A rural community council will be holding one of its last meetings this week before it is dissolved.

The community council of Llangattock-vibon-avel is one of five being abolished under Monmouthshire County Council’s (MCC) boundary review and its electors will be split between the new communities of Whitecastle and Skenfrith.

None of its present 10 councillors have decided to stand in the new areas, leaving Whitecastle with only three out of 11 seats filled and Skenfrith has only two seats filled out of a total of seven: neither council will have the sufficient numbers to be quorate.

81 councils that were reformed under the boundary review have uncontested elections, including Monmouth Town Council where only one out of the present 16 councillors is seeking election.

There are now 19 seats, however only five candidates sought to be nominated and all were elected uncontested with the council, but unable to operate and make decisions.

This would extend to being unable to co-opt sufficient councillors to fill vacancies

Lyn Cadwallader, chief executive of One Voice Wales which represents town and community councils, said principal councils had “reserve powers and could appoint temporary community councillors pending a further election”.

Asked what would happen if no-one stood at that election, Mr Cadwallader said they would continue to hold ballots until community and town councillors were elected.

“Then that community and town council can be formally constituted,” he said.

Ruth Donovan, assistant head of finance for MCC sympathised with the clerk to Llangattock, Mark Nicholas, and said in a letter that their situation is “slightly unique” in that his community council is being divided into two new ones that have yet to be formed.

“Any transfer of funds will only be possible once all the arrangements have been put in place for the new councils, including the setup of new bank accounts etc.

‘‘MCC has offered to help new councils where they are awaiting the creation of a new bank account.

‘‘In these circumstances we could administer payments from the annual precept which we would hold on their behalf. This wouldn’t normally extend to the holding of transferred funds.”

The expectation is that community councils work together to make arrangements for funds to be ring-fenced and transferred as and when possible.