A prominent Green Party councillor has been accused of time wasting in wishing to support a parliamentary Bill which is already defunct.
A councillor’s point of order tried to argue that the matter could even be discussed by the council since it fell outside the authority’s remit and was against its Constitution. Taking advice, the Green Party chairman of the council deemed it was acceptable to debate.
Opposition Conservatives on Wealden District council listened with amazement as they were asked to back the Ecology & Climate Bill which Fell when Parliament was prorogued last October.
Another point of order referred to an email from the Clerks of the House of Commons confirming that the Bill was not subject to a carry-over when the last parliamentary session ended and thus was no longer current.
Conservative group leader, Cllr Ann Newton, told the meeting that she didn’t know how members were discussing a Bill that doesn’t exist and called for a behind-the-scenes investigation as to how the situation had arisen.
More and more councillors began to consult the Internet to confirm that, indeed, this former Ten Minute Rule Bill was indeed dead and buried.
With egg on their faces, Green Party councillors quickly scrambled to try and amend the original motion, to make it more general in its support.
“We are now adding words and being asked to support something when we don’t know what it contains”, added Cllr Newton.
What should have been a photo opportunity to launch two Green Party election campaigns in East Sussex descended into chaos and left the council looking shambolic. As one councillor told the meeting, “we are having a discussion about a Bill which, quite frankly, isn’t going to go anywhere”.
Conservatives continue to take this matter up with officials who were responsible for it appearing on the Agenda.
