Colchester councillor Gerard Oxford misses meeting after lift breaks

Gerard Oxford, who has been on Colchester Council’s planning committee since 2002, was left unable to vote during Monday evening’s Local Plan committee.

Councillors descended upon the Town Hall to have their say during a crucial vote on the future of Middlewick but Mr Oxford, who is reliant on a motorised wheelchair, had to stay at home.

He said: “Ideally I would have liked to have been there but the realistic part of me knew with it going completely wrong so late, the officers had no chance of making alternative arrangements.

Former mayor - Gerard Oxford uses a motorised wheelchair

“I’m not allowed to vote online and so I saw little point in joining to watch a meeting I’m on a committee for but can’t vote on, so I have no idea what happened.”

A Colchester Council spokesman apologised for the incident.

He said: “The other lift, which continues to work normally, was used by some attendees at the meeting, but is unsuitable for large, motorised wheelchairs.

“We hope to complete essential repairs to the main lift as soon as possible and are looking at what interim arrangements need to be put in place to enable access to our public meetings.”