THE husband of the mayor of Brentwood called a resident "stupid" and accused a councillor of cronyism in an astonishing online diatribe in the wake of a meeting about cash for good causes.
Paul Barrell, the consort of Ann Coe, hit out on the social networking site Twitter after a meeting of the authority's overview and scrutiny committee at the Town Hall last night (Tuesday).
The meeting had been called to discuss the decision of the council's asset, infrastructure and localism panel to award grants totalling £54,745 to 25 of the borough's community groups including radio station Phoenix FM and Warley-based Trampoline Club Recoil Twisters.
Three councillors, namely Ms Coe, Will Russell and Roger McCheyne, had concerns that the panel might not have followed due process when awarding the grants.
However, at the meeting all three of them voted in favour of a motion that the committee should do nothing and take the matter no further.
After the meeting, Councillor Russell Quirk, the chairman of the asset, infrastructure and localism panel, tweeted: "Tonight's O & S proceedings so spurious that even the three cllrs that started the process voted against their own motion to revise revision."
A resident, Ann Cardus, replied, saying: "Mad as badgers, the lot of 'em."
After seeing these tweets, Mr Barrell then tweeded back to them both: "I don't know who you are but it is important we hold all our councillors to account you are clearly stupid."
Cllr Quirk tweeted back: "Paul. Not the sort of comment people expect from the Mayor's consort. You should apologise to Ann Cardus."
Mr Barrell did not reply.
In a separate tweet, Mr Barrell , in a reference to Mr Quirk, said: "All the chairs charities and his cronies got money!"
The mayor's husband also called for statutory regulation of the media because of what he perceived to be the frequency at which Mr Quirk speaks as a guest on Phoenix FM.
What do you think of Mr Barrell's diatribe? Should he be making such comments on Twitter?
Email chris.richards@gazettenews.co.uk