THE residents of Ilminster will decide the fate of Cllr Stuart Shepherd in the upcoming elections, according to outraged fellow town councillors.

Last week, The News reported that Cllr Shepherd had issued an apology which was to be read out at the council meeting last Tuesday, in a bid to clear his name ahead of the impending town and district council elections.

It was suggested the ballot boxes will show whether or not the long-serving councillor should keep his seat.

The apology related to a complaint about Cllr Shepherd’s behaviour at a meeting in January 2014, in which he declared a prejudicial interest but refused to leave the room.

Such behaviour, according to some councillors, brought the council into disrepute and turned the meeting into a “pantomime”, complete with heckling audience.

Mayor Emma Jane Taylor suggested to members of the council at the meeting that it was up to them to decide whether or not they accept the apology.

Cllr Rose Neave said: “Is it not up to the public at this point, with an election coming up. He is doing his job but the public will decide in May.”

Cllr Sophie Storey said the behaviour in question had made her question her own role as councillor and even considered quitting.

She said: “There was a whole atmosphere brought to that meeting by Cllr Shepherd. He knew the rules when we started the meeting. We sat there being heckled but we were trying to do things the right way.

“Cllr Shepherd knew he should have left and it turned into a pantomime. And we weren’t bullying, we were just trying to do it the right way.

“The whole way it made us look as a council was horrible. I nearly stepped down as a councillor because it just made me feel so ‘what’s the point?’ The public will decide in May, I wish I had the courage to complain at the time.”

Some councillors were irked that the incident was reported in The News, before the meeting took place – after the print deadline.

Cllr Val Keitch said: “I am appalled that I came to a town council meeting and I already know half the things that are there. It is irresponsible for whoever leaked it to the paper and irresponsible of the paper for publishing it.”

Cllr Shepherd confirmed to councillors he had issued the same letter of apology to the Press as the one to the town council.