AN ADVERT which cost £200 to notify villagers of an annual parish meeting only attracted two members of the public.

Hazlemere Parish Council held its annual general meeting on May 3 leaving councillors baffled as to why people are not taking an interest in how their money is being spent.

Only two members of the public bothered to turn up, and, discounting the chairman and the clerk, only three councillors showed their faces.

The parish council took the advertisement out in the Bucks Free Press which it is required to do by law.

Cllr David Cox, who chaired the meeting, said: "It was a very poor turnout. It was a complete and utter waste of time in terms of what we're trying to achieve.

"It would be nice to have a mandate on what we're doing."

One of the residents said: "I think it's dreadful. They have to advertise it by law but that's a hell of a cost for a meeting."