Thetford Town Council Statement regarding Full Council meetings.
27th September 2024
Thetford Town Council would like to express its disappointment at the continued disruption to its Full Council meetings.
Whilst the council encourages questions from the public on matters related to Town Council business, it asks that all participants conduct themselves respectfully and avoid any disruptive or inappropriate behaviour during the meetings.
At a Full Council Meeting held on Tuesday 24th September 2024 some members of the public, many of whom lived outside of Thetford, continuously refused to adhere to the Town Council’s Standing Orders, leading to a temporary suspension of the meeting.
Unfortunately, the disturbance continued during the agenda item discussing the upcoming Remembrance Parade, preventing the Council from effectively discussing and planning the event. As a result, the meeting was further suspended. Several attendees who were not involved in the disruption chose to leave the meeting, feeling very uncomfortable with the ongoing severity of the disturbance.
Councillors are democratically elected volunteers dedicated to carrying out Council business on behalf of the community. However, their ability to do so has been disrupted by the behaviour of some attendees. The Council is committed to ensuring a respectful and safe environment and will not tolerate any disruptive or inappropriate behaviour towards councillors, staff, or members of the public.
The Council is continuing to work with the police and legal advisers to ensure that the Council business can be conducted, continuing to maintain openness and transparency, while protecting the democratic process and enabling councillors to carry out their roles effectively.