Pensioners condemn 'immature' Bolton Council debate

This comes after the Bolton and District Pensioners Association lobbied the most recent full meeting of Bolton Council to oppose the government’s cuts to the winter fuel allowance.

In an open letter, Association secretary Bernie Gallagher says many of the members watched the meeting and were not impressed by what they saw.

Mrs Gallagher said: “There are several adjectives which could be used to describe the meeting including chaotic, immature and archaic.

“But most of all it was disrespectful to the people of Bolton who expect their elected representatives to behave with dignity and debate the issues of immediate concern.

The Bolton and District Pensioners Association have sent out an open letter (Image: Newsquest)

“Banging on tables, ridiculing and humiliating each other was quite unpleasant to watch.

“The behaviour on all sides was not restricted to male members but also women who it is often argued are meant to bring a softer kind of politics. 

“Some councillors were on their phones, some talking. This resulted in their full attention not being on the meeting.  

“We understand to some extent the council chamber is a theatre and robust political debate is acceptable. 

“It is also fair to point out there were councillors whose behaviour was exemplary.”    

The pensioners had been interested in two motions put before the council at a full meeting on Wednesday October 9.

One of these was a motion put by Labour’s Cllr Sean Fielding to create a new £200,000 support fund for pensioners by drawing money from Bolton’s various area working budgets.

Another was put by the Green Party’s Cllr Hanif Alli asking the council to call on the government to delay the cuts and come up with ways of tackling fuel property.

Both were passed but without any debate, despite the length of time spent on other business.

Ms Gallagher said: “An incredible two hours and forty minutes was spent on councillors asking questions of the executive cabinet members. 

“Almost all the questions could have been asked and responded to outside of the council meeting.

“Time could then be set aside for supplementary questions at the meeting itself if elected members not satisfied with the response.

“A maximum of thirty minutes should suffice. 

“This would still allow councillors to use the answers politically to their constituents, on social media or on leaflets.”

Mrs Gallagher said that a motion about immigration was debated with “good speeches on either side” before the meeting returned to the “farcical affair it had been earlier.”

This left no time for debate on the winter support fund motions.

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Mrs Gallagher said that the Bolton and District Pensioners Association had an alternative suggestion to simply changing the council’s constitution.

She said: “Get your collective heads together, use some common sense and agree between you to end this farce which is contributing to the demise of trust in politics and politicians.” 

In response, Bolton Council leader Cllr Nick Peel said he was happy to look at the idea of putting motions before questions but said that many people still valued the opportunity to ask questions.

He said: "But a lot of members will argue that the questions are more relevant to the people of Bolton than the motions, it all depends on what the motions are."

Cllr Peel pointed out that the first winter fuel motion, put by Cllr Alli had been agreed unanimously, while the second put by Cllr Fielding needed to be decided in time to be put into effect.

He said: "It's the nature of political debate that some people will be bored with some motions, but will be very interested in others."

He added: "When you only have limited time in a council meeting, the agenda will be quite packed, but that again is part of the nature of political debate."