26th May 2010
Dear Mr Pook
Re: Standards complaint Cllr Joyce Lucas Chair of Planning and General Purposes Committee,
Item 9 Deputations from the public.
At the start of this item Cllr Lucas addressed the public, she misinformed the public, she told the public they could only make a statement about Tesco and could not ask questions because we did not want this to go on until midnight. She showed total contempt towards members of the public and myself.
I corrected her statement and informed members of the standing order that allows us to grant an extension to deputations if required and questions could be asked on any itemon the aganda.
During the deputations Cllr Lucas constantly refused my requests to ask questions or clarify points with the public. At one point she asked former Cllr Kelly to clarify a point another member of public had made.
At Item 10 (i) Cllr Lucas constantly interrupted me as I attempted to read a short statement. She told me to shut up the public did not need to know I was banned from the office and important documents relating to the Tesco application had not been sent to me or that Richard White had emailed me and all other members earlier that day to let us know he had received a high volume of emails from the public. He requested members visit the office to view before meeting knowing I am banned from visiting. So I decided I had not received all the information required to make an informed decision. She told me this was totally irrelavent
After item 10 (ii) of the Agenda had concluded The meeting fell into total chaos for about 10-15 minutes at no point did the Chairman Joyce Lucas attempted to restore order.
The conduct of Cllr Joyce Lucas as Chairman of this Committee brought the council into serious disrepute.
As members of the public departed many suggested she might have a mental illness.
I felt as if she conducted the meeting as if it was one of her garden parties and certainly not a formal council meeting
Yours Sincerely
Cllr Martin Brookes
