Copeland Council hopes to bring an end to more than a year of bickering over a parish council, when it considers rival petitions for and against its dissolution.

The borough council received a petition in December asking it to dissolve Parton Parish Council and hold fresh elections, with 135 of the signatures having been verified.

A counter petition with 186 verified signatures was submitted in February, opposing those terms and supporting the current parish council.

Both petition organisers have been invited to a virtual meeting of the borough council’s standards and ethics committee at 2pm today, to put forward their arguments for and against the current makeup of the parish council.

A report prepared ahead of the meeting by Stephanie Shaw, the borough council’s electoral and democratic services manager, noted the parish council had been struggling to work together and transact council business since an election in May last year.

It reported this had led to “public unrest at meetings, abandonment of a meeting and on occasion the police needing to be in attendance”.

The report continued: “Growing public unrest with regards to the current serving council is self-evident, with increasing numbers of public attending meetings and the level of local news and social media attention.

“Ward councillors have also been in attendance at parish meetings and have witnessed the disharmony of the council and conduct of its members.”

Five long-serving members have resigned since last summer, the report said, with four vacancies filled by co-option by the parish council and one pending election which cannot be held until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The council clerk was also dismissed in November and has since been replaced.

The report concluded: “The petition received requesting that Copeland Council dissolve Parton Parish Council and hold fresh elections is confusing.

“Some clarity is needed from the petition organiser.

“The counter petition submitted shows that there is local support within the community for the current parish council.

“A resolution to the ongoing issues is needed for the benefit of all parties involved.”

The report recommends the committee hear representations from both petition organisers, ward councillors and the parish council, and consider any further action.

The meeting will be available to watch live online through the borough council’s website at www.copeland.gov.uk