A SERIES of resignations urged the unitary authority to step in to ensure a parish council can continue to meet.

Five resignations, which also included the clerk, were recorded by Cotford St Luke Parish Council over a period of four to 8 weeks, a Somerset Council spokesperson said.

This left the parish council with no councillors and no staff, the spokesperson also added.

Somerset Council appointed three of their members as temporary members of the parish council to enable the co-option of new parish councillors, which will take place at a meeting this Friday.

A message on Somerset Council website explained: “Following the resignation of parish councillors at Cotford St Luke, Somerset Council made an order under Section 91(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 appointing three members of Somerset Council as temporary members of the parish council to enable the co-option of new parish councillors.

“This is a legal device which allows Somerset Council as the first-tier authority in the area to appoint Somerset Councillors to fulfil the role of parish councillors to ensure the parish council can continue to meet formally and until candidates are recruited.

“Please note Cllr Andy Sully and Cllr Mike Rigby, as division members have been appointed, along with Cllr Mike Best, chair of Somerset Council and collectively they are now Cotford St Luke Parish Council.

“Their primary role is to call for nominations of people willing to be councillors from the local community.

“They will oversee a co-option process and when a new parish council has been installed, or at least sufficient councillors to make the council quorate have been co-opted, the appointed Somerset councillors will step away.”

The meeting will take place this Friday, May 24 at 6pm at The Community Centre, Bethell Mead, Cotford St Luke TA4 1HZ.