ON THURSDAY afternoon, the government told English local authorities that they should not to expect to continue holding zoom meetings after 6 May, but to prepare instead to restart in-person meetings.

In Harlow, this cannot come a moment too soon.

Thursday’s nights meeting has been described as an “unedifying spectacle” which did very little to promote local democracy.

The chair of the meeting was Harlow Council leader, cllr Mark Ingall. On one occasion, he threatened to remove one of the Conservative councillors from the zoom meeting (and he did have the authority).

The Conservative councillors looked on in open-mouthed astonishment and a number of points of order were made. (Got to 48th minute for details).

We spoke to Harlow Council leader, Mark Ingall after the meeting and he defended his style of chairmanship.

He said: “I will not have the residents of Harlow misled and there are too many occasions, and they occurred last night, that I feel the Harlow Conservatives are misleading people”.

There is clearly a tension between The Conservatives and Labour in Harlow just now.

Some may say it is because zoom meetings induce some form of “digital road rage”.

But for every Handforth Parish Council, many other councils have been sweetness and light.

Right or wrong, the sight of middle aged white men arguing is hardly the right image for Harlow in 2021.

Ironically, Harlow Council’s cabinet meetings are unique in that they allow opposition to speak at length. Others around the country are dominated by the ruling Cabinet with the odd presentation by a shadow portfolio holder.

Perhaps it is because, for the first time in nearly a decade, the Harlow Conservatives are giving it a go at taking the council.

That debate, is for another day but for now, meetings being resumed in the civic chambers cannot come too soon.

There is plenty of room in the civic chambers, lots of ventilation with big open windows, however that is not an invitation to re-enact the Defenestration of Prague………..