NORMALLY health problems are not associated with town councils, especially when we are not talking about NHS cuts and saving hospitals. However Northallerton Town Council was told this week it was not in the best of health and needed help. This followed one councillor storming out and constant complaints over lack of information and general fractiousness through a one a half hour meeting.

It all started even before the meeting actually started when Cllr Ken Archer protested that the meeting was being videoed when previously it has only been taped.

Cllr Dave Robertson explained he would be insisting forthwith that it was videoed and after Mayor Cllr John Forrest revealed they could not refuse to video, Cllr Archer stormed out.

Eventually a veteran of many a meeting, former councillor and town mayor John Coulson, told members: “From what I hear this town council isn’t in the best of health. You need help, this town council needs sorting out and I say that as a former councillor, member of many organisations, now 75-years-old and born and bred in this town.”

The beleaguered councillors battled their way through the agenda containing many local issues - Northallerton Prison, connection to the High Street and the loss of disabled parking bays alongside keeping shops and businesses happy, as well as a scheme on how residents can bequeath money to the town and concerns over new uniforms at Northallerton school.

Luckily perhaps there were no issues about NHS services, although they are on the cards in the future. Will Northallerton Town Council be able to find a tonic, or injection maybe that will improve it’s own health to face the challenges ahead? We wonder.