Following yet another rowdy meeting at the Parish Hall on Ryton Road, the possibility of dissolution being the only solution has been mooted this week.

Robin Stonebridge quit as chairman last October amid an atmosphere of 'distrust and verbal agression from a tiny minority’.

But new chairman Coun Iain StJohn said he refuses to bow to bullies and meetings will be ‘as civil as possible’ in his charge.

Over an hour of the packed-out meeting on Tuesday night was given over to a crisis debate about the state of ‘the relationship between the council and the public’.

Longtime parishioner George Dickens penned the letter which led to the talks, and he will meet with councillors to discuss coming up with an answer.

“I have attended meetings for many years,” he said. “Over this time I’ve witnessed a steady deterioration in the atmoshpere. It now appears to be democracy being stifled.”

“I’ve considered writing to the parish council over the past 12 months, always hoping to see an improvement. But it didn’t happen.”

Among the suggestions in Mr Dickens’ letter were for residents’ questions to be answered promptly by post if not on the night, for an extra 20-minute public session at the end of the meeting, and for the chairman to resign.

Another member of the public to voice concerns during the 80-minute talk was Hilary Estrada-Haigh.

“It’s sad to see the demise of democracy,” said Mrs Estrada-Haigh, who claimed to have been verbally abused by members of the council. “There has been increased refusal to answer public questions on matters pertaining to the parish.”

“This leads to resubmitting of questions, only for some councillors to complain that the same questions are being asked. This parish deserves better.”

Coun Darren Hughes, newly-elected Rotherham councillor for Anston and Woodsetts, said he feels meetings are being conducted in an unacceptable manner from both the parish council and members of the public.

“I think some progress has been made at this week’s meeting to try and constructively move forward and resolve some of the issues,” he added. “Coun Peter Barnes should be commended for his efforts to try and bring an open debate and find a solution to these ongoing problems.”

“I do feel that, if no movement can be made and if the parish council is not working in a way to benefit the community, then consideration should be given to dissolving the parish council as an unnecessary expense to the public purse.”

“I do hope however that some compromise can be found so that meetings can return to an open and democratic public forum that engages constructively and effectively for the benefit of the community.”

Coun John Ireland, who first served on the parish council in 1964, said he was only interested in putting something ‘back into the village that has given me a very happy life’.

“I’m not a member of any political party,” he said.