Basildon Council: Essex Police called to suspended meeting

A council meeting was abandoned after police were called because of a member refusing to be evicted.

Basildon Council independent member Kerry Smith took issue with claims made by the Conservative leader about London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone.

Three Essex Police officers were seen attending, but the force said "no offences were identified" and they left after about 30 minutes.

Mr Smith refused to leave and the meeting on Thursday was adjourned.

"No offences were identified and advice was given to adjourn the meeting," said an Essex Police spokesman.

The Conservative leader of the council Andrew Baggott was giving a series of announcements at the full council meeting when he spoke out in opposition to expansion of the capital's Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) from central London into all boroughs, including those bordering Essex.

He suggested the council's Labour group supported the expansion and said: "I have no idea whether the reason that when we presented the budget last time round, that they didn't want to amend the budget too much, was because they were relying on potential revenue from ULEZ."

Mr Smith, the leader of the Independent Group at the council, interrupted at this point and said: "The leader was giving an announcement making a party election broadcast for the Conservative party."

He continued talking over the mayor and meeting chairman, Luke Mackenzie, and he refused to leave after councillors voted to evict him, and was heard claiming the council was a "pound shop European Parliament".

Police were called but after attending, advised that the meeting be adjourned early.

Alex Harrison, a Labour councillor who also protested against the council leader's ULEZ statement, told the BBC: "I thought it was a waste of police time when no actual crime was being committed."

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