THE GOVERNMENT'S insistence on councillors signing a code of conduct has seen heads roll at Mosterton and Corscombe and Halstock parish councils.

Mosterton parish councillor Nigel Brown was disqualified from being a councillor on any authority for the next year and Corscombe and Halstock parish councillor Peter Lemmey was disqualified for 18 months at an Adjudication Panel tribunal.

The Adjudication Panel was established by the Local Government Act 2000 to hear and adjudicate on matters concerning the conduct of local authority members. Members are appointed by the Lord Chancellor after consultation with the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Mr Brown said: "It was snuck on to us very, very quietly in mid-term, it could have waited until council elections were due. It really, really bugs me that a council of our level needed to do it. We don't handle any money and we don't do anything bar look at a few planning proposals and nobody seems to take any notice of our opinion anyway. It's a total overkill.

"I shudder to think how much it's cost the taxpayer. Three councillors refused to sign in Mosterton but I am the only one they proceeded with."

Mosterton Parish Council chairman Robert Fry said Mr Brown's disqualification was a loss to the council and the whole community. It might be relevant for people who were paid, but for unpaid volunteers it did not make sense, he added.

"It's absolutely bizarre, I think it is a bit of a farce," said Mr Fry.

Farmer Mr Lemmey, the former chairman of the council, was incensed that the adjudication panel went ahead and heard his case without him - even though he was only a few minutes late for it after being held up with a break down in his grain store.

The ironic thing was Mr Lemmey might have signed had they seen him once he had had the chance to register his opinions about the way the code of conduct was introduced mid-term without consultation. "If I had more time and effort I think I would take it further. It's just a bit of a joke.

"The thing that really amazed me is the waste. It's costing us vast sums of money. If they had handled it right in the first place none of this would have happened."

Mr Lemmey said that if he was not so busy on the farm he would have been tempted to take the matter to the High Court.

"The only appeal is to the High Court and that's either going to cost me a lot of money or a lot of work."