Chaos in Aldwick meeting as members hurl insults

Chairman Carol Wiseman was forced to call a halt to the proceedings as two councillors hurled insults '“ including a four-letter word '“ around the public session.

The boiling point in front of some ten members of the public and district councillors was reached in a debate about the seemingly-innocent subject of an annual memorial service.

The row took place about the council's continuation of staging the December 22 event in memory of Lt Walter Prior.

Cllr John Bunderla-Davies said the occasion seemed to be a source of animosity.

"The service seems to have caused a lot of trouble in past years. If this service is going to cause friction, that's no way to honour the dead," he said.

He launched into a tirade against the service's previous organiser, Richard Ostler, which included a four-letter word he claimed Mr Ostler had used to describe the council.

His comment was immediately criticised by his fellow councillor and Mr Ostler's wife, Jill Ostler. She hit back at Cllr Bunderla-Davies.

"I think you are absolutely depressing," she seethed.

"You have hardly been here five minutes and yet you have already slagged me off."

It was at this point Mrs Wiseman interrupted the meeting for a five-minute cooling-off period.

"We are not going to have a slanging match across this council.

"We are not here to quarrel with each other," she stated firmly before matters could boil over further.

She had said earlier in the meeting: "There has been a lot of discussion, some of it upsetting, about this subject. I know some councillors are not happy with this."

The debate resumed after the short break with just one councillor left to speak about the matter.

The vote was then taken in a calm manner. It saw six councillors agree to continue organising the memorial service, three vote against and one abstain.

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