VILLAGERS in Fittleton, in the Pewsey Vale, have been left without any grassroots local government representation after all their parish councillors resigned in protest over new red tape which central Government is bringing in.

The village has been left without a parish council after all seven members decided to resign over the newly introduced ruling that parish councillors had to accept a new code of conduct and sign a declaration of their financial interests.

This has led to uproar at parish councils with threats of resignations, but Fittleton is believed to be the first parish council which has resigned.

The council did not resign en bloc but the earlier resignation of four members - leaving the bare minimum of three to form the "quorum"needed to run a meeting has been followed this week by the resignation of the last three.

Acting chairman Tim Hoddinott was unavailable for comment.

District councillor Alan Wood said: "Although district and county councillors have had to sign the same declarations, the parish council took the view that we are paid expenses for what we do whereas they receive nothing and could not see why they should declare their personal financial details."

Kennet's chief executive Mark Boden and Coun Wood have been in discussion about the situation at Fittleton which will probably be resolved by calling a special parish meeting to appoint a caretaker council of at least three members who would co-opt the remaining members to make seven.

Coun Wood said the long- term decision would probably be to amalgamate Fittleton Parish Council, which has fewer than 300 voters, with Netheravon, which has about 1,100.

In many other parts of the county, including Ramsbury and Aldbourne, councillors have been threatening to resign, although none have actually done so.

A suggestion put forward at Ramsbury was that councillors should take no action and see if they get disbarred.

Aldbourne Parish Council chairman Chris Humphries said four councillors are threatening to quit.

Wiltshire County councillor and North Wiltshire District councillor Jane Scott, who represents 13 parishes, said she had heard ten councillors had resigned already.

"Some resignations are for other reasons besides the code of conduct and declaration of interest," she said.

Many parish councillors have written to MP James Gray, including Doris Lendon, a member of Chippenham Without Parish Council, who said she would be stepping down from her duties because of the introduction of the new system.

"I would have no objections to my details being kept by the clerk in a filing system and if it needed to be checked then it would be done so in my presence. I do not want my personal and private life open to everyone," she said.

Her colleague Geoff Williams will be staying.

"I do not feel it is encroaching on me and consider it to be a storm in a tea cup," he said.

"I think some people have over reacted without knowing the full facts. I think you just need to use your common sense."