TWO Malvern town councillors have admitted providing job references for former town clerk Stuart McDonough.

The admissions follow a motion tabled by Coun Paul Tuthill (Link) demanding to know who had given Mr McDonough the references needed to secure his current position at South Somerset District Council.

The motion was also intended to discover "whether any councillors were aware of the intention of Mr McDonough to seek further employment rather than pursue his stated aim of retiring".

Coun Tuthill said: "This is clearly of interest to the charge-payers of Malvern since it cost them a lot of money," said Coun Tuthill.

The motion received nine votes in favour, and nine against, giving deputy mayor Coun Frances Victory (Chase) the deciding vote. She voted against.

Coun Graham Myatt (Trinity) then admitted he had given Mr McDonough a reference earlier this year, but said it was not for the position he now occupies and that "it was a totally private matter".

Just as the council was set to vote on whether it should write to the Somerset authority asking who had given the reference, Coun David Williams (Trinity) owned up to having supplied it. However, he refused to answer any further questions on the matter.