A CONTROVERSIAL council meeting held behind closed doors was delayed for two hours after protesters staged a sit-in in the council chamber.

Rochford District Council called the extraordinary meeting to allow councillors to discuss a planning appeal launched over developer Countryside’s proposals for 500 homes to the west of Rayleigh.

The press and public were excluded from the meeting, but anti-homes campaigners get into the public gallery of the council chamber and refused to leave.

One of them, Linda Kendall, a member of Rayleigh action group, said: “The public is entitled to know what the office of this council is advising the developer Countryside. Why do they want to keep it secret?”

Another protester, Peter Plumber, of Church Road, Rayleigh, said: “I think it was a disgrace, meetings about important decisions shouldn’t be kept behind closed doors.

“A lot of residents have phoned me about how disgusted they are about what is going on.

“It is not a democratic society with meetings like this. It’s just not how a council should act.”

The council has refused planning permission for the homes and it was rumoured Countryside had lodged an appeal against that decision.

Ian Ward, Tory councillor responsible for planning, said the council was required by law to discuss such matters in private, adding: “The information will eventually come into the public domain, but this issue had to be discussed just by councillors.

“It is important for people to understand we weren’t discussing a planning application, we were discussing a planning appeal. It wasn’t a development meeting.

“It is the function of any authority to have a meeting with councillors and they need to be confidential. The Government doesn’t hold its high-security meetings in public.”

Lib Dem councillor Chris Black, who was in the meeting, said: “A vote was taken as to whether the council should go into a private session and the majority voted for it, but quite a few voted against.

“The public then refused to leave. The meeting was adjourned and didn’t begin until 10.50pm.

“it lasted for half an hour, but I am unable to disclose what was said.”