A Westhoughton Town Council meeting was suspended after just seven minutes, with members voting to exclude a councillor following a heated row over town centre regeneration. The incident occurred on Monday, June 29, marking the first time in 40 years that a meeting of the council had to be suspended, according to the Liberal Democrat group.
Exclusion of Councillor Martin Tighe
Conservative member Councillor Martin Tighe was removed from the meeting after a vote of 11 to 2. The Liberal Democrat group alleged that Tighe was 'verbally abusive' during discussions. According to a member of the public's written question, Tighe accused Liberal Democrat members of being 'lying b*stards' over previous planning proposals for larger windows in the town hall building. Another member present claimed that Tighe 'refused to listen to the chair and spoke over other councillors'.
Accounts from Councillors
In a statement, Councillor Tighe said he was 'kicked out for calling out the Lib Dem lies regarding Westhoughton Town Hall regeneration'. He added that the chair 'used the gavel to silence me'. Deputy town Mayor, Councillor Linda Maher, who chaired the meeting, reportedly called for order several times unsuccessfully.
Veteran councillor and former Mayor of Bolton, Labour's David Chadwick, who has served on the town council since 1994, said: 'The chair tried to stop any further discussion as it wasn't relevant to the agenda item. Eventually he (Coun Tighe) was asked to leave the meeting, because he wouldn't accept the chair's ruling. Again he was asked to leave and Coun Tighe then asked who would be forcing his removal. He was eventually persuaded to leave the meeting by which time the meeting had been adjourned for a later date.'
Coun Chadwick added: 'I've never known such rank bad manners by anyone at any previous town council meeting.'
Liberal Democrat Response
Liberal Democrat councillor David Wilkinson said: 'Conservative councillor Martin Tighe refused to listen to the chair and spoke over other councillors. When asked to stop, he refused. Because of this, the council took the extremely rare step of formally naming him for disreputable conduct. When it was then moved that he leave the meeting, he again refused. It's deeply disappointing to see this kind of conduct from an elected representative.'
Tighe's Defence
Councillor Tighe defended his actions, stating: 'I was kicked out of Westhoughton Town Council for calling out the Lib Dem lies regarding Westhoughton Town Hall regeneration. They voted to expel me from the meeting for highlighting that the town hall would have opened over two years ago if it was not for Lib Dem lies, and if I may speak frankly, their total bullsh*t. The Lib Dems use the gavel to silence anything that they don't like and I'm sick of it. If someone says something they don't like they just shut it down saying 'you're out of order'. They say point of order but don't say which point of order and then bang the gavel. They gavel people into silence. They've done it to me many, many times. By silencing me it's not saying to people I'm lying, it's saying to people they are scared of what I have to say.'
Impact on Council Business
Westhoughton Town Council has 18 councillors: 12 Liberal Democrats, 3 Labour, 2 Conservatives, and 1 Independent. The suspension of the meeting meant that agenda items about a new play area and crossing facilities, planning applications, and a road safety update from the youth council's primary school children were not discussed. The next meeting of the town council is scheduled for Monday, July 13.
