Coun Jane Branley refused to sit down at a full meeting of the council yesterday, despite repeated requests from the Mayor of South Tyneside, Coun John Anglin, to do so.

The meeting ended in a slanging match between Independent Alliance, Labour and Conservative members.

Issues relating to rents and housing were not debated after the meeting was abandoned.

Ignoring council rules, Coun Branley attempted to read out a statement about her husband and fellow Westoe ward councillor Allen Branley, who has been ousted from the council for not attending a meeting for six months.

Arms folded defiantly, Coun Branley repeatedly told the council chamber: "I will not sit down, and I will not be quiet. You will have to call the police if you want me to shut up."

The meeting was initially suspended for 10 minutes, but was later adjourned due to Coun Branley continuing her protest, as one of the shortest ever full meetings of the council ended in a noisy slanging match.

The row erupted after Coun Anglin read out a statement saying the issue of Mr Branley was not on yesterday's council agenda, but would be debated at a future meeting.

Coun Branley immediately rose to her feet, prompting the Mayor to repeatedly ask her to sit down and be quiet, rapping his gavel several times, but to no avail.

She said: "You want to gag me? You will have to call the police if you want me to shut up."

When the meeting resumed after a 10-minute suspension, Coun Branley
continued her protest.

Coun Ahmed Khan then got to his feet and protested loudly, demanding that members listen to Coun Branley, prompting an angry exchange of words across the council chamber.

Coun Anglin said: "People must be completely disillusioned with what's happening here."

Coun George Elsom, pointing at Coun Branley, said: "This is disgraceful. This is the second time the Branleys have done this."

Coun Branley, speaking after the meeting, told the Gazette: "There is a precedent for speaking to the Mayor's correspondence, and this has been allowed several times in the past, but I was not given an opportunity to speak.

"I believe that is unconstitutional, and will be making a formal complaint."

The Gazette understands it is at the Mayor's discretion to allow members to speak to any correspondence, but that it is not normally the place for complex debate.

Coun Khan, deputy leader of the Independent Alliance group, has made a formal complaint to the police and council monitoring officer Brian T Scott after alleging that Real Independent Coun George Elsom made racist remarks at the meeting.

Officers are also making inquiries into a report by an Independent Alliance member of an alleged common assault by a Labour member at the end of the meeting.

A police spokeswoman said: "The alleged incident happened between 3.30pm and 3.40pm, when a 64-year-old woman was approached by a man and suffered a minor assault. Inquiries are continuing."

In relation to the allegation of racist remarks, she added: "There are further allegations arising from this incident currently being investigated."