A PARISH council has been told to “stop bickering” after its chairman resigned and the clerk “stormed" out of a meeting for the second time this year.

A Bourne End and Wooburn Parish councillor, who asked not to be named, said chairman Julia Langley stepped down in frustration that the council "never got anything done".

Cllr Langley has refused to comment.

Parish clerk, Lisa Witney, walked out of a Finance & General Purposes Committee meeting last week after one of her decisions was questioned by councillors, a parishioner said.

Wooburn Green resident John Sendall said councillor Gillian White, who is not a member of the committee, had attended the meeting and wanted to speak on two agenda items.

He said the clerk would only allow the councillor to speak on one item, in the public session, which was queried by members.

Councillors then decided to defer the other 'private session' item to the next meeting, where Cllr White would be able to speak, which upset the clerk, Mr Sendall said.

The clerk also walked out of a council meeting on January 19 after saying councillors were 'undermining her authority', members confirmed.

Mr Sendall has likened the events to a 'pantomime'.

Mrs Witney has refused to comment on the first walk out and is unavailable for comment this week.

Jim Penfold, the chairman of Bourne End Residents Association, said: “It's a shame that for the good of the parish they can't sort out their differences.

“It would appear to me they are spending too much time bickering and the parish is losing out. It's sad that the chairman has stood down because they are just not getting things done.

“About £260,000 is being taken from parish taxpayers every year to pay for the council and I just wonder what we are getting for our money.

“I don't know who's at fault – it may be the lot of them. Between them they are not able to make decisions.”

Councillor Margaret Marshall, of the Bourne End ward, said it was “unfortunate” the clerk had left the meetings.

But she said: “I obviously don't agree with Jim Penfold and with all due respect he doesn't come to the meetings.

“I think it would be better if people joined us and and worked with us rather than this constant criticism.

"People who just knock us at every turn isn't going to achieve anything. Let them have a go at doing it and see if they can do a better job.

She said the council does achieve things and has just agreed to plant some 'native hedgerows' on Bourne End Rec, Blind Lane and Holtspur Avenue.

Councillors are currently assessing the results of a consultation into controversial plans to put a skate park and aerial swing in Wooburn Park.