Sunderland councillors warned about 'disgraceful' behaviour during meeting

City leaders have been warned not to repeat their previous ‘disgraceful’ behaviour.

Sunderland City Council was forced to abandon its meeting of all councillors last night (Wednesday, November 18) as proceedings were about to enter their fifth hour.

With several items of business still to be concluded the decision was taken to call it a night, with the hope that cooler heads might prevail in the morning following an evening when tempers simmered over several issues.

“I think the behaviour of this group tonight has been disgraceful, particularly as we [have been] live streaming for the public,” city mayor Cllr David Snowdon told the meeting, which was held by videolink and broadcast via YouTube.

“I expect better behaviour [when the meeting restarts].

“There is supposed to be a decorum we are following and I expect to see that.”

Council leader Graeme Miller proposed the meeting be halted and restarted today (Thursday, November 19) after a council motion on child poverty was finally approved after a debate lasting about an hour and a half.

And it still then took three separate votes for the virtual chamber to agree a restart time of 11am, after alternative suggestions of 9am and 5pm intended to accommodate working councillors were rejected.

Sunderland Mayor for 2019/20 David Snowdon and wife Diane

At one point Castle ward councillor Stephen Foster even suggested a red and yellow card system be introduced to allow the mayor, who formally chairs meetings of the full council, to eject councillors deemed disruptive.

In other meeting highlights:

Sunderland’s FA Cup winning side of 1973, including squad players, was granted the freedom of the city Cllr Miller told the council that while news of a potential coronavirus vaccine was positive, it should not be considered a ‘silver bullet’ for the pandemic It was revealed speed bumps removed from Church Road are due to be reinstalled during February half term next year (2020) Deputy leader, Cllr Paul Stewart, told the meeting more than 200 payments had been authorised to people told to self isolate under a government scheme. A further 500 claims have been rejected and about 400 are being processed

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