Westgate Town Council has published an apology to its former clerk Gill Gray over “the behaviour of a minority of current sitting Town Councillors during working hours, at meetings and on social media.”
Gill was the town clerk from January 2018 until the end of July 2023. She now works for Sandwich Town Council.
The statement published today (October 31) says: “Westgate-on-Sea Town Council is making an unreserved apology to the previous Town Clerk/RFO – Mrs G. Gray for the behaviour of a minority of current sitting Town Councillors during working hours, at meetings and on social media.
“It is widely accepted that during her role as Town Clerk/RFO Mrs G. Gray undertook many roles within the community and was dedicated to the improvement of the town.
“The Town Council will improve its endeavours to ensure that all Town Councillors consider their moral and legal obligations, duty of care and respect to all employees of the Town Council which is conducive to a positive working environment and long-term productivity.”
The apology is signed by Cllr David Donaldson, Chair of Westgate-on-Sea Town Council and Cllr Clive Veck, Vice-Chair of Westgate-on-Sea Town Counci.
The town council offices are currently closed due to the exit of Gill Gray and also Chloe Wheatley, who was interim Town Clerk. Chloe, who now works for Ash Parish Council, is helping out at Westgate on an ad-hoc basis but it is hoped a new clerk will be in place early next year.
Cllr Donaldson said although the office isn’t open it is still council business as usual.
The office is being opened for meetings and community groups such as Spanish classes, Sewing Bees and the Barclays bank ‘pop-up’.
He added: “In addition, no scheduled council meetings are being cancelled.
“There will be a full council meeting on 7th November and so on. Our three operatives are still very busy keeping the streets of Westgate clean and tidy.
“The only service that we have had to suspend is the daily drop in for local residents, which was in the mornings from Monday to Thursday. But those residents can contact us directly if they have an urgent problem, which we will of course deal with promptly.”
Email [email protected] for any queries.
