The incredibly bad-tempered proceedings of an online parish council meeting have taken the internet by storm. The meeting of the Handforth Parish Council Planning and Environment Committee took place on December 10, but an edited version has gone viral after being uploaded to YouTube on Thursday.
Much of the excitement appears to revolve around the presence of Jackie Weaver, a clerk who has been appointed externally by the Cheshire Association of Local Councils. Her authority over proceedings is questioned by several councillors, initially by the chair - who has already appointed himself the clerk - who declares the meeting 'unlawful'. After he is ejected by Weaver the vice chair begins protesting.
It's fair to say that the mute and unmute intricacies of Zoom technology are lost on some of the members, especially the vice chair who begins arguing with a colleague who is in the same room.
Short clips of the meeting have gone viral on Twitter, but the following 18 minute version provides more context. There is nothing in the way of party politics as the councillors are all independents, but it just has to be seen...
