A VILLAGE council has reacted with shock after being told it is no longer welcome to hold a meeting in a hamlet it is responsible for.
Evenwood and Barony Parish Council tries to hold meetings in the many villages and hamlets in its patch during the year.
Apart from regular meetings in Evenwood, the council also held meetings at Lands and Wind Mill last year.
However, councillors heard during their May meeting that the venue at Wind Mill is no longer available to them although it can still be used by other groups.
Cllr Janet Sewell, who lives in Wind Mill, said: “Seriously? That is shocking. I think that is shocking because the chapel is for the community and the parish is for the community. For them to not welcome us back is beyond belief. I am just flabbergasted, I am honestly.”
Parish clerk Martin Clark said: “Originally the June and July meetings were out in the Barony, obviously the June meeting is regularly in Lands.
“I made the request to the chapel in Wind Mill and they consider the meeting in December last year was a one off. They are quite happy for us to not come again.”
He added that the decision was made by the chapel committee and not the local minister. Chairwoman Cllr Barbara Nicholson said the council had been told the chapel is “not conducive” to parish council meetings.
Cllr Nicholson added: “They made us feel most welcome [in December] and we did appreciate that.
“It is nice to make villages in our Barony part of the meeting.”
