Parish council members all quit amid grass cutting dispute

All members of a parish council in Cumbria have resigned after a man was criticised for cutting hedges and a grass verge.

Some members of Broughton Moor Parish Council reportedly responded to a photo on social media of the work carried out by the man, describing it as ‘criminal damage’.

It has also been reported that Cumbria Police were contacted twice about the grass cutting.

Autistic man's help labelled 'criminal damage' https://t.co/H4fb9W6vMG

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A statement on the council’s website says: ‘Broughton Moor Parish Council currently has no members.

‘Cumberland Council will now assume responsibility for the governance of the village.’

A spokesperson for Cumberland Council said: ‘We can confirm we are aware of the resignation of councillors of Broughton Moor Parish Council.

‘The parish council remains a legal entity and continues to exist, with the clerk ensuring that statutory duties continue to be fulfilled.

‘In this situation, as the principal authority, Cumberland Council will co-opt some of our own councillors onto the parish council to ensure that the council is quorate and can carry out its functions until other individuals can be co-opted, and an election held.’

This article first appeared on localgov.co.uk.