THE chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh Council has said he is confident he did nothing wrong in refusing to allow a councillor to speak or raise a proposal during last week’s rates meeting.
However, the councillor at the centre of the row has branded the move “undemocratic” and has said the chairman “silenced any dissent, silenced any questions, silenced any alternative proposals.
During the short discussion on the striking of the rate last Thursday, which came following presentations on the Council budget and finances, the SDLP’s Cllr Adam Gannon attempted to speak, only to be cut off by chairman Cllr John McClaughry, pictured right,.
Speaking afterwards, Cllr Gannon said his constituents were “absolutely furious” he wasn’t allowed to have a say.
“The rates meeting is one that people do watch [online], and people were livid that no discussion was allowed. I totally sympathise with where they are coming from.”
“The fact [Cllr McClaughry] prevented discussion means he removed the democratic right of everyone who voted for councillors to speak on their behalf on this issue,” he continued.
“He silenced any dissent, he silenced any questions, he silenced any alternative proposals, he silenced any additional proposals which were relevant, because we did have an alternative proposal to make.”
The proposal Cllr Gannon wanted to submit was to request the Council write to the Finance Minister asking why the Executive was not providing support to councils to cover the rise in National Insurance, like the government in England.
Earlier in the meeting, Cllr Gannon unsuccessfully raised a proposal that the Council reduce its general reserve from 10 to eight percent, which would make savings of £747,652, and help keep the rate down.
Cllr Gannon claimed the chairman had not followed the Council’s standing orders, which could be opened to legal challenge, and also noted Cllr McClaughry had commented earlier in the meeting that he “didn’t want it to take all night.”
In response to Cllr Gannon’s claims, Cllr McClaughry insisted he had followed procedure, and outlined the many opportunities councillors had to speak and ask questions both before and after the meeting.
He noted there were two workshops, and meetings between parties and Council officials, leading up to the budget meeting, while there had been several opportunities for councillors to have their say during the previous sections of last week’s meeting, prior to striking the rate.
Cllr McClaughry said he had two proposals submitted to him on the rates, which were “in complete variance to each other” which meant he could put them to a vote.
“I didn’t see any point in going around the room, so I called the vote,” he said. “Adam Gannon raised the point of order, but I had two proposals that had been proposed and seconded, and I wanted to clear them.
“Victor’s fell by a majority, and Sinn Fein’s passed by a majority, so we set a rate. There was no need to take any further debate.”
With regard the comment about the meeting “not taking all night”, Cllr McClaughry said it was a common phrase he often said at meetings as a joke.
“I’m fairly happy I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said. “If the proposals hadn’t been seconded, I would have been taking debate.”
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