Opposition anger as council refuses to extend meeting

On Monday, Conservative Norfolk county councillors voted not to extend a meeting beyond the three-hour time limit, so all the motions, submitted by opposition councillors, could be heard.

This followed a decision earlier in the meeting to change the agenda's order, moving the motions to the end of council business.

Labour lader Steve Morphew proposed staying on, offering a compromise by moving his motion to the next meeting to save time.

He said: “I think given that we didn’t have a meeting in July we have a backlog, it would be appropriate to have at least another hour to prevent it being carried forward to November.”

But Conservative councillors voted to reject extending the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, the council was asked to vote on rolling the remaining motions forward, but this was also rejected.

Opposition councillors greeted this with groans, with one shouting "shame on you".

All the motions not heard will now have to be resubmitted.

Mr Morphew said he had already resubmitted them on behalf of the Labour group, warning councillors to “be careful what you wish for”, suggesting a special meeting might be needed if they cannot get through all the items.

Speaking after the meeting, opposition leaders reacted to the decision.

Mr Morphew said it was the "latest attempt to shut us down".

Green Party group leader, Ben Price, said he felt was “dismayed” and the opposition wants to help create a better Norfolk.

“It wasn’t a good advert for local democracy,” said Lib Dem leader, Brian Watkins.

“I don’t think the public will be impressed, we are paid good allowances to do a job and I think stopping after three hours is not good at all."

Andrew Proctor, leader of the council, argued they had finished council business and voted not to extend the meeting, which is allowed in the council constitution.

Asked why they had not rolled the motions on, he said that was what the council had decided, refusing to say any more.