Glass Centre campaign leader labels Sunderland council meeting as profoundly undemocratic in access row
Save the National Glass Centre campaign group chair Carolyn Basing has hit out at the City Council
The chair of the Save the National Glass Centre campaign group has labelled a recent city council meeting as being “arbitrary” and “profoundly undemocratic” after restrictions were placed on attending the meeting.
The accusation revolves around a council meeting in which councillors backed the motion calling on the University of Sunderland to “immediately halt its planned closure and demolition” of the Glass Centre.
Whilst pleased with the outcome of the meeting, campaign chair Carolyn Basing said the restriction of 20 people being allowed in the public gallery is an “infringement of our legal right which ensures the public and press can attend meetings of public bodies”.
The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 is a UK statute requiring local authorities to hold meetings open to the public and press. It ensures transparency in governance and allows public scrutiny.
Ms Basing said the day before the meeting she was sent an email from the council’s democratic services informing her that the capacity of the public gallery was “around 20 people” and that “once this section is full, our security team won’t allow anyone else into the chamber”.
After being contacted about this restriction, a city council spokesperson said: “The limit on attendees, and the provision of a separate public gallery space, has been in place for over two years, and was established following a risk assessment for council and committee meetings.”
Following the meeting, in which a “significant number” of the campaign group were unable to access the chamber, Carolyn wrote to the council’s monitoring officer.
As well as speaking to the Echo, Carolyn also sent us a copy of the letter.
She said: “This rule has not been enforced previously. In previous meetings involving the WASPI women and the Give us a Break Campaign, both had many more supporters. We’ve sat in the chamber previously, for example in June 2025, with many more members of the public in attendance.”
The council responded that the risk assessment was reviewed in 2023, following a Council meeting where a “very large number” number of the public were in attendance and that “some member subsequently raised concerns”.
A spokesperson added: “The Save the National Glass Centre supporters were able to assemble at City Hall, some supporters were admitted to the meeting, and others were accommodated and able to observe and follow proceedings with an on-screen link from the committee room that overlooks the chamber room.”
Ms Basing said the situation before the meeting was exacerbated when 10 students from the University of Sunderland’s journalism course were allowed to “go straight into the public gallery”, claiming members of the campaign group were subjected to a bag search.
She said: “Approximately 10 people were given preferential treatment, whilst other people were searched in what appeared to be a subjective manner.”
A council spokesperson said that bags are “routinely searched for security reasons”.
Carolyn said: “Members of our group walked away from that meeting feeling they’d been treated with suspicion and hostility. When we started this campaign, we thought we were trying to save the Glass Centre, we didn’t realise we’d have to defend our right to participate in democracy.”