We May Laugh, But Civic Life Needs Such Gatherings

‘The desire to devote time to communities is to be applauded’

- Patrick O’Flynn

Let’s face it, many of us are in need of a good laugh these days and I, therefore, propose that a national vote of thanks be moved for everyone at Handforth Parish Council in Cheshire.

For those of you who have missed the rumpus surrounding Handforth’s now-notorious virtual Zoom meeting, I suggest you look it up online and thoroughly enjoy the mayhem.

The stand-out moment, among many, comes when council chairman Brian Tolver boldly declares: “You have no authority here Jackie Weaver!”

In response Ms. Weaver, the chief executive of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils who had been called in to act as clerk, removes Mr. Tolver from the call, exiling him to a “virtual meeting room” rather in the manner of a routed Napoleon being packed off to Elba.

“There is no way of stopping him from calling himself clerk. Please refer to me as Britney Spears from now on,” she drily declares.

There are various other moments of comedy, including numerous technical glitches and a councilor who complains about the disrespectful behavior being told that this is rich “coming from you, from Birkenhead”. As far as one can discern, nothing of substance actually gets decided at all.