Former Wellingborough councillor slams ‘pointless’ meetings and ‘absolute mess’ council after resigning from his post after just 108 days
A Wellingborough Town Councillor (WTC) has resigned from his position after just three and a half months, believing the council to be ‘completely pointless.’
Scott Fitzsimmons, who represented the Brickhill and Queensway ward for Labour during his short tenure on the council, handed in his resignation on August 18, with the town council now giving notice of an upcoming election for the vacant seat.
Mr Fitzsimmons received eight per cent of the vote in the Brickhill and Queensway ward, and was elected alongside Maria Alexandra, Allan James, Paul Anthony Bell, Graham Lawman, Sylvia Erskine and Chris Ashton.
However, in the time since becoming councillor, he says his role has been reduced to ‘basically a middle man’.
He said: “I have been volunteering for years and I have never seen something as bad as the town council.
“The meetings are completely pointless, we are having meetings after meetings, and nothing is being achieved. The whole lot is an absolute mess.
“I didn’t get involved to toe party lines, if I have an opinion, I will share it. I’m here to represent the community.
“We have got no powers but I’m flabbergasted that we are spending time in meetings going round and round in circles, going nowhere.
“All I can do is email NNC (North Northants Council), you may as well do it yourself. I’m basically a middle man.”
In response, a spokesman for Wellingborough Town Council said: “The council recognises that robust debate and careful consideration of complex issues can sometimes appear lengthy. However, this process ensures that decisions reflect community interests and that all viewpoints are properly considered before implementation.
“The council remains committed to transparent governance, community engagement, and delivering projects that serve the best interests of residents while maintaining fiscal responsibility and proper stewardship of public resources.”
Scott Fitzsimmons is a member of the Off the Streets NN team, and vows to carry on volunteering in the Queensway estate, where members of his family still live, saying he does not ‘need to be a town councillor to do what I’m doing’.
Swanspool Gardens and Pavilion was transferred to Wellingborough Town Council in May, and advanced talks were held to renovate on of the bowling greens.
Mr Fitzsimmons was a critic of the plans, selecting option 3 when a vote on the project was cast and choosing to scrap the plans entirely, joining the likes of Cllr Jon Ekins, who said the council was being ‘blindly being led down a black hole’, and that the proposal was ‘smoke and mirrors’, ‘misconceived’, and ‘misinformed.’
On this, Mr Fitzsimmons said: “I’m not going to accept a failed business plan just because we need some money.”
The elections in dpring occurred while the transfer of the asset from North Northants Council to Wellingborough Town Council was ongoing, meaning that for many councillors it was their first significant decision.
The Wellingborough Town Council spokesman added: “Officers progressed the project in accordance with the Business Plan agreed by the council. However, when rising community concerns emerged regarding the adventure golf aspect, the council demonstrated responsive governance by addressing these concerns at their June 18 meeting. Following community feedback, the council voted to exclude the adventure golf element, which required substantial alterations to the business plan and funding award.
“Since this decision, the council has met to agree an amended business plan and consider alternative sporting activities.”
Mr Ftizsimmons accused the town council clerk of being the primary decision-maker on the council.
In response, a Wellingborough Town Council spokesman said: “Council officers have a duty to implement decisions made by elected members, carrying out these actions within the framework of responsibilities delegated to them.
“This separation of roles between policy-making and implementation is a cornerstone of effective local governance.”
Mr Fitzsimmons’ resignation means an election will be triggered if 10 registered voters from the ward request one within 14 days of the election notice, which was posted on August 29. If this isn’t achieved, the council has the power to nominate someone to fill the position.
Should a by-election go ahead, it must be carried out within 60 days of the notice, excluding weekends and bank holidays.
Speaking about his time as a town councillor – where he served as a member on the sporting, leisure and culture committee and planning committee – Fitzsimmons was not enthusiastic about what had been achieved.
He said: “I’ve had 50 to 60 appointments since I’ve been here. The only thing I can tell you that I have done is stop the adventure golf.”