THE future of Woodmancote parish council hangs in the balance as members are refusing to reveal their interests.
Some councillors are unhappy they are being asked to share their own and their partners' business interests.
Just three of the current nine councillors have indicated to the Echo they will sign the declaration of interest.
The others say they are volunteers and their personal details are "not anyone else's business".
Some councillors are even threatening to resign, leaving the council's future unknown.
Woodmancote parish council, which has 10 seats, requires at least three members to function. The Localism Act 2011 requires councillors to register their interests, together with their spouses' or civil partners'. These details would then be published online.
Judith Wray, chairman of Woodmancote parish council, said: "It is a real bone of contention for us. I don't like it, but I think my biggest problem is if we have to sign it, it is going to be published online. We are not paid employees, we are volunteers.
"I would find it very difficult to sign it. I want someone to go through it in great detail and its implications, and they have not done that."
Parish councillor Rod Harris said he would resign before he signed the declaration.
He said: "I am totally against it. When it comes down to it, I am not signing, and if I'm forced to, I will resign. It is of no concern to anyone and it is not anyone's business.
"We are volunteers, and they are trying to make us do something we shouldn't have to do."
Woodmancote parish councillors have been asked to sign the code of conduct, which will then require them to sign the declaration of interest.
There is no deadline but government guidance encourages members to register as soon as possible.
Parish councillor Cheryl Agg insisted they should not be forced to sign. "When I signed up to be a parish councillor, I signed up to the code of conduct which required me to declare my interests. That is absolutely fine with me, but what business has it to do with my partner?" she said.
But not everyone has a problem with the declaration, with parish councillor John Glass agreeing to sign it.
"I have no problem with it. My partner and I have no interests to declare."
A Tewkesbury Borough Council spokesman said the guidance was issued by the Government in August. It is a legal requirement and anyone unhappy with it should write to their MP.
OPINION, P8