Three parish councillors have been elected in Stretton, costing the council approximately a quarter of its precept.

The following three councillors were elected to the council:

Paul Mark Finlay (58 votes); Richard Foster (56 votes); and John Stokes (68 votes).

A fourth candidate, Kevin Charles Hawkes (29 votes), was not elected.

The election was required following the expulsion of former councillor, Tamara King, on April 30, following claims she had not attended a parish council meeting for six months.

Ms King denied the allegations against her, and produced evidence in the form of parish council minutes that showed she had attended meetings.

However, since the May 2023 Local Elections, at which Ms King was originally elected, Stretton Parish Council had seen two other councillors resign and the council clerk.

Several villagers in Stretton contacted the county council to ask why the matter had been allowed to go as far as it has, but said they did not receive any reply.

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The election was held costing the council £2,100 or about a quarter of its precept, as well as £460 for ballot papers and additional costs to open the church, which functions as a community hub and acted as the polling station.

The first meeting of the newly constituted Stretton Parish Council takes place at Stretton church this week, on 27 June.