FOR years they battled to have their own parish council, grass roots politicians who could serve the local people effectively.

But less than two years after Whiteley Parish Council convened for the first time the authority is in disarray.

Resignation has followed resignation with the latest en masse walkout including the departure of no fewer than four councillors, including the chairman, amid allegations of voting irregularities.

Now the council is faced with electing a new chairman for the third time in its short history.

But pickings are slim with almost half the seats vacant.

The latest resignation flurry, together with two vacancies that nobody seems to be interested in, has left the 11-seat council with only five filled.

Three of the four to walk - Chairman Ron Finlay and councillors John Hall and Kate Chapman - are being investigated by the Standards Board for England, along with councillor Mike Anthony who has not resigned, for improper voting during a debate that saw plans for a skatepark in the village halted.

They are said to have ignored advice given to them and voted against the scheme but without declaring that they could be personally affected by the outcome by living so close to the site earmarked for the facility.

Despite handing in their notice, the four, which also includes Kevin Gristock, have remained tight-lipped about the exact reasons for their departure - prompting more unease among the electorate at what exactly has gone on.

When contacted by the Daily Echo Mr Hall and Mr Gristock would only say their explanation would be made public "soon".

So, with half the membership they started out with, investigations pending, no skatepark built and a reputation in tatters - the question is was Whiteley Parish Council really worth it?

Bob Backhouse, who resigned in disgust over the handling of the skate park turnaround, said damage had been done to the credibility of the council.

"The parish council has lost total credibility over this skate park issue. There are more vacancies - and no one is coming forward to fill them. It's a shame, it really is.

"People fought like mad to get a parish council and it did some really good work in the first 12 months.

"This single issue has caused the division - and wrecked the council. I hope it doesn't disintegrate from here. It just needs a new freshness, new people."

Vivian Achwal, who remains on the council that adds an extra £20 to household council tax bills for the services provided by them, admitted the chapter had been damaging.

"It's a mystery. I have no doubt we will find out why they resigned at some point.

"It's a shame for the residents that they have gone. The parish council is not representing them properly because we have had so much turnaround in the last few months."

Whiteley resident Richard Evans, 51, said: "It doesn't really fill me with confidence. It makes you wonder what the point is."

So what has caused the undoing of what started out as an enthusiastic and well meaning initiative? Things didn't start out promisingly when only seven people turned out to the first ever meeting of the parish council in May 2003.

However, during the course of the first year a number of issues were addressed and vital grants were handed out to local groups.

The first major sign of unease came in February, when just nine months into his reign as chairman, Don Bate resigned his post and washed his hands of the authority by leaving it altogether.

Speculation concerning his abrupt departure centred on growing tensions within the parish council but Mr Bate refused to explain his reasons for stepping down.

The cause of the recent unrest lies in two words that would make any Whiteley councillor past or present shudder - skateboard park.

It was supposed to be the flagship project for the youth, a way to really put their stamp on the village and show what could be achieved.

Instead it has brought nothing but controversy and embarrassment.

When the council was set up the subject of the skate park became a focal point and was even discussed at the council's first ever meeting.

But as the time grew closer to actually commit to the scheme and give it final backing, the cracks in the authority started to show.

Mysterious leaflets were delivered to homes around the area of the site earmarked for the park by the Meadowside Leisure Centre.

Distributed by the Residents Against Skateboard Park Action Group, almost 1,000 leaflets were dropped through letterboxes claiming that a new skate park would become a mecca for yobs and drug-takers.

At a meeting in October 2003 councillors agreed in principle to the skate park after hearing from young people desperate to see the facility built.

It was almost a year later when the U-turn came. A special meeting of the authority was called at which members were told of some "new information" that had come to light. Another vote was taken and the earlier backing of the park was withdrawn.

That led to the resignation of Cllr Backhouse, who branded the situation "appalling".

But the bulk of the fall-out was yet to come after it emerged that four of the councillors who voted against the skate park did so after being warned that as they lived so close to the proposed site they had an interest in whether it was built.

Fellow councillors and residents took the matter to the Standards Board for England, a watchdog body, who confirmed they would investigate the complaint of failing to declare an interest. Then last week the councillors' low-key departure was confirmed.

But despite the chequered history, remaining members remain upbeat. Parish Clerk Nikki Oliver said she wouldn't rule out the skate park making a comeback at future meetings.

"Those who have left are the ones that voted against the skate park so the project could be raised again," she said.

Mrs Achwal added: "This is absolutely not the end of the parish council. We're going to carry on - we have to. We hope to get some new faces on board."