Chaos at Cabinet meeting

'Scrooge' protests outside the town hall.

Police were called to the Town Hall as last night's Council Cabinet meeting was plunged into chaos.

There was standing room only in the committee rooms where the meeting was scheduled to take place as Council workers protested against pay cuts.

More than 50 workers, led by the UNISON Union, gathered in the meeting room, chanting their protests over the Council's pay and grading review and blowing whistles.
 
Reports suggested that there had been more than 100 protestors outside the Town Hall in the build up to the meeting.

Acting Council Leader, Councillor Irene Davidson, was forced to delay the meeting and members of the public were asked to leave.

Following discussions between police, council officials and UNISON leaders it was agreed that the protestors would leave the meeting on the condition that the council would meet with the union at a later date.

A UNISON spokesperson said: "We can not do any more tonight but we have made a difference and if we are not appeased then we will be back."

Protests continued outside the Town Hall while the meeting took place and protest banners remained in the windows of the committee room, one of them reading, 'At least Dick Turpin wore a mask'.