THE sudden resignation of several councillors, the chairman and the clerk from Idmiston Parish Council is believed to be linked to a bitter row over a new housing development.

The council, which incorporates the villages of Idmiston, Porton and Gomeldon, had to elect a new chairman and an interim clerk on Monday evening at a public meeting.

While both serving councillors and around 30 members of the public at the meeting were kept in the dark as to the reasons behind the departures, it is understood to be down to controversial plans for 20 homes for the vilage.

During the meeting allegations were made of secret meetings among councillors regarding the Linden Homes development in Winterslow Road.

Wiltshire councillors approved the plans at the end of September after the developer increased its funding for the community under a Section 106 agreement.

Gail Warnes, the former vice-chairman and now the new elected chairman, admitted the council was in a “very unusual” situation.

She said: “I cannot divulge the reasons for the resignations in public because I don’t have their express written consent to do so.

“I cannot discuss it in public – it’s confidential information.”

The number of resignations is believed to be unprecedented in the history of the council and now leaves it with ten councillors.

Those who have gone are the chairman Jan Tidd and her husband Andrew, Christopher Hammer, Allen Smallwood, Andy Oliver and the clerk Sarah Burden.

Cllr Warnes was also elected, following a secret ballot, to be the temporary clerk of the council until a new one is appointed.

Residents have requested that both the parish council, which objected to the plans, and Wiltshire council be more open regarding the Linden Homes development.

Among them is Jeremy Harris, who has lodged a maladministration complaint against Wiltshire Council, saying it misled residents into believing that planning officers were recommending the application for refusal, when in fact they had recommended it for approval.

Responding to a question as to why officers had changed their advice, ward councillor Mike Hewitt said: “Because of the legal case that’s now going on, it’s very difficult to answer anything that might prejudice the case.”