Villager accuses Parish Council Chairman of lying: Annual Parish Meeting hijacked by small group of protestors

A villager interrupted Parish Council Chairman Diane Bratt during her address at the Parish Council’s Annual Meeting on April 4th and accused her of lying. The individual, with support from a couple of others alongside him, interrupted Mrs Bratt as she reported on the progress of the Parish Council owned land on Milton Road.

Mrs Bratt was describing the restriction on the use of this land and said, “The process for transferring the land was controlled by the planning authority and when it was transferred to the Parish Council it had a restrictive covenant, and I quote here, ‘Not to be used for property except as sports pitches and a community facility’”.

Mrs Bratt was interrupted with a call of “That’s wrong” and the individual exclaimed “That is a fallacy and wrong”.

Mrs Bratt calmly asked “Please don’t interrupt me” to which the individual said “Well don’t lie”.

The individual and his associate continued to tell Mrs Bratt to stop lying to which Mrs Bratt asked them politely if she could complete her report. The individual exclaimed “Well don’t lie and carry on … say it in an impartial manner and not a lie”.

Mrs Bratt then warned the individual that if he called her a liar again she would ask him to leave. Another of the individual’s female associates called out “He didn’t say you were a liar, he said don’t lie”.

At this point Kath Handley from Round Close Road called for some order and said, “This is a public meeting. Can you allow the Chairman to finish her report please”.

When another member of the public spoke to enquire as to how long those responsible for the interruptions had lived in the village accusations of racism were thrown back.

The individual offered his copy of the Agreement in question to the two pensioners sitting behind him. When they said they would get a copy themselves he told them they couldn’t. When asked how he had obtained his copy they were told “Because I’m clever”.

It is understood a number of those attending the meeting were aggrieved following receipt of the anonymous flyer which has been strategically delivered to houses in the roads near the Milton Road site. Adderbury News has been passed a copy of the flyer which we believe contains a number of unsubstantiated statements and factually incorrect messages.

At the end of the meeting, following a series of other heated exchanges on the subject of the Milton Road field, Kath Handley of Round Close Road spoke again. Mrs Handley told the meeting, “I’ve been saddened by the almost viciousness that has crept into some meetings; the personal affronts; the insults.”

“The main reason that I am standing up here now is that Parish Councillors work enormous hours on our behalf `and I think it is unforgivable that some people are on a mission to denigrate these people”.