Heated row over disgraced Coun Tom Hollis leads to meeting being adjourned

The Ashfield Independent councillor was found guilty of harassment without violence and careless driving at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court in September.

He was subsequently sacked as deputy leader of the council, but remains the authority’s portfolio holder for housing.

A dispute began during his appearance at the authority’s first full council meeting since his court sentencing.

The meeting was paused after heated shouting began between the Conservatives and a senior Ashfield Independent.

When Coun Hollis arrived and joined the meeting, about 10 minutes after it had started, Coun Chris Baron, the Conservative group’s deputy leader and member for Hucknall West, stood up and began to walk out of the chamber.

As he left the meeting, he shouted: “You shouldn’t be here Tom. I’ve got standards in public life.”

Shouting then broke out between Coun Baron and Coun Jason Zadrozny, council leader.

Coun David Walters, council chairman, shouted “order” several times, before adjouring the meeting to try to end the row.

Speaking after the meeting recommenced around five minutes later, he said: “That behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Coun Hollis did not respond to Coun Baron’s comments.

Following the row, Coun Lauren Mitchell, Labour member for Hucknall South, also joined Coun Baron in leaving the meeting in protest and both did not return.

During sentencing in October, Coun Hollis was handed a 12-month community order and was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also told to pay the victims £500 each as compensation, a £95 surcharge, costs of £1,000 and a fine of £570, while six points were added to his driving licence.

Having not resigned as a councillor, he could only have been legally removed from elected office had he been handed a custodial sentence of at least three months.

An Ashfield Independents spokesman said at the time: “The court has made a judgement and Tom has accepted this and will now serve his sentence giving back to the community.”

During the meeting, there was no discussion of the arrest of six Ashfield Independents councillors last month.

In a statement, the Ashfield Independents “vigorously” denied all allegations and said the councillors are “confident of their innocence”.

All six have since been released under investigation.