There is growing frustration across Kempsey as residents continue to raise serious concerns about how the Parish Council has been operating in recent years – particularly around transparency, communication, accountability, and the handling of public money.
These concerns have now been further intensified by the rejection of the pump track tender, a project that had widespread community backing and had been worked on for years. Many residents view this latest failure as the direct result of how the project was handled under the leadership of the current Chair, Cllr Waller.
The pump track decision has become a flashpoint – not because the village didn’t want the facility, and not because funding or expert input was lacking, but because of process-driven delay, poor decision-making, and a failure to move the project forward. For many residents, it represents yet another missed opportunity caused by leadership issues at the top of the council.
A Pattern of Concern
The rejected pump track tender now sits alongside a growing list of contentious or stalled decisions, including those relating to:
- The Pavilion Café
- Pixham Ferry Lane
- Rejection of FOI requests
- Community funding allocations
Each of these issues has sparked debate locally and reinforced a widespread feeling that the council is no longer acting in the best interests of the community it serves.
Residents have repeatedly raised concerns that decisions are being made without proper consultation, that transparency is lacking, and that projects are being pursued – or abandoned – without clear outcomes or long-term benefit for the village.
Calls for Change
In response, a number of residents have launched a public petition calling for a change in Parish Council leadership, arguing that fresh leadership is needed to restore confidence, improve accountability, and rebuild trust between the council and the wider community.
For many, the failure of the pump track project has become symbolic of a deeper, systemic problem: too much control concentrated in one role, too little challenge, and too little progress.
What Kempsey Deserves
Regardless of individual views, it is increasingly clear that Kempsey deserves open, accountable, and community-led governance – where residents are listened to, spending decisions are transparent, and projects are managed in a way that delivers real benefits rather than repeated disappointment.
Kempsey.co.uk will continue to follow this story closely and will update readers on any formal responses, developments, or changes within the Parish Council.
If you would like to share your views on how the council could work better for the community, please email news@kempsey.co.uk. We welcome balanced, respectful contributions from all sides.
Editor’s Note
A public petition regarding Parish Council leadership has been launched by residents of Kempsey and is hosted on the official Change.org platform. Click here
Kempsey.co.uk does not endorse or organise petitions, but will continue to report on verified community initiatives and local governance matters in the public interest.
