SOME Conservative members of Minehead Town Council are preparing a complaint against the mayor of Minehead Norman Hercock, arguing his use of social media in the last week has breached the council’s code of conduct.

In the build to Minehead Town Council on Tuesday night, Cllr Hercock posted on his official Facebook page a response to a letter by Cllr Gail Everett regarding the Conservatives ‘legacy’ on the town council, now that the Conservative group were in the minority.

Cllr Hercock, who is now an Independent having defected from the Conservatives in August, posted a statement criticising the Conservatives for their handling of the Community Building project, handing a cleaning contract to the head of the finance committee and singled out councillors Andrew and Jean Pabrook as well as Cllr Everett, labelling them ‘hypocrites’ for attending a Christmas Party they had voted against having.

Ahead of Tuesday night meeting Cllr Hercock also posted: “The day has come for the full council meeting to reveal the truth about the Tories.”

Cllr Jean Parbrook said: “I think it is outrageous for the mayor of Minehead to speak so disrespectfully of his fellow councillors.

“We are preparing a complaint to the standards committee as this is a breach of our code of conduct.”

However when it came to Tuesday night’s meeting there was no major fall outs, but after the meeting when asked if his comments suggested there was a serious rift in the council, Cllr Hercock said: “The Conservatives have alienated themselves; they do not want to work with us.

“There is no need for such strong party politics at this level.”

The main source of division at Tuesday’s council meeting regarded the budget, which saw the precept put up by 40 per cent, or 63p a week.

Cllr Terry Venner, head of the finance committee, said: “In recent years the town council has taken over the public toilets, a bus service, weed spraying and more.

"It is not ideal to up precept by 40 per cent but I take full responsibility for that."

Cllr Jean Parbrook proposed an amended budget which would reduce the precept increase by 11 per cent, with savings proposed including changes to the budgeting for toilets, the cemetery reserve, playground equipment and Christmas lights.

"63p per week may not seem like a lot, but tacked on with hikes to the district council and county council precepts it means council tax could go up significantly this year and some may struggle to afford it," Cllr Parbrook said.

Cllr Parbrook's amended budget was defeated by nine votes to five.