The Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Regeneration and Community Committee, Councillor Victor Warrington, has rejected criticism of his handling of a previous meeting, after some members branded him ‘undemocratic’.

At last month’ s meeting, Sinn Fein Councillor Thomas O’Reilly said he had previously raised the issue of reports coming to committees marked ‘For Information Only’.

However: “There was agreement, if required, there would be [an] opportunity to ask questions.”

Councillor O’Reilly sought clarity from the Chief Executive around “the ability of Chairs to rule that nobody can speak on these things”, adding “It is not within Standing Orders”.

Councillor Warrington insisted he was not preventing speakers, and: “Members can go back to the relevant Directors for any updates or information they may want.”

But Councillor O’Reilly retorted: “Do we come to council meetings to have open and transparent verification, as well as questioning matters not done behind the scenes? I’ve made this point before.

“There is certainly ambiguity around correct procedures. We are all subject to Standing Orders. We can’t have them and not abide by them.”

At the start of the February meeting, Councillor Warrington insisted he was not undemocratic and defended his manner of chairing proceedings.

“Some people said I was undemocratic in the way I was chairing the meeting.

“I contest that – I’m far from it. I let everybody speak when they needed to speak.

“Obviously, items that are for noting only were the ones in which I didn’t allow any speaking, because they were either already in progress, or had been passed.”

He added since that particular meeting, the Chief Executive had sent all members “an email with the proper story”.

Councillor Warrington continued: “At the end of the day, I’m in the Chair. I make the decisions on what way the committee runs, but I’ll be fair to everyone.

“I’m certainly not undemocratic, and anybody who knows me in my time chairing committees would hopefully not think that.”

Councillor Warrington also pointed out the Regeneration and Community Committee is “heavy and has a heavy agenda”, and stressed the importance of getting through business in a timely manner.