Trio walk out in vote protest (From Keighley News)

Trio walk out in vote protest

2:10pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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Councillors walked out of a meeting of Keighley Town Council last Thursday following a stormy debate.

Heated words were exchanged in the town hall after a resolution put forward by Councillor Lionel Lockley was deferred.

Cllr Lockley had argued that elected council members should be able to serve as committee chairmen or vice-chairmen for no more than a period of two consecutive years in any electoral term.

But Cllr Tony Wright pointed out that as this motion was proposing an amendment to the council’s standing orders, the rules meant it would have to “lie on the table” for a month before it could be voted on.

This is designed to limit the frequency with which councils alter their own regulations.

Town clerk Miggy Bailey accepted that the resolution should be deferred.

Cllr Lockley said this would mean the motion would actually be delayed for two months, as the town council does not have a full meeting in August.

He demanded to know why no one had told him earlier that his proposal would be deferred. He then walked out.

Cllr Brian Hudson said he thought the way Cllr Lockley had been treated was “disgusting”.

Keighley mayor, Cllr Margaret Ward, said the deferral was not a deliberate attempt to undermine the resolution.

She said the town council was only following its own rules.

While she spoke, Cllr Hudson had turned towards the nearby refreshments trolley. She told him not to turn his back on her while she was speaking to him. Following this, Cllr Hudson walked out of the chamber.

Cllr David Samuels — who had seconded Cllr Lockley’s resolution — asked to be excused and headed for the door. On his way he paused twice — first to speak to a member of the press and then to another councillor — and received a verbal warning from Cllr Ward.

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