Another Frodsham Town Council chairman to quit

FRODSHAM Town Council will find itself without a chairman again in two weeks’ time following another high profile resignation.
Businessman Mike Pusey (pictured), who only took over as chairman last month, shocked members when he  announced at  last night’s meeting  that he is to resign from the council after the next meeting on February 22.
He is currently also deputy Mayor, which means he would have become Mayor in May.
Cllr Pusey’s decision to step down is nothing to do with the troubles that have wracked the council in recent months and led to former chairman Mark Warren resigning in November, alleging a  culture of “systemic bullying” at the council.
He is also resigning from Sutton Weaver Parish Council, where he has been a member for some years.
Cllr Pusey says increasing pressure of work makes it necessary for him to resign from all council work, although he remains chairman of traders’ organisation Love Frodsham and is also a director of Frodsham Foundation. He has pledged to continue to help organise the annual Christmas Festival.
Ironically, his announcement came in the middle of a debate about whether the Town Council should revert to monthly, rather than twice monthly, meetings, during which several councillors praised his chairmanship.
Cllr Judith Critchley proposed the council should revert to monthly meetings and cited, as one of the reasons, the speed with which Cllr Pusey was guiding the council through agendas.  Cllr Mallie Poulton agreed and also praised Cllr Pusey’s chairmanship.  Both councillors pointed out the extra costs the council was incurring through twice monthly meetings.
Cllr Pusey said he did not think the twice monthly system had been running long enough to judge – but then revealed his intention to resign.
He suggested that Cllr Poulton should become deputy Mayor, and subsequently Mayor and also that in future the Mayor should act as chairman, unless he or she did not want to, in which case a chairman could be elected for each year.
Cllr Poulton said he was saddened and shocked to hear of Cllr Pusey’s decision to resign. He would be honoured to be Mayor but felt he did not have the qualifications to be chairman
It was agreed to defer decisions on the Mayor, chairman and frequency of meetings until the next meeting on February 22.