Rows and walkout mar meeting

Teignbridge Council’s regular monthly meeting at Forde House in Newton Abbot was overshadowed by arguments and had to be stopped after the row broke out around questions over sports centre changing facilities.

Three members of the public asked questions about the way sports centres treated trans people, prompted by proposals for a ‘village-style’ unisex changing arrangement at the revamped Broadmeadow sports centre in Teignmouth.

There have been concerns that women and girls could be put off using the centre as a result, and some opponents say women would not feel safe.

But council chair Cllr Rosie Dawson (Lib Dem, Dawlish NE) stepped in and enforced the meeting’s rules strictly to stop the speakers from making statements on top of their questions.

Amid heated discussions, a furious Cllr Liam Mullone (SD Alliance, College) accused Cllr Dawson of behaving like ‘a teacher’ or like ‘the police’, using four-letter words as he did so. Cllr Mullone, who told the meeting he lived with Tourette’s Syndrome, then walked out of the chamber.

After a five-minute break to cool down, Cllr Dawson told members: “I’m not here to absorb abuse. You don’t have the right to start verbally abusing me.”

But South Devon Alliance group leader Cllr Richard Daws (Ambrook) warned that cutting short public questions would be ‘censorship’ and a ‘breach of freedom of expression’.

“It’s very concerning,” he said. “I’d rather this meeting hadn’t spiralled, but people want to be heard.

“They have no power but their voice, so I would implore you to allow people to speak.”

And Cllr Andrew McGregor (SD Alliance, Bishopsteignton) added: “Today’s meeting is turning into a shutting-down process.”