Three councillor resignations in one day have rocked Ongar Town Council.

After a council meeting last Thursday (April 7), independent Andrew Kaye and Labour’s Diana Roberts handed resignation letters to chairman councillor Jim Browning.

Independent Janice Rushton also offered her resignation.

Although each say they came to their decision independently, they all slammed the majority holding Ongar Residents’ Association (ORA).

The party was also blamed by long-term independent Sheila Jackman when she resigned in February, accusing it of ‘consistently flouting proper procedure’.

“The people of Ongar deserve better,” declared Ms Roberts.

She said she resigned with “great sadness” but “grave concerns about the way this council is acting and behaving.”

“Rules and procedures… have mostly been ignored by certain Ongar Residents Association councillors, who just want to push their own preconceived ideas forward no matter what the consequences are.”

Ms Jackman’s concern that the ORA is “obsessed” by Jubilee Park in Love Lane - where the council controversially took over management a year ago - was echoed by Ms Roberts, who claimed it was the party’s ‘only concern’.

“There are more important and pressing matters that need addressing such as the local plan, neighbourhood plan and the chapel,” she said.

ORA councillor’s behaviour and attitude in meetings was criticised by all four of the former councillors.

Mr Kaye said: “I have been appalled at the conduct of certain councillors at some of our public council meetings and lately the language used by some members, sometimes directed at the attending clerk, has fallen far short of the standards expected at a council meeting.

“I have been most concerned at the email correspondence directed to the clerk over the last two years, including dozens of Freedom of Information requests which I witnessed causing the clerk and all the staff immense pressure of work.”

Mr Kaye claimed there have been many occasions when staff were reduced to tears and stress-related sick leave.

In his damning resignation letter, he added: “The Ongar Residents Association, who have their own narrow view on the future direction of the town council, are a campaign group with little local government experience, occupying many senior positions on this council.

“Over the past 10 months, they caused distress to the office staff, sometimes uproar in meetings, dismay to the public, and numerous resignations from a working group, committees and even the town council.”

Chairman and ORA member councillor Jim Browning said: “Ongar Council will miss their experience, and I wish to thank them for all their efforts.”