A LONG-serving Saltash town councillor has resigned with immediate effect, becoming the second member to quit the authority in just two months.

John Brady, who has served on Saltash Town Council since 2013 apart from a two-year break, announced his resignation following a recent Personnel Committee meeting, claiming he had resigned “as a matter of principle” over the way council procedures had been handled.

His departure follows the recent resignation of former councillor Gordon McCaw, raising fresh questions over unrest within the authority.

In a resignation statement, Mr Brady said: “I tender my resignation from Saltash Town Council with immediate effect, with no regrets."

He claimed there was “no point” in the council having a Personnel Committee following events at a recent meeting and alleged committee procedures had not been followed.

Mr Brady also accused the Town Clerk, Sinead Burrows, of bypassing the committee's terms of reference by instructing an external advisory agency to investigate disciplinary matters involving a council employee without committee approval.

He said: “It’s not quite right at the council. I’m incensed an outside agency, employed by the council to advise, has been instructed by the clerk to carry out a full investigation into an employee, and then dismiss that person as well, without reference to the Personnel Committee except by email.”

Mr Brady said he believed the council’s procedures had been breached and warned the actions “could prove very costly to the council taxpayers of Saltash if the matter goes to a tribunal.”

He also alleged councillors were no longer making key decisions.

“I believe the clerk has taken complete control of everything and is running the council, not the councillors,” he said.

Responding to the resignation, Saltash Town Council issued a brief statement, saying: "The council does not comment on confidential information or individual conduct matters. Any internal matters are handled through the council’s proper processes.”

The allegations made by Mr Brady have not been independently verified, and no findings have been made in relation to the claims he has raised.