There is now an argument over what the relationship between NALC (National Association of Local Councils) is to ChALC (Cheshire Association of Local Councils) which Jackie Weaver is a part of. Chair Brian Tolver is giving quite a lengthy answer on this technical issue...
Cllr John Smith is now trying to bring the meeting back to the question of whether the meeting that went viral was "unlawful" as Cllr Tolver tried to claim it was before he disappeared.
Cllr Tolver said he didn't get the requisite notice (as chairman) that two councillors wanted to call a meeting of the council, as is their right under the standing orders and the law. Cllr Smith says he did get that notice...
...Tolver says the notice didn't conform with the rules as it didn't include an agenda. Cllr Smith pointing out that if the chair refuses to convene a meeting then other councillors are allowed to convene it. He and Cllr Smith are now talking over each other.
...They're now having a heated argument about the last viral meeting. It's all about whether the last meeting was called unlawfully - which is what Tolver was arguing last time before he disappeared. Viewers chiming in to criticise and defend Tolver (Denise is on his side).
Absolute chaos now with all the councillors arguing about whether their last meeting was illegal and whether this one is too. Members of the public are chiming and making a din of sound so no one can really hear much at all...
More chaos. Members of the public all talking over each other. Two were having a conversation with each other about how they've been inspired to join their own parish council.
The chair is now moving on to his disappearance from the last meeting. He's questioning the part of the minutes that says "Cllr Tolver unexpectedly left the meeting". He says "actually the meeting left me".
Cllr Tolver (the chair) says he was muted by Jackie Weaver "two and a half sentences" into speaking at a meeting half an hour before the one that went viral. Says "I don't know why but she pressed the mute button".
...Tolver says Jackie Weaver "didn't like what I was saying but she had no right to eject me whatever she thought". Says "councillors and members of the public should only speak via the chair".
Tolver repeats that Jackie Weaver "had no lawful authority" to remove him from the (viral) meeting. Says cllrs Brewerton and Burkhill were "sensibly" unhappy that he was "ejected" from the meeting.
Tolver says the rules say the chair has to decide if someone is behaving in a disorderly manner and then has to put their removal to a vote. He's quoting Standing Order 10 (a) and 10 (b) if you'd like to look.
The debate is now about whether the chair (Tolver) was "ejected" from the viral meeting or put into the Zoom waiting room. Cllr Smith (who was voted chair at the viral meeting) says the meeting proceeded as normal after Tolver left.
'Joe' (member of the public) is asking the chair whether he would "maybe like to apologise" for his conduct at the last meeting. The chairman wants Joe to be muted (and technically it's not his time to speak). Now all members of the public are muted (after a vote of councillors).
The councillors have now approved the minutes of the last meeting. Except the chair Cllr Tolver - because he disagrees with the part that says he "left" the meeting.
The councillors have been discussing whether to "retrospectively" second Jackie Weaver to the last meeting (and another clerk for meetings when Handforth's clerk was suspended) to stop arguments about whether they were legal. Tolver says it's "a nonsense". It's been deferred.
Back to some normal business now. They are discussing whether to provide £10k to support the 130 bus service for 12 months. That is normal council business. One cllr says "Handforth needs a bus". Tolver says he has concerns about the numbers. This bit is normal (so far)...
There has been a unanimous agreement over the bus funding issue. I think that might be the first unanimous agreement tonight. There is now another more general discussion - but have the most contentious issues already been aired???
More discussion about actual policy - this time about the big changes that are proposed to the rail system to relieve the bottlenecks around Manchester.
There are nearly 3,000 people watching this discussion about local public transport in the Handforth environs live on YouTube...
They are NEARLY finished ... Just discussing when the next meeting should be. Actually sometimes this can be the longest item of discussion at council meetings as everyone has to check their diaries...
And two hours and two meetings later - Handforth Parish Council has gone silent. For now...

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More from @phi1mccann

17 Feb
I’m going to guess Handforth Parish Council doesn’t normally have this many attendees on its Zoom meetings...
Apparently 82 people are watching on Zoom and another 150 on YouTube.
The chair Brian Tolver has broken his silence. He's started the meeting saying "A lot of people are watching because of recent viral events. The meeting is open to the public and may be seen by a very wide audience". #HandforthParishCouncil
Read 22 tweets
17 Feb
It's the return of Barry Burkhill. As mayor of @CheshireEast, he's chairing today's full council meeting. There's a motion of no confidence in him after the viral #HandforthParishCouncil meeting - but it won't be discussed today as it has to go to another committee first...
Barry Burkhill has addressed the #HandforthParishCouncil meeting - he said "it's a matter of regret that these important issues (due to be discussed by @CheshireEast today) have become overshadowed by events elsewhere":
Cheshire East councillors are talking about next year's budget, which includes £20m of savings incl cuts to some social care svcs and less regular grass cutting. Dep leader Craig Browne said govt covid funding doesn't cover all @CheshireEast's lost revenue...
Read 5 tweets

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