Further resignations at a parish council riven with discord have left just three councillors still in post... and two of them are at loggerheads.

Spooner Row Community Council has been in disarray for several months following a row over who should have control of its website and how its money should be spent.

The spat was first reported by this newspaper last month and since then the crisis has deepened, with another councillor and the finance officer having both quit.

Eastern Daily Press: Robert Foster, who has been a member of Spooner Row Community Council since 2019Robert Foster, who has been a member of Spooner Row Community Council since 2019 (Image: SRCC)

It means a total of seven members have stepped down in the last year, with only three still serving.

One of these is Robert Foster - who has been at the centre of the dispute, having refused requests from fellow councillors to relinquish control of the website - while another is chairwoman Sue Hewitson, who has been leading the opposition to him.

In the middle, between the two warring councillors, is Phil Price, who was recently co-opted on to the authority.

READ MORE: Row over Spooner Row website leaves parish council in chaos

Eastern Daily Press: There has been turmoil in the village due to the problems at the councilThere has been turmoil in the village due to the problems at the council (Image: Sonya Duncan)

He said he was trying to act as peacemaker. "I am not particularly interested in the history but I am optimistic we can resolve things through building trust," he said.

He has his work cut out, however.

The acrimony has been building for almost a year and has seen advisers from South Norfolk Council, the Norfolk Association of Local Councils and the Norfolk Parish Training Services all called in to try to help smooth things over, to no avail.

At one point, police were even asked to investigate allegations of 'malicious communications' between some of those involved, although they found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Mr Foster has infuriated fellow councillors by his refusal to hand over passwords to the website he had helped set up for the council.

He fears it would be used as a forum to attack him and insists he is trying to do what is best for the village, near Wymondham.

The parish council was only set up four years ago and has £90,000 to spend in the village.

Mr Foster has attacked what he perceives as the council's bias towards funding village hall projects at the expense of his proposed schemes.

Mr Foster said: "Parish councillors don't come into this to go to war, we come into this to work towards our community.

"I am in this for the long term. I was elected to serve this community and I will continue to do so but I will not support a council that constantly funnels money into the village hall."

READ MORE: Spooner Row messageboard hits back at 'cesspit' claims

Eastern Daily Press: Sue Hewitson, chair of Spooner Row Community CouncilSue Hewitson, chair of Spooner Row Community Council (Image: SRCC)

For Ms Hewitson, the ongoing row is "not a fight she ever wanted" and it has left the council "stuck and not able to move forward".

"Nobody will join us unless we have a change," she added.

"The council started from such great beginnings and there are so many ideas for projects. It would be tragic if it fails."

Eastern Daily Press: The Spooner Row Community Council websiteThe Spooner Row Community Council website (Image: Spooner Row, Suton & Wattlefield Community Council)

Since the turmoil was first reported last month, councillor, John Morton, and the long-serving finance officer Stephen Ward have quit.

The council desperately needs new members but the ongoing row has meant no one is willing to come forward to join. 

If more members quit, it could mean the end for the troubled authority - which many would see as a sad end for what started as a cause to step out of the shadow of its neighbouring town of Wymondham and champion the local community.

Eastern Daily Press: Spooner Row railway stationSpooner Row railway station (Image: Sonya Duncan)

There could be a resolution as at last month's meeting Mr Foster suggested he would be willing to bring the long-running dispute over the council's website to an end.

He said he would hand over passwords to the other members if he had assurances it would not become like the village's community messageboard, which allows for people to post anonymously. 

This has been a particular sticking point for Mr Foster, who feels he has been unfairly attacked by unknown commenters who have hidden behind anonymity, preventing the chance for accountability.