LONG-STANDING town councillor, Martin Eager handed in his resignation letter on Tuesday (May 1), claiming he had seen town council staff coming to work with dread and in tears, because of a "toxic" climate.

He said: "I must now express utter and growing horror as to what Ledbury Town Council has become."

Cllr Eager's resignation follows the resignation last week of Cllrs Annette Crowe and Bob Barnes, the recent resignation of Jean Simpson and the resignations of four member of staff, including town clerk, Karen Mitchell.

Cllr Eager, in his resignation letter said: "I did not join the council to witness staff crying their eyes out because they dreaded going into work.

"The loss of our clerk, Karen Mitchell, who I have worked with for over twenty years, was the final straw; her skill set and dedication, to not only to this council, but to Ledbury’s residents cannot be over emphasised."

He added: "It has been a privilege and an honour to serve the people of Ledbury and I hope that in some small way over these past years as town councillor I have helped and contributed towards improving and making Ledbury a better place to live, work and play.

I close by wishing the remaining staff all the very best for the future; a challenging future that will see many changes for the council in its operation and service delivery, with staff and councillors taking on more demanding roles, and with higher expectations from the public."