Have you seen the Handforth Parish Council video yet?
After its dramatic meeting went viral, here at the Journal we decided to look back through our own council meeting archives.
Because although the footage from Handforth Parish Council's planing meeting has left thousands of viewers stunned by the heated arguments, this is far from the first time things have got feisty at local democracy level.
In the viral video, the now infamous Jackie Weaver sent the chairman to the waiting room on Zoom, after he said she had "no authority" and declaring himself the town clerk.
He was followed in short order by the deputy chairman, who shouted: "Read the standing orders - read them and understand them!"
Despite this council spat making the headlines today, here in Salisbury and the surrounding areas we've also had our share of passionate disagreements.
From votes of no confidence, to resignations and swearing, we look back on some of the bigger meeting incidents over recent years.
Here's our top 5:
1 - 'No confidence' and a rude hand gesture
Interruptions, arguments, cursing and a rude hand gesture made up a Shaftesbury Town Council meeting via Zoom on June 2, which ended with a majority vote of no confidence in Councillor Karen Tippins and the silencing of Councillor Peter Yeo.
Calls had been made by members of the authority for Cllr Tippins to resign, following her actions and behaviour since she was elected in December, 2019.
Cllr Tippins described the proposal as “nothing short of bullying and an attempt to undermine [her] role in as blunt a manner as possible”.
During this meeting there was talk of a previous incident when police were called to remove Cllrs Tippins and Peter Yeo from a physical meeting, of which Cllr Tippins said: “To actually have the police called out to arrest me when I should have been at the meeting is a complete scandal.”
A similar view was earlier aired by Cllr Yeo, supporter of Cllr Tippins, which resulted in him calling out “Bull***t”.
This was in response to the then mayor and chairman Tim Cook, who said that calling the police in this instance was not wasting the service’s time or resources.
Later in the meeting Cllr Yeo had his video and audio disabled after talking over other councillors and performing a rude hand gesture directly in the camera.
2 - Resignation to protest 'dishonest actions'
Salisbury City Councillor John Lindley, who represents St Paul's, stepped down from both the Planning Committee and the Salisbury Neighbourhood Development Plan Working Group during a meeting on December 15, in protest at what he "strongly considers" to be Cllr John Farquhar's "dishonest and dishonourable actions".
Councillor Lindley has since retracted his comments and issued a full apology.
Cllr Lindley had said he was "extremely angry" that the meeting was the first time that any committee of Salisbury City Council had met to discuss and formulate any response to the 'People Friendly Streets' scheme.
The scheme was indefinitely suspended in November.
Cllr Lindley had said: "During the previous six months we had multiple opportunities to meet and discuss the [People Friendly] proposals prior to their rushed and botched introduction.
"During that time neither Cllr Farquhar nor Cllr Jeremy Nettle sought fit to officially seek the views of the members so the city council had no official view on these dystopian proposals."
3 - A 'complacent and failing' organisation
Colin English, who was council chairman, Stephen Godsall, and Hywel Morris stood down from Alderholt Parish Council on March 9 last year.
A statement at the meeting said: “We joined the council keen to put time and effort into representing the views of local people.
"What we found was a complacent and failing organisation.
"Some long-standing councillors have done nothing but block progress on any new initiatives.
“Most organisations recruiting volunteers will make them welcome and make use of their skills.
"Instead we faced open hostility.
"We have seen attacks on the council chairman, members standing up and shouting at meetings, dishonest accusations and stubborn negativity."
The statement ended: “It is with great regret and concern that we resign from Alderholt Parish Council.
"There is a culture of 'we know best' at APC which must change.
"We can only hope that by standing aside tension will be reduced and allow the new APC to function at some level and to take action on the projects that is urgently needed.”
At the time, the parish council declined to comment.
4 - LGBTQ+ community 'misguided by a powerful ideology'
Wiltshire Councillor Mary Douglas was stripped from her role as a portfolio holder for social mobility and skills and investigated by the county council, after she publicly claimed the LGBTQ+ community was "misguided by a powerful ideology", while refusing to back a cash grant for Salisbury Pride.
During the Salisbury Area Board meeting on November 4, 2019, she said: “I am not saying I do not accept or respect or love people who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) because I do.
"I support completely their right to make choices, however I do not support those choices themselves, nor the ideology and world view they represent.
“These are wonderful people, well meaning and sincere, but misguided by a powerful ideology."
In response Councillor Brian Dalton had said: “I used to love the Victorian era when I was at school but I’ve moved on since then.”
Cllr John Walsh added: “[These events] help the city. People come to attend and take part.
"This would generally make Salisbury more inclusive and make everyone feel comfortable to be involved.
“I totally disassociate myself from the views put forward by Cllr Douglas, and I’m disappointed [with her response].”
After the meeting Cllr Caroline Corbin said she was “shocked” by the views of Cllr Douglas, and described her as “an embarrassment to the public office who is just not fit for that role anymore."
Since then Cllr Douglas, representing Salisbury St Francis and Stratford, has been cleared of breaking the council's code of conduct.
She has confirmed she is stepping down at the next election.
5 - City council leader standing down
Former Salisbury City Council leader Jeremy Nettle said he was "unable to heal the long standing rift within the Conservative Group", which came to a head after the People Friendly Salisbury project was announced.
Standing down at the full council meeting in November, after losing a vote of no confidence, Councillor Nettle told the Journal: "It has been an incredibly difficult and an unprecedented period for both residents and businesses; [with the] Salisbury poisonings and now through Covid-19, which saw some extraordinary support from the local community."
In October Cllr Nettle rejected claims of a split in the council, following disagreements over the People Friendly project and plans for the city at Christmas.
The city council has been publicly split over the People Friendly scheme, and have not had the opportunity to vote on it at any committee or full council meeting.
Cllr Nettle said that the emergency governance structure that had to be put into place during lockdown may have "disenfranchised a number of Conservative councillors who may not have felt involved in the decision-making process".
Councillor Liz Sirman is now Salisbury City Council leader.
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