Tory Meeting Storm Out: Council launches full investigation

Brentwood Council's Managing Director has launched an investigation into last night's Environment Panel which saw the Conservative Chair and councillors storming out of the meeting whilst it was in session.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Karen Chilvers was then elected as temporary chair by the five remaining councillors and concluded the meeting, including taking a vote on the motion she had tabled to bring the matter of gritting back to the next panel meeting.

The Conservative administration maintain that the meeting had finished but their chair, Cllr Tony Sleep, had already allowed Lib Dem Cllr Philip Mynott to raise a matter under "urgent business", therby allowing the meeting to continue. Cllr Chilvers then moved a motion and it was seconded by Cllr Mynott, but the chairman refused to take the vote and left the meeting.

The five opposition councillors remained in their seats for a few minutes to see if the Chair would return to conclude the meeting but then decided to democratically elect a chair for the remainder of the meeting.

The webcast item and the Tory departure can be viewed here.