Former mayor Lynn Little says funds row with council dismissed

Lynn Little, the former mayor of Carterton, has been involved in a long-running feud with Carterton Town Council, surrounding claims she misappropriated almost £5,000.

Meanwhile, the town’s current mayor, Nick Leverton, said that allegations of bullying made by Mrs Little were found to be unfounded and that case dismissed.

The allegations Mrs Little misappropriated £4,835 of public funds were made in October 2017.

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She said: “This consisted of £4,000 of monies donated for charitable purposes, which was donated to the Ted Little Veteran’s House charity account, £520 for tickets for 13 guests who did not pay at the 2017 St Georges Day dinner and £315 for payments from the mayor’s allowance account.

“As recently as July of this year at a ‘resolution meeting’ to attempt to come to an agreement and avoid a court case, I was lectured by two councillors on my lack of morality in not returning the £4,000 from the Ted Little Veterans House charity account.

“It was suggested that I should do this to allow the money to be distributed to ‘local charities’, which is what the Ted Little Veteran’s House charity actually is.

“From October 2017 I was accused by the Carterton Town Council of operating a non-existent charity, an illegal charity not registered with the Charity Commission, a vanity project with no chance of ever being completed.

Ex-mayor of Carterton, Lynn Little, and current mayor, Nick Leverton. Pictures: Simon Williams & Carterton Town Council

“All £4,000 donated to the charity account by me as the town mayor is still in the same Ted Little Veterans House charity account three years later and was never Carterton Town Council money.

“I was also accused by the Carterton Town Council of allowing 13 guests to attend the 2017 St Georges Day charity dinner without the need to pay for their tickets, a total of £520. This included various members of my family and friends.

“After almost three years of accusations, the judge dismissed the claims of the Carterton Town Council.

“Carterton Town Council produced no evidence that confirmed their accusation against me.

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“The mayor’s allowance account that I used for receiving charitable donations was in my name only because this was Carterton Town Council policy at the time, not mine.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the mayor’s allowance account is no longer in existence at Carterton Town Council.

“It was closed without my knowledge or consultation in 2018 with several thousand pounds of 2017-18 received charitable donations from my mayoral year.”

Mr Leverton said the town council had received just under £34,000 in court costs from Mrs Little following the bullying claims she made.

Carterton mayor Nick Leverton. Picture: Carterton Town Council

“As the chairman of Carterton Town Council, I can confirm that the council has in the last six months received just under £34,000 in court costs from Linda Little,” said Mr Leverton.

“This relates to an unsuccessful court action brought by Linda Little claiming £20,000 damages from Carterton Town Council alleging bullying and harassment by the council against her.

“All of the allegations made by Linda Little were considered in full by a district judge and found to be unfounded and the case was dismissed.

“More recently, Carterton Town Council asked for funds spent from the mayor’s account by Linda Little when she was the town mayor which were highlighted in an internal audit report to be returned to the council via a small claims case.

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“The council was successful in part in that Linda Little was ordered by the judge to pay the council’s costs for the case and also instructed Linda Little to repay £315 to the council.

“This related to payments for dinners which should have been paid from Linda Little’s personal bank account but were paid from the mayor’s account which contained funds raised for charity.

“Linda Little has paid the costs and the £315 to the council, which will be distributed by the current mayor to local Carterton charities.”

Claims that the council harassed Mrs Little were dismissed in October 2019.

Mrs Little made the counter-claim in response to the allegations of misappropriating public funds.

She was mayor for five years and remains a Shillbrook councillor.