VOTERS will return to the polls once more after the resignation of another town councillor was announced this week – the fifth departure from the authority in four months.

A notice of casual vacancy was shared on the Andover town council website this week, revealing Councillor Scott Blackmore’s resignation from the authority.

Ex-Cllr Blackmore joined the council May last year, in what was his first foray into local politics, when he was elected uncontested to represent Millway Ward. But he says that the “churlish behaviour” of councillors has since taken a toll on his personal life, prompting his departure.

“The letter was submitted to the town clerk and the mayor and I’ve said everything I need to say in that,” he told the Advertiser.

The resignation comes after Andy Fitchet and Victoria Harber also stepped down towards the end of last year, while Cllrs Peter Day and Dorothy Scott left the authority having failed to attend a meeting in the six months following the May election.

And in explaining his reasons for leaving the council, Blackmore’s comments echoed those of both Mr Fitchet and Mrs Harber before him.

“It’s been an issue since probably about Christmas from a personal point of view,” he said.

“The churlish behaviour of certain councillors that has been cited by ex-councillor Fitchet recently really didn’t help the situation. And it’s just got to the point that I’d had enough and it was becoming a stress in my personal life.”

Scott also noted that the new meetings schedule makes it “nigh on impossible” to attend meetings going forward.

The council had previously agreed to meet on Fridays, before recently reverting to a Wednesday night slot, which Blackmore says he would not be able to make.

Other councillors have chimed in on the news of Blackmore’s departure. Cllr David Coole said: “This is a sad loss as he had a lot of potential.”

Town mayor Richard Rowles, meanwhile, hit out at the “hostile environment” that he says other councillors have created.

He said: “Last year Scott was one of the councillors I walked back from resigning because of the hostile environment created in council and online by councillors Coole and Ecclestone.

“Sadly, things have not improved, and now we have lost a voice to whom many listened following the departure of Cllrs Fitchet and Harber for the same reasons.”