Police officers called to meeting of Thetford Town Council

Thetford Town Council hired its own guards following a series of chaotic sessions which fell into disorder during sections dedicated to questions from the public.

In recent months, these have been hijacked by a group of protestors, called Thetford Council Watch, who are furious with the authority's recent decision to declare a "climate emergency" and commit £30,000 to spend tackling it.

Police officers attended the latest meeting, on Tuesday, after Terry Jermy, Labour MP for South West Norfolk, who sits on the town council, criticised a lack of response to the earlier incidents by the force amid concerns for the safety of councillors. 

Officers speak with members of Thetford Council Watch (Image: LSB Film Productions)

WHO ARE THETFORD COUNCIL WATCH?

Thetford Council Watch, previously known as the Thetford Sovereign Council and before that the Thomas Paine Independents - after the town's most famous son whose writings influenced the American Revolution and the Enlightenment - attend council meetings to raise topics such as sex education in schools, transgender issues and the use of vaccines. 

A meeting of Thetford Council Watch (Image: LSB Film Productions) READ MORE: Officials propose CHARGING people to visit Cromer pier

However, their biggest gripe is with the council's recent decision to declare a "climate emergency" and commit £30,000 to tackling it, arguing there are better ways to spend the money in the town.

The group say they are holding authority to account in the name of "freedom and common sense", and go to the meetings to express their views and scrutinise councillors.

The council hired a private security team to "safeguard councillors" after the group disrupted a series of consecutive meetings. 

POLICE INVOLVEMENT

Police officers attended a meeting in February when a heated row erupted after Thetford Council Watch members were told they could not film proceedings.

However, officers left the meeting without taking any further action as "no offences were identified".

Alan Yorke, the acting clerk, made a second 999 call in April as repeated attempts to bring an end to the public speaking section were unsuccessful.

But officers did not attend, citing operational reasons.

This led Terry Jermy, a member of the council and then Labour parliamentary candidate for the area, to criticise the police response to these incidents. 

Terry Jermy, MP for South West Norfolk (Image: UK Parliament) He said: "These members of the public have invaded the personal space of councillors and staff in a threatening and intimidatory manner - it's not right that people have been put at risk.

"I'm quite happy to have open debate and discussion but this group don't respect the rules and procedures. 

"We've been frustrated with the police support thus far and I'm hoping for greater support in the future."

Mr Jermy did not attend the latest meeting of the town council.

OUT OF CONTROL

Thetford Council Watch attended a meeting this week to suggest the £30,000 allocated to tackling the "climate emergency" should instead be used to support pensioners who will see their winter fuel payments cut.

Mark Taylor, a member of the group, said: "I'm fed up with the council acting like muppets.

"We've got pensioners who are about to freeze in this town and you've allocated thousands of pounds into a pot for something that doesn't exist."

Security guards watched over the meeting (Image: LSB Film Productions) READ MORE: City Hall tries to BAN lap dancing...but court rules in favour of strip clubs

The council's private security team - who will appear at every full council session for the "foreseeable future" at a rate of £180 per attendance - appeared unable to subdue protestors as they proceeded to shout at councillors.

A member of council staff called 999 just 40 minutes into the session and officers attended to "prevent any further breaches of the peace".

A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said: "No criminal offences have been identified at this point and the meeting carried on.

"We will continue to work closely with the town council as we have done for the past few months."

A WAY FORWARD

Sonya Wright, the new clerk at Thetford Town Council, has agreed to meet with an unidentified individual connected to the group to discuss their concerns with the authority.

The Guildhall, where meetings of Thetford Town Council are held (Image: Sonya Duncan) Thetford Council Watch have hailed this as a display of "common sense".