A former council chairwoman says she is “very sad” over the final demise of the body she was once in charge of.
Former chairwoman of Arbroath Community Council, Pat Millar, said she was in shock at the news the council has now been dissolved and hopes enough people will come forward to resurrect the group.
“I’m shocked that the community council has fallen by the wayside,” said Pat, who chaired the council for six years and has been a community councillor for 25.
“When I left it seemed to be healthy but it’s not for me to speculate as to what occurred afterwards. Two years after I’m gone all these difficulties start. It’s very sad that it has come to this.”
Arbroath Councillor David Fairweather added: “It is unfortunate that this has happened but certain members of the community council must look to themselves after the dreadful goings-on since November last year and the subsequent resignation of five of their members.
“These resignations leave the community council well below the current requirement and attempts to co-opt family members at the April meeting, though not against the rules, was seen as neither fair nor democratic.
“My belief is that co-opting people when a group is not in quorum, just to make up the required numbers, was totally unacceptable.
“However, I would hope that this election brings forward new blood and the type of person that sees the community council role of helping the local councillors, organisations and the public of Arbroath.”
Local authority officials were forced to call time on the community group yesterday, putting a temporary end to months of infighting and uncertainty.
The community council’s first meeting since an enforced summer sabbatical was scheduled to take place on Wednesday evening but Angus Council cancelled the event after the group failed to get the required number of people to attend.
A spokeswoman for the council said: “We were advised this week by Arbroath Community Council that they had a low membership.
“Angus Council’s scheme of establishment policy states that if the number of members of a community council fall below half of the maximum permitted membership numbers, the council will be informed and make arrangements for an interim election to be held.
“We will make arrangements to dissolve the current community council and for an interim election to be held and a full report will be brought to Angus Council Committee in due course.”
The community council hit the headlines for the wrong reasons earlier this year after six police officers were called to attend an incident at one of the regular meetings in Arbroath Volunteer Centre in April.
The emergency call was made by the group’s secretary following a heated debate over the closure of Arbroath Sheriff Court.
That resulted in meetings being put on hold over the summer months, with Wednesday’s meeting set to get the ball rolling again.
However, not enough people indicated their intentions to show for the meeting.