Video from WokinghamBC YouTube

Conservative councillors were yelled at and called “a*******s” at a public meeting on Thursday (January, 24) after a furious row erupted over housing development in Shinfield. 

Several councillors also walked out of the council meeting after Mayor John Kaiser made controversial choices. 

Independent councillor Gary Cowan had brought a petition forward for elected members to discuss regarding overdevelopment in Shinfield. 

As the debate was coming to an end, Mayor Kaiser chose to hear Cllr Stuart Munro’s motion instead of Cllr Cowan’s proposal. 

This prompted Liberal Democrats councillors and Cllr Cowan to walk out of the meeting in protest after Leader of the Opposition Cllr Lindsay Ferris said: “We don’t think it’s appropriate, we’re leaving.”

Members of the audience could be heard shouting at Conservative councillors as they also left the meeting. 

One said: “So much for listening”, with another claiming the debate had been a “stitch up”.

One other audience member could be heard shouting: “Shame on you. We pay for this, we have democratic rights. Screw you, a*******s. Shame on the lot of you, it’s disgraceful. As for you, Pollock (Anthony Pollock, Conservative Cllr and executive member for finance), you really should start standing up for people. You have a duty for care for us.”

Mayor John Kaiser called for order and said: “Come on now, we’ve had a debate here today.”

The audience member replied: “No you haven’t, shame on you. That’s disgraceful and you know it.” 

Just before councillors and audience members departed, Cllr Cowan said: “If the independent motion was taken, then the opportunity for the was there for the administration to refuse it and then vote in their motion. 

“By taking this line, as exactly happened with you on the Barkham debate, it’s just that the administration is using its power and its influence to override the opportunity for this chamber to have a say in something over and above what they want. 

“There is no point in residents coming to this council with any form of petition because it will be just thrown out. A very sad day for democracy.”

In response, Cllr Kaiser said: “The rules only say the person who makes the first indication (shall have their motion heard). Stuart (Munro) stood up first.”

Cllr Munro was eventually allowed to read his motion after tempers had died down. 

He said: "I'm sorry that they (the councillors who walked out) did not get a chance to hear what we are suggesting because I think in the main we've covered quite a lot of what they were asking for. 

"This Council recognises that residents rightly feel that the number of houses being imposed on our Borough is currently too high. This Council, as a champion of our community, will continue to robustly make our case to Government to lower the recent housing numbers. The number of houses is determined by a Government formula and has been mandated by successive governments of all major parties.

"Further, this Council will continue to challenge inappropriate developments in our Borough, and we are supported in this approach by recent decisions to dismiss several planning appeals.

"This Council is currently undertaking a comprehensive consultation across the Borough with residents, to get their views on the sites that have been proposed as part of the statutory Local Plan process.

"All sites will be subject to comprehensive assessment and engagement before the Council approves its preferred strategy and site allocations through the Local Plan process.”

Councillors approved Cllr Munro's motion with all Conservative councillors present voting for, and Labour councillors Rachel Burgess and Andy Croy voting against. 

In October the News reported that 1,600 Shinfield residents had signed a petition outlining their concerns with overdevelopment in the area. 

Shinfield resident Jim Frewin told the News: “This is another case of enough is enough."

After the meeting, Cllr Cowan said: "I looked back at previous council meetings (in which a similar petition was debated regarding overdevelopment in Barkham) were heard. Every time the executive, supported by the Conservatives, make motions suited to themselves. 

"I was hoping the Mayor might look at this one differently. 

"I made it very clear that I had a motion to present to the council. When it came to the end of the debate the mayor never looked in my direction and instead looked at (Cllr) Stuart Munro. It was just a watered down motion."

Cllr Cowan said the walkout was "spontaneous" and gave details about what his motion would have stated.  

He continued: "It was apologising for the council for not fighting housing in the past and saying we will do more in the future. 

"Democratic Services gave a copy (of Cllr Cowan's motion) to the CEO. He was aware of what I was saying. I felt his loyalty to the Conservative Party was more important than to residents’ views. 

"The system we have is not very good constitutionally. The administration’s decision is taken and not the views of the petitioners. 

"I spoke to (leader) Cllr Julian McGhee Sumner and he said in the future whichever councillor submits a petition on behalf of residents will have their motion heard first. I suppose this is a recognition that what they did was wrong and undemocratic. 

"They did not want to apologise. It’s not in their DNA."

Mayor John Kaiser explained his decision to pick Cllr Munro's motion to the News.

He said: "Being the Mayor is a great privilege but the problem in the chamber is everything is constitutionally controlled. 

"I could put my own interpretation on the constitution but I have to follow the rules. The petitioner isn’t necessarily the person who gets to put their motion forward. My own view is that I believe that the constitutional working party should look at this and (Cllr) Chris Smith said he would. The petitioner who brings the petition forward should be allowed to present the first motion. I would like to see a change in the rules. 

"What I did find disappointing was everybody who walked out left the room before they heard Cllr Munro’s motion. He addressed some of the issues that residents had. I would have at least waited to hear what he had to say. 

"It was a good debate. There wasn’t a councillor who spoke in that debate who doesn’t believe our housing numbers are too high. It is not a Conservative issue, it is an issue which affects the whole borough. The government figures are too high and they need to back off. 

"My own view is very clear. We are reaching the point of saturation and we need to push back. 

"I was trying to be as fair as I could. I had to pick the first petitioner to indicate. That was Cllr Stuart Munro. I think the constitution is wrong on that and I think it needs to be reviewed."

Cllr Munro said afterwards: "Wokingham Borough has always had disproportionately high housing numbers, especially when compared to our neighbouring authorities, but now we feel that enough is enough.

“We are working to ensure that there is more affordable housing in our area to help more people to enjoy the chance to have a home of their own.

“But residents have made it quite plain that they think the Government’s current housing numbers are too high, and as a Council, we need to stand up for our local people.

“The Conservatives have listened – the Conservatives are on your side.”

Cllr Lindsay Ferris told the News on Friday (January 25) morning: "I was absolutely, utterly disgusted that the Mayor took the ruling group's motion and not Cllr Cowan’s motion. 

"Considering he was the councillor who presented the petition in the first place I thought he would have had a chance to prepare it. 

"In the debate there was one or two reasonable contributions but there was nobody saying we need to go back to the government.

"I was utterly, utterly disgusted to the point I could not care what the motion was. It was arrogant and dismissive. This group doesn’t care about what residents' views are. They think they know but it is an utter disgrace. 

"The ruling group did not want to be embarrassed as being seen to vote against it (Cllr Cowan’s motion). It is all well and good Cllr Julian McGhee Sumner saying he is listening but he is only listening to his own group. 

"It is just not good enough. They are not standing up for residents."