TEIGNMOUTH councillors are trying to oust long serving town clerk Dave Tickell.

There have been some bitter behind the scenes meetings, and now it could escalate into legal proceedings, with both sides taking legal advice.

A beleaguered but defiant Mr Tickell, 71, who also acts as town centre manager, told the Post: 'I don't intend to retire unless forced out.'

Most councillors are understood to want him to retire after 14 years in the post, but attempts to negotiate a deal appear to have stalled.

The situation has been going on for some time, but the only public hint of the wrangling came at a recent town council committee meeting when mention was made of the clerk's pending retirement.

But it came right out into the open when the mayor, Cllr David Cox, called an extraordinary council meeting on Thursday last week.

Most of the meeting was held in private because it involved staffing matters, and the agenda items – which are in the public domain – included establishing a retirement appeal panel and interview panel 'and to authorise the mayor and deputy mayor to place advertisements for the posts of town clerk and town centre manager'.

But it is understood the advertisement part was deferred to another meeting.

Councillors are not permitted to comment in public because a member of staff is involved, but one insider told the Post: 'The clerk has done a marvellous job, is very hands on, and has the good of Teignmouth at heart, but it is felt that with new responsibilities and challenges facing the town council, it is time for him to retire and make way for a new man or woman.'

Mr Tickell, who was a councillor for 15 years and had two terms as mayor of Teignmouth before being appointed town clerk, was adamant he did not want to leave yet.

'When I became clerk, there was no mention of any retirement age, and I certainly do not have a pension from the council. I enjoy my job and also need to carry on because I only have the state pension to call on.

'I advised the members that there was no need to call an extraordinary meeting because several members could not attend on the Thursday, and the business was not so urgent that it could not wait until the full council meeting on Tuesday.

'But they went ahead anyway. There could be possible litigation because they have not followed proper procedures in the way it has all been dealt with.

'I will not be bullied into retiring.'

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