Tory asked to leave town council meeting ‘humiliated’

Andy Rowley, a 46-year-old father-of-four, said he was asked to leave the meeting at the town hall on Thursday evening. Mr Rowley, a housing enforcement officer and former prison officer, who lives in Shipley, said: “It was unbelievable.

“I never even opened my mouth and was sat in a corner out of the way, before the Mayor, Chris Atkinson, asked me to leave.

“I have attended meetings in nearby Addingham and Steeton and members there were absolutely fantastic and I never had any problems.

“Coun Atkinson said he was sorry but I could not come in to the meeting and I would have to leave.

“I would like a public apology for what happened. I felt absolutely humiliated.”

Coun Atkinson said: “He was asked to leave because he is not a resident of the area.

“The deputy mayor, Keith Savage, said he didn’t want him there.”

Coun Savage said: “I have nothing against Mr Rowley as a person but he is not a resident of the ward and as far as I am concerned he had no right to be there.”

Council clerk Lesley Corcoran said: “If they are not on the electoral roll they have no right of attendance.”

Asked how many times a member of the public had not been allowed admittance to council meetings in the seven to eight years she has been in the job she could not remember a single instance.