Police called to Northumberland council meeting for the third time in a row

Officers from Northumbria Police attended County Hall in Morpeth after a member of the public disrupted a council meeting.

Councillors and staff had to leave the council chamber while police officers attended and spoke to a man. Police were able to persuade him to leave the premises.

Following the incident councillors were advised to leave the site quickly at the end of the meeting ‘in case the individual returned to the site’.

Speaking at the meeting, the council’s interim chief executive, Rick O’Farrell, said: “That was another unfortunate event. The individual has been escorted off the premises by police.

“We have locked the front door so we are secure. After the conclusion of the meeting, leave the entire premises fairly quickly just in case he comes back after police take him away from the site.

“We will be taking further action to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

It follows similar incidents at both the July and September meetings of full council.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 2.30pm on Wednesday, we received a report of a disturbance at County Hall, Morpeth. It was reported that a member of the public had disrupted a meeting which was being held inside.

“Officers attended and spoke to a man in relation to breach of the peace. He subsequently left the premises and was offered appropriate advice.”