Labour councillors to boycott planning meetings

Labour councillors will not be attending meetings of a planning committee at City Hall until they are satisfied that a number of their concerns about its running have been met.

Their accusations against Green councillor and Development Control Committee B chair Ani Stafford-Townsend have led Stafford-Townsend to seek legal advice.

As Bristol24/7 reported on Wednesday, some members of the public shouted at councillors following the conclusion of a meeting which saw members grant permission by five votes to three to approve the expansion of South Bristol Cemetery & Crematorium onto land currently used by Yew Tree Farm.

After the meeting had been adjourned, one member of the public said she could not believe that some councillors on the committee had used their religion as justification to allow the cemetery to expand.

A student filmmaker from UWE, Nikki Dodd, filmed part of what happened:

In a statement, Bristol’s Labour group said that “members of the committee and staff were subject to unacceptable behaviour”.

“This took place during and after a meeting convened to decide an application regarding the expansion of South Bristol Crematorium.

“This included a member of the public targeting racial and religious abuse towards a Labour councillor, alongside poor chairing of the meeting itself, fuelling the behaviour that followed with inflammatory comments.

“The chair of the committee also witnessed the abuse from a member of the public and did not challenge it at the time.”

In response, Stafford-Townsend said: “I consider the accusation defamatory and am seeking legal advice on this matter.”

One of the members of the public who spoke at the meeting was environmental campaigner Danica Priest, who the next day revealed that she was standing for the Green Party in Filwood ward at the next local elections.

Ani Stafford-Townsend chairing the planning committee meeting on Yew Tree Farm at City Hall on Wednesday – photo: Rob Browne

The final vote on Wednesday was along party lines with Labour councillors Amal Ali, Farah Hussain and Katja Hornchen, Tory Lesley Alexander and Lib Dem Sarah Classick all voting for; and Greens Lorraine Francis, Guy Poultney and Stafford-Townsend voting against the application.

The Labour statement released on Friday evening added: “Members of the committee were left feeling unsafe and worried to leave the chamber, through fear of being subjected to further unacceptable and aggressive behaviour.

“As a result of this and previous questionable chairing of the meetings, we no longer have confidence in the chair and their ability to chair the meetings effectively and impartially, whilst ensuring councillors can carry out their civic duties safely.

“Labour councillors will not attend further meetings of Development Control Committee B until these serious matters are resolved.

“The safety and welfare of our councillors must be upheld as we carry out our roles of public service.”

Watch Wednesday’s meeting in full here:

Main photo: Rob Browne

Read next:

• Cemetery given permission to expand onto Bristol’s last working farm
• Environmental activist Danica Priest to stand as councillor
• Cheney accuses Acorn of misleading public in council tax row
  

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