POLICE are investigating a harassment claim made against the former mayor of Minehead – councillor Jean Parbrook.

At a heated Annual Town Council meeting held last week, resident Michael Burke made an allegation claiming Cllr Parbrook and members of her family had ‘harassed’ members of the Minehead Community Group.

Mr Burke alleged Cllr Parbrook had made complaints against members of the group which were “sometimes quite deliberately hurtful, untrue, and aimed at their line managers in their places of work.”

At the meeting Shonie Millward-Usher, fellow member of Minehead Community Group, read a statement on behalf of her mother, nurse Mandy Usher, making a similar allegation.

Cllr Parbrook adamantly dismissed the claims saying: “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Since the meeting, Mr Burke has made an official complaint to the police and Minehead police officer PC Joe Sanderson confirmed the matter is being investigated.

PC Joe Sanderson said: “We can confirm that we have received a report of harassment from a member of the public and an investigation is currently underway.”

Asked about the investigation, Cllr Parbrook said she was unable to comment at this stage as she had not been contacted by the police.