Ousted councillor: That was a public humiliation

CHAOTIC MEETING DESCENDS INTO SHOUTING AS CHAIRMAN FORCED OUT

- SAM GREENWAY Local Democracy Reporter

A SOLIHULL councillor said she had been “publicly humiliated” as she was stripped of chairing a key council scrutiny board.

Cllr Samantha Gethen was ousted from leading Solihull Council’s children’s services and education scrutiny board.

The St Alphege councillor was only reelected to the position in May but council leader Cllr Karen Grinsell’s motion to remove her from the position was passed.

The motion was considered at a children’s scrutiny meeting held on Thursday, July 10.

But at the beginning of the chaotic meeting Cllr Gethen - who had quit the controlling Tories to join a new Solihull Independents group - said she wanted the matter moved to the next meeting.

After trying to move on Cllr Richard Holt (Con, Blythe) said he “objected”, saying the legal guidance had been for a vote to take place that night.