At an extraordinary full council meeting last week (September 15), a motion of no confidence in Cllr Margaret Eames-Petersen, an independent councillor for Hatfield Villages, was unanimously passed. In a public statement issued on September 18, the council said: "This town council expresses no confidence in Cllr Eames-Petersen in fulfilling her role as town councillor and strongly recommend that for the good of the community, the effective operation of the council, and for the wellbeing of council staff and councillors, that Cllr Eames-Petersen steps down from her position as a Hatfield Town Councillor for Villages Ward with immediate effect." According to the statement, the motion came about in light of an investigation undertaken by Council HR and Governance Support (CHRGS Ltd) in July and August 2025, alongside previous investigations and complaints against Cllr Eames-Petersen of "bullying, harassment, disrespect and bringing the role of town councillor into disrepute". Moreover, the council wanted to "publicly announce and demonstrate the town council’s commitment to supporting its staff and the wider interest of the Council and the community it serves". Cllr Eames-Petersen previously served as Hertfordshire County Council councillor for North Hatfield between 2017-2021, and as mayor of Hatfield between 2020-2021.