CHESHIRE West and Chester Council has defended leader Mike Jones’ decision to halt a meeting to remove a businessman who challenged him over debts he claims his firm owes him.
The authority has justified being prepared to use force after roofer Ray Hinson verbally confronted Cllr Jones as he chaired last Wednesday’s executive meeting.
Chief executive Steve Robinson went to fetch assistance from reception but Mr Hinson from Prestatyn and fellow creditor Stephen Trollope, a tiling firm director from Littleton, were already walking out.
The authority also stopped its live webcast, with contributions from Mr Hinson and Mr Trollope deleted from the recorded version which instead featured the message ‘webcast suspended due to a breach of the council’s rules on public speaking in meetings’.
Council spokesman Ian Callister said: “Quite obviously the two people concerned were intent upon discussing personal issues which bore no relation to the council executive meeting. This is not what public question time was intended to achieve.
“The chair was within his right to ask the two people to be removed. However, there was no need for such action as they were already leaving.”
Cllr Jones’ Saltney-based plumbing and electrical firm ASC Developments (Chester) Ltd has ceased trading, with a creditors’ meeting to be held next Tuesday.
Roofer Mr Hinson claims Cllr Jones’ firm ASC still owes his firm £9,384. Tiler Mr Trollope obtained a court order instructing ASC to pay £2,880 owed to his firm but to no avail.
Mr Trollope, who intends to make a complaint against Cllr Jones under the council code of conduct, told the meeting: “People within our authority are in positions that can influence thousands of lives with a budget of millions.”
Cllr Jones is not prepared to comment on the issue as he regards it as a private matter.
