Chaos ensues as Thurso Community Council meeting descends into ‘shambles’
Fury erupted at a meeting of Thurso’s Community Council (TCC) with a member of the public leaving in tears and the atmosphere described as highly “confrontational”.
The information, published on December 3, appeared on the Facebook page for Thurso Community Council 24 and detailed events at the meeting on September 24 in which TCC member Alexander Glasgow (AG) became embroiled in a “heated debate” over various matters.
As outlined in the social media post detailing the minutes, TCC chair Thelma Mackenzie read out complaints made by members of the public “about a community councillor”. Though Mr Glasgow was not mentioned as the source of these complaints in the information shared, he “said that he had questions relating to the complaint procedure”.
The post continues: “A heated debate then ensued in which AG said that ‘personal postings online were one’s own affair’ and ‘were outwith the remit of TCC’, and made a number of other comments, with the words ‘vendetta’ and ‘grudge’ being used.
“The debate continued for some considerable time and became increasingly confrontational, at which point member Kyle Manson walked out of the meeting (subsequently returning). In short, he was not prepared to remain in the meeting, under such circumstances.”
The chair restored order and the next topic was the issue of respite care at Thor House for children with special needs.
The report continues: “Elizabeth Jones, who chairs the Caithness and Sutherland Respite Campaign, spoke, eloquently, and with considerable knowledge, of the legislation.
“At this point, heated debate arose, with various insensitive and unacceptable comments being made, AG complaining about the ‘length of time being taken over this issue’, adding that the person next to him (Colin Johnston) felt the same.
“Elizabeth Jones became visibly distressed as a result of the remarks made and left the meeting. Secretary Iain Gregory was obliged to abandon the minute-taking to go to her assistance, finding her a seat, ensuring she had tissues, asking for a glass of water from reception, and sitting with her until she was able to be safely escorted to her car.”
It was reported that another member also left to assist Ms Jones. With the secretary gone, the meeting was said to have become “even worse” with the chair struggling to restore order. Mr Glasgow was rebuked for texting on his phone and announced that “he could use his personal electronic equipment if he wished” before finally switching it off after the second telling.
A furious exchange then took place in which the chair asked Mr Glasgow “to be quiet” to which he replied that she “was not his boss and couldn’t tell him what to do”. Mr Glasgow was criticised for being disrespectful and was advised by members “in very clear terms indeed that they considered that his conduct was totally unacceptable”.
In a statement issued yesterday (December 5), Mr Glasgow said he was sorry to note that the minutes begin by outlining in detail what he considered “a small point of order”.
He continued: “While I appreciate the passion surrounding the topic of Thor House, I must respectfully highlight that the minutes, as written, do not fully capture the dynamics of the discussion or the contributions of all participants.”
He said, together with member Mr Johnston, that he suggested moving on from the topic of Thor House after around half an hour had been devoted to it. “This was a meeting with a busy agenda. I also proposed holding a dedicated meeting to give the issue the focus it deserves, as I understand its importance to many.”
Mr Glasgow continued: “Unfortunately, this proposal was not reflected in the minutes. It is important to recognise that written minutes are often a subjective interpretation and cannot fully convey the depth and context of live discussions.
“I also note that words have been ascribed to me which I did not say and are not my normal manner of speaking. I welcome that the chair now has decreed that an audio recording will be taken of meetings for minute-taking purposes.”
The community council member says he encourages people to attend TCC meetings to “gain a more comprehensive understanding of the dialogue and decision-making process”.
“All I do is for the betterment of the burgh. This focus on me detracts from this and does a disservice to the overall residents who placed their faith in me at a public ballot.”
Mr Glasgow finished his statement by thanking all those who contacted him to express their concern over the published minutes and said many were “appalled” at the way the report had been written.