The mayor of Sandhurst has been accused of "completely disregarding democracy" after calling an extraordinary meeting to debate a motion by Reform campaign manager John Edwards on whether Bracknell Forest should become a Council of Sanctuary.
Cllr Graham Birch has called councillors to meet on Tuesday, July 7 to consider the motion. The meeting needs eight councillors to be quorate - it's unclear whether enough will turn up after only five voted to debate it two weeks ago.
Leaders in Bracknell Forest have already said they intend to become a council of sanctuary, but Reform UK has submitted similar motions to Bracknell, Winkfield and Sandhurst.
The debate was due at the full council meeting on June 25 but was halted when councillors voted to move to the next business under standing orders.
Mr Edwards said: "Following my request, the Mayor of Sandhurst has now called an extraordinary meeting of the full council so my motion opposing Bracknell Forest becoming a Council of Sanctuary can now be heard.
"It was due to be debated at last week's full council meeting, but the Liberal Democrats, supported by Labour and some Conservatives, misused a little-known debate management rule designed to move on when debate has gone on too long, to avoid the debate happening at all.
"There is only one item on the agenda for the extraordinary meeting, so this time the Lib Dems won't be able to use the same procedural trick to stifle lawful democratic debate."
Liberal Democrat leader Leigh Quigg criticised the mayor's authority to revisit the issue, saying: "The mayor is completely disregarding democracy. I believe John Edwards has put pressure on the mayor to call this meeting.
"I'm waiting to hear back from the mayor under what legal basis, under Sandhurst Town Council's standing orders, can he disregard a vote by 11 cross party elected councillors.
"11 councillors saw no merit in discussing the motion. So I'd like to hear from the mayor why he saw fit to ignore those 11 councillors, and I'm waiting to hear back from him."
She also wrote: "I am asking you to explain why you have decided to over-rule the decision of the council."
In response, Cllr Birch rejected the claim he was overturning a previous decision, saying: "I do not accept the premise that the extraordinary meeting has been called to overall a previous decision of the council.
"The purpose of the extraordinary meeting is... to enable the council to consider the substantive motion. I do not consider it appropriate to enter into further correspondence regarding the merits of the motion ahead of the meeting."
Mike Forster (Lib Dem) called it a "reform-whipped activity" with similar motions elsewhere and said it had "no place being debated in a Sandhurst Town Council meeting."
Mayor Graham Birch added: "I am trying to be democratic. What happened the other day at the last meeting didn't give people the chance to discuss things.
"I want people to talk openly and freely. I don't get this animosity. It upsets me. It's not needed. I don't like the insinuations that what John Edwards wants, John Edwards gets.
"I think I'm doing the best for the residents of Sandhurst. I'm maintaining my integrity. I've maintained my composure. Whichever way the decision goes, I am completely and utterly happy with that.
"We represent the residents of Sandhurst. In order to allow everyone to speak, I think we should have this meeting."
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
