THE new mayor of Lydney has called for a ‘new chapter’ at Lydney Town Council following a summer of crisis.

Cllr Walter Leach was unanimously elected to become the new mayor following the resignation of Cllr Brian Pearman from the council.

An extraordinary meeting of the town council on Monday evening was told that three councillors have resigned in the last few weeks, along with the chief executive.

The latest councillor to go was Carol Harris, the meeting heard, and it was confirmed that chief executive Jayne Smailes had also left.

Cllr Leach was initially co-opted onto the council and then elected in May – and says he has been shocked by the turn of events.

He said: “The journey to it is not what I expected at all. There has been bumps and problems along the way and we have come to a position where we are. “What I do know is we can start a new chapter. It is a shame that we spend time talking about internal stuff when there is a brilliant town out there.”

There were criticisms from members of the public at the meeting, including former town councillor Mrs Ruth Bonser.

She said: “I am here tonight because I am absolutely appalled by the behaviour of some Lydney town councillors in the way they are portraying this town, the beautiful town I absolutely love.

“They have brought this town and this council into disrepute as far as I am concerned. When I was a town councillor, we were not allowed to respond to anything through the press, it was all done through the CEO and the Mayor.”