Members of Bradfield Combust with Stanningfield, Brockley, Fakenham Magna, Westley, Whelnetham and Whepstead parish councils are among those told to fill in a register of interests (ROI) form by the end of yesterday, or face the consequences.

The warning was issued by St Edmundsbury Borough Councils standards committee.

A borough spokeswoman said: "Failure to supply the declarations (ROI) is a breach of the code of conduct. Such breaches will be reported to the Standards Committee, which will decide if it wishes to investigate further, hold hearings and issue sanctions.

"It has powers varying from censure to six months suspension."

It has also emerged that 49 of the parish councillors could also be disqualified from office for failing to fill in an acceptance of office (ATO) form.

The borough spokeswoman said these should be sent back to the parish clerk.

"If they haven't filled them in it does mean that they haven't accepted the job and so they could be disqualified," she said.

Mary Fuggles is chairman of Bradfield Combust with Stanningfield Parish Council, where all five councillors have yet to fill in their ROI and ATO forms.

"We have filled them in in the past but I can't say it has been done this year," she said.

"It is purely due to the fact that at this particular time the clerk, Judith Duchesne, has been in the wars. She had an accident in her car and is now on holiday.

"It is unfortunate that we haven't completed the forms, we have been somewhat remiss," she added.

Cllr Stanley Durrant, of Whepstead, where seven councillors are yet to complete the forms, said although he had no problem with the ROI form, he believed many councillors did not realise it had to be filled in every year.

"I thought we had already done it.

" I didn't realise we had to do it every year. I think perhaps the others thought the same," he said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have your say on this article - scroll to the top of the story and click on 'comment' or email the editor with your views.

Click here to go back to our main news index.