Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) have been held at Port St Mary town hall to discuss the position of the clerk.

Two EGMs were held one after the other last week, one to discuss the clerk and the other to discuss a motion in relation to the clerk tabled by deputy chairman Alec Merchant.

Both meetings were held in private as issues relating to staffing are not discussed publicly.

Port St Mary Commissioners clerk Alastair Hamilton has been off work since the beginning of January.

He was not present at either of the meetings held at the town hall on Wednesday evening last week.

It is understood that Mr Hamilton had offered to tender his resignation, but the board decided to enter a process of mediation with the clerk.

Commissioners’ chairman Alan Grace said that he could not comment as the meetings were held in private.

In response to the question about mediation with the clerk, he told iomtoday: 'Clearly I cannot comment.’

Residents have expressed concern about the lack of a clerk in the village, particularly as the rate should be announced and set by January 31. Port St Mary has had eight clerks since the early 2000s.