Another member has quit the troubled Sheerness Town council.

Less than a month after Steve Ritchie handed in his notice Lee McCall walked away describing the atmosphere as "toxic."

The council has now lost a third of its nine members. Cllr Malcolm Staines had already resigned.

In a post on his Facebook page Cllr McCall said: "I am not making my full reasons public but just know this isn't a decision I wanted to make.

"The situation within the council is such that in recent months it has become unbearable. The atmosphere is toxic and not something I wish to be associated with."

He said other "councillors and staff" were also being affected. The council has put a ban on individual members speaking to the media so all requests must go through its clerk, who is also no longer in post.

We understand at least two other councillors have privately expressed dissatisfaction with the administration.

Cllr McCall, who still represents Sheerness on Swale council, stressed: "I shall continue to work for the people of Sheerness as a borough councillor. Having given up this role I can now concentrate my time where it is needed the most.

"Some of the other councillors and staff are brilliant people and I'm immensely grateful to have met them and to be able to call them friends."

He said he was "especially proud" of the council's Covid Fund which bought PPE in association with Minster Parish Council to hand out to organisations and the vulnerable during lockdown.

He went on: "As a brand new council, things were always going to be rocky to begin with but if certain members had listened to all points of view at the start it wouldn’t be in the mess it is now."

He added: "I hope I can be a part of another community-led team later where the situation is more stable and we can provide great benefit to Sheerness."

It took three years to persuade Swale council to create the new authority, with Labour predicting it would cost council tax-payers £50 a year and become just another layer of bureaucracy.

Eight residents stood for the nine seats in the May 2019 election so they did not need to go to the polls. Steve Ritchie was co-opted to fill the vacancy. He said: “Despite my best efforts, I eventually came to the conclusion that the situation was irreparable and reluctantly chose to resign."

The council, comprising Matt Brown (chairman), Brian Spoor (vice-chairman), Chris Foulds, Amanda Green, Lee McCall, Cherise Moorcroft and Chris Reed, had to abandon its first annual meeting because of coronavirus as well as its planned summer festival to replace Sheerness carnival.

Chairman Matt Brown said: “Sadly we have seen a few councillors stand down but we intend advertising these three casual vacancies in the coming weeks.

"Anyone subject to qualifying criteria will be welcome to apply. This is truly an amazing opportunity to play a part in what is a challenging but highly satisfying role in the future of our town.

"As with any fledgling organisation the whole team very much needed time to settle into roles and form working relationships. Much is still to do but we have a desire to succeed. The enthusiasm within the council going forward is one of positivity.”

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