally elected as Labour councillors, although Tony Easson, who also serves as a Monmouthshire County Councillor, was latterly listed as independent after his suspension from the Labour Party, whilst Rachel Grumach and John Woodfield stood as independents.
In a joint statement, the five said: “The decision reflects shared and long-standing concerns about governance, organisational effectiveness, and the overall working environment within the council, impacting delivery to the Caldicot community.”
They said that over the previous 15 months they had attempted to tackle the matters through “proper channels” within the council and external bodies including the Welsh Local Government Association, Audit Wales, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, the Information Commissioner’s Office, One Voice Wales – the umbrella organisation for town and community councils – and Monmouthshire County Council’s monitoring officers, as well as local Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd.
“While these engagements were undertaken in good faith and in the interests of securing improvement, the councillors do not believe that sufficient progress has been achieved to address the underlying issues,” the statement issued by the five said.
Caldicot Town Council’s statement said resignations are “always a matter of regret” and thanked the five for the service but said there would be no detrimental impact on how the council functions.
It said: “Like many councils, Caldicot has experienced periods involving employment matters which have placed pressure on administrative capacity.
“Members have consistently been advised that the greatest risk to the council’s effectiveness arises not from governance structures themselves, but from divisions within the membership and any failure to adhere collectively to agreed governance procedures, standing orders and the code of conduct.
“The council remains committed to transparent decision-making and to serving the residents of Caldicot. Work continues to ensure stability, continuity and effective service delivery.”
