A VILLAGE residents' association has been accused of "having a go" at the parish council rather than standing up for the interests of villagers.
In the latest war of words between Great Coates Residents' Association (Grass) and the village council, Councillor Kevin Redgrift said Grass was "digging its heels in" and "still beating us unfortunately".
He spoke out at this week's village council meeting after the Grimsby Telegraph reported how Grass had resolved to request a vote of no confidence referendum in the council, and also rejected an invitation to join the village hall committee.
Councillor Redgrift said: "I think the relationship with local residents on the whole is good but we do have an element within the village that we have ongoing issues with.
"Increasingly they are digging their heels in. We are asking them to attend meetings of the village hall committee but they refuse. They are still beating us unfortunately. They are more and more having a go at the council rather than trying to support the village as a whole."
At the meeting the council considered a series of requests from Grass and also noted the group's decision to decline the invitation to join the village hall committee.
The council decided to reject the request to provide documentary proof of allegations that Grasshad refused membership to a number of villagers, after being advised by clerk Kathy Peers that giving out names and contact details would contravene the Data Protection Act.
It also refused a plea for the photograph of the village war memorial to be removed from the village council website on the grounds it was insensitive in the light of the memorial's removal from the wall of the former Reading Room.
Councillor Lisa Cutting described it as a "ridiculous suggestion", adding that it would be disrespectful to the people named on the memorial to take down the photograph.
It did, however, agree to publish a quarterly update on the running costs and income generation of the village hall.
Commenting on Grass' decision not to join the village hall committee, village council chairman Nicola Maasdam said: "There's not a lot we can say. It's a shame."
The village council also agreed on its formal submission to the final community governance review meeting which takes place on Thursday, December 19.
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