Extraordinary meeting to be held over resignation of Wakefield Council’s standards committee chair Isabel Owen after councillors stage meeting walk-out

A debate relating to the resignation of Normanton councillor Isabel Owen will take place in June.

Ms Owen quit immediate effect on March 19, saying she had “moved out of the area”.

She had been the of the council’s standards committee chair since May last year.

Ms Owen was asked to resign by council leader Denise Jeffery.

Claims have previously been made in the council chamber that Ms Owen continued to receive payment for her duties months after leaving the district.

Opposition councillors have accused the Labour-run authority of a “lack of transparency” over the issue.

Tory, Lib Dem and independent councillors walked out of a full council meeting on yesterday in protest at being refused an opportunity to publicly ask questions about Ms Owen’s resignation.

The walk-out took place during a meeting which had been called to approve the appointment of Tony Reeves as the council’s new chief executive.

Nadiah Sharp, independent councillor for Wrenthorpe and Outwood West, raised a point of order at the start of the meeting.

Coun Sharp said she had given the council’s chief legal officer, Gillian Marshall, seven days’ notice asking for an additional item to be added to the meeting agenda.

She said: “The matter is about Isabel Owen and her leaving the district.

“She should give the money back to the taxpayers in the district because she has not served the public from, I believe, August last year.

“I did raise this matter according to the rules.

“I’m a bit confused as to why (the chief executive appointment) is the only matter on the agenda for this meeting.”

Ms Marshall confirmed that the request had been received by Coun Sharp, but added: “It is not an urgent matter and it is not one that should be considered in the pre-election period.

“Councillor Sharp has been informed of that.”

Ms Marshall said an extraordinary meeting in relation to the issue raised by Coun Sharp will instead take place in June.

The officer continued: “It is not on the agenda today. It’s not for discussion today.

“It is not a point of order because a point of order has to relate to what is on the agenda.”

Conservative group leader Nadeem Ahmed said he had attended the meeting expecting the issue to be debated.

He said: “The matter has been raised so it is on the agenda now, verbally or otherwise.

“The matter has been raised in the council chamber. It has been raised through the correct channels.

“What was the rationale or legal reason behind not allowing that to happen in this meeting?”

Ms Marshall said: “Councillor Sharp has raised a request in accordance with the rules. It has been dealt with in accordance with the rules.”

Akef Akbar (Ind, Wakefield East) said there was “a lack of transparency” and accused Labour of making “a clear attempt to avoid scrutiny.”

He added: “I would deem public expenses as urgent.”

Seven out of eight opposition councillors present left the chamber after Major Josie Pritchard said she intended to contine with the meeting.

The remaining councillors voted unanimously in favour of Mr Reeves’ appointment.

Labour’s Jack Hemingway, the council deputy leader, said: “I think it is an absolute disgrace that members of the council who are receiving allowances from the taxpayer will not even stay for the main item of business for a meeting which is of tremendous importance to the taxpayer in Wakefield.

“They have walked out for a petty reason which is not a point of order, as we have quite rightly heard, and not fulfilled their basic duties as councillors.

“It’s a complete disgrace and they ought to be ashamed of themselves.”