Councillor is given extra sick leave as protesters are ejected from chamber
A GROUP of protestors had to be removed from a council chamber as councillors voted to extend a colleague’s leave of absence from meetings because of ill health.
Peel ward’s Coun Paddy Short has been unable to attend any meetings of Hyndburn council since September 23.
At the authority’s Budget public meeting in Accrington Town Hall it was agreed to extend his permitted leave of absence from duties until June to avoid his being disqualified.
The debate was interrupted from the public gallery of the council chamber, with people shouting to allege: ‘People are owed thousands of pounds’ and ‘He should not get any allowances or expenses’, provoking Mayor Coun Kath Pratt who was chairing the meetings to ask them to be silent.
When they continued to interrupt, they were removed from the chamber by council officials on her order.
According to Companies House, the Pure Style Bathrooms Company on Hyndburn Road, Accrington saw a compulsory strike-off notice filed with First Gazette on February 1,
2022 but this was temporarily suspended on February 18 due to an objection.
Coun Short is expected to return to duty at May 19’s full council after exceeding his six-month permitted absence from meetings before being disqualified from being a councillor.
The extension was agreed after a lengthy debate, with Huncoat’s Coun Dave Parkins abstaining.
Conservative deputy leader and St Andrew’s ward representative Coun Peter Britcliffe told the meeting: “I understand
Coun Short is in a very bad way.
“Whilst I am going to support the extension tonight I could not support it again.”
Several councillors were concerned about the circulation of rumours about Coun Short’s state of mind and business dealings.
Independent Coun Jenny Molineux
condemned them as ‘victimisation and hearsay’ while Netherton’s Coun Bernadette Parkinson accused some individuals of running ‘a vendetta’ against Coun Short.
Conservative group leader Coun Marlene Haworth said the meeting was debating Coun Short’s fitness to attend meetings, not to act as judge and jury’ on his business dealings.
A spokesman for the protestors said after the meeting: “We have no regrets about our protest. I was prepared for the police to be called.”
Hyndburn council leader Coun Miles Parkinson said: “I understand their strength of feeling but I think the right decision was taken.”
Coun Short was unavailable for comment.