MP claims Staveley Town Council 'has effectively gone bankrupt' and 'staff have not been paid'

The MP addressed the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in the House of Commons this week, when he called for help to ease the council’s financial situation.

He said: “Staveley Town Council in my constituency, which is led by the self-styled Staveley Independents with the support of the Liberal Democrats, has effectively gone bankrupt. And I am told, since November, that staff have either not been paid at all or have been paid late.

“If it was a tier one or tier two authority, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities would intervene but as it is a parish or town council, I am told there is no such mechanism in place.

“Have you been notified of the intention for the Department for Levelling Up to make any statement on this matter, which is of great concern to my constituents?

“If not, can you give me any advice as to how we might be able to ensure that members of staff at Staveley Town Council are paid and that services continue to be provided whilst the authority attempts to extricate itself from the current crisis it’s in?”

Mr Perkins later posted a Tweet stating that he has asked the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to ‘make a statement or intervene to ensure the crisis is investigated and the full situation resolved’. He said he was “alarmed” and is also planning on writing to the department.

Staveley Town Council has been approached for comment.