A Reform UK-led council in Stoke has spent £35,000 on security for meetings after one event descended into chaos when protesters forced it to be halted. The authority brought in protection for 31 separate meetings following the disrupted session, with the council standing by the decision to beef up security at its gatherings.
The hefty bill has landed on Stoke taxpayers, but the council insists the spending was necessary. The decision to increase security measures came directly after the protest disruption forced one meeting to shut down completely.
The Stoke council's move to protect 31 subsequent meetings shows the scale of concern following the earlier incident. Officials have defended the £35,000 outlay as essential to maintain order and allow council business to continue.
For Stoke residents, the security spending raises questions about the cost of civic disruption and how local democracy is managed. The council's willingness to foot the bill suggests the initial protest incident was significant enough to warrant major changes to how meetings are run.