A crisis-hit council is on the road to recovery, according to the man brought in to “steady the ship”.

Former Coggeshall Parish Council clerk Ray Coster branded the authority “dysfunctional” when he and six councillors - chairman Patricia Meredith, vice chairman Karen Mills, Sarah Parsons, Michael Horne, Brian Spraggon and Melanie Hewitt - resigned at the start of November.

In the weeks following the mass walkout, a complaint was received by Braintree Council’s monitoring officer and remains under investigation.

In the meantime, businessman and Hockley Parish Council clerk Michael Letch has been appointed by the Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC) as Coggeshall Parish Council’s interim clerk, while the remaining councillors have elected Sheila Tames as the new chairman and Sue Wilson as vice chairman.

Notice of the six councillor vacancies, across the parish’s east, west and north wards, has also been given, with an election earmarked for the end of January.

Mr Letch, 56, of Witham Road, Black Notley, has also held similar roles at a number of other councils in the past.