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Today is the first full council meeting of @N_landCouncil since February and I will be tweeting updates here, although you can also watch the remote meeting via YouTube #LDReporter #LDRS
Before the main meeting starts imminently, there were three questions from the public, all of which dealt with the reopening of schools and #COVID19.
The agenda for the meeting is here - http://committeedocs.northumberland.gov.uk/MeetingDocs/47562_M10825.pdf - but I imagine many of the 270 watching now online are more interested on issues that aren't on the agenda, namely the row that goes right to the top of the council which began towards the start of August.
Almost 350 people now watching live online as the preliminaries are dealt with - chairman Cllr Richard Dodd warned members that there is no time lag and the meeting is completely live so councillors should bear that in mind when making comments and contributions...
In a change to the agenda, we are having the Covid-19 update from #Northumberland's director of public health @LizMorganPH before dealing with the rest of the meeting.
She says that there has been an increase in cases, as there has been nationally, with the rise since early August meaning that there is now the same number of new infections per day as there had been per week in the county.
The average age of the new cases has dropped from 50 in the last week of June to 25 in the last week of August.
Ms Morgan has run through the county's local outbreak plan and is now addressing the NHS Test and Trace service.
We are now running through a number of questions from councillors. Ms Morgan says that the drop in age and increase in cases is not a surprise following the easing of lockdown given that young people are more likely to be out socialising and potentially going abroad.
At a previous meeting, the director of public health said it would not be a surprise if tourism in the county resulted in a ‘small increase’ in Covid-19 cases, but today she says that it 'has not really been a factor'. https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/health/coronavirus/tourism-influx-may-cause-small-increase-northumberland-coronavirus-cases-says-health-chief-2941138
As we head into the rest of the meeting, here's the situation as it stands in relation to the row involving the chief executive and the council leader and cabinet - https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/labour-calls-northumberland-county-council-leader-stand-down-ahead-crunch-meeting-2959603
@NlandLabour has said it is not seeking to take control of the council but that the leader and some cabinet members should stand aside and let others take over (three have already resigned).
In recent weeks, there have been allegations in leaked emails both by the chief executive against the leadership and in the opposite direction, but this has led to a data breach that has now been confirmed by the council - see story for more.
I am also awaiting an update from Northumbria Police in relation to a second referral in relation to this ongoing row, but had not received it ahead of this afternoon's meeting.
The first is mentioned in this original article here - https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/council/northumberland-county-council-chief-executive-extended-leave-after-making-serious-allegations-against-leader-2939253. Police said yesterday that there is no update in relation to that referral.
The first question is from @GeorgieHill77 about whether the administration has lived up to its promises of transparency. Council leader @CllrPJackson sets out a detailed response, but Cllr Hill follows up: 'Where did it all go wrong?'
She also asks Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, the new cabinet member for children's services after @WayneDaleyUK's resignation, for assurances on education going forward, but his connection means that the response is inaudible and cut short.
Cllr @DerekKennedyhex asks about how many meetings were cancelled and how many went ahead since March 16. More than half were cancelled, the council leader says, but this was the height of the Covid-19 crisis. He says Northumberland has held more than other local authorities.
Cllr Liz Dunn asks about an email being deleted from the inboxes of all councillors when it appeared to be critical of the administration. Cllr Richard Dodd says it was quarantined by the ICT department and a review will be carried out.
Cllr Jackson said he asked the head of democratic services to look at this 'malicious' email and he doesn't know which officer authorised the deletion from members' inboxes.
Cllr @SusanDungworth asks about the council's whistle-blowing policy and why the council leader has behaved without regard to this in relation to the chief executive? Cllr Jackson says that he hasn't done so, and that the monitoring officer can offer assurances on this.
He adds that it is not appropriate for any comment on the investigation while it is being carried out. Cllr Dungworth's follow-up is about assuring staff that they can make whistle-blowing disclosures?
Cllr Jackson says it has recently been reviewed and is a safe and confidential process. He adds that he doesn't know why people are jumping to conclusions when the process hasn't run its course.
Cllr Grant Davey asks about why the staff appeals committee was arranged with such haste when an extraordinary council meeting was not allowed. Cllr Dodd explains that the constitution says that the committee can be convened as necessary regardless of full council meetings.
Cllr Davey begins to list names - which appear to be previous senior officers who have left the council - and asks how much this administration's decisions are costing the taxpayer. He is then shut down by the chairman, apparently based on legal advice of monitoring officer.
Cllr Les Bowman asks about the removal of a social-media post on #BlackLivesMatter 
back in June. He offers similar explanation to that at the time - https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/council/northumberland-county-council-leader-explains-why-black-lives-matter-facebook-post-was-removed-2883041
back in June. He offers similar explanation to that at the time - https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/council/northumberland-county-council-leader-explains-why-black-lives-matter-facebook-post-was-removed-2883041
Councillors' questions are over, but Cllr @SusanDungworth has called for certain rules of procedure to be suspended so that motions can be made from the floor.
It is seconded by Cllr @ScottDickinson0 so we now move to debate and vote on this.
Cllr Dungworth said she would have preferred not to have to do this, but she had called for an extraordinary meeting, with five clear questions, straight after the chief executive was put on extended leave, but was only told about the deadline for motions after it passed.
Cllr Dodd said he had sought legal advice and that it was agreed that the September 2 date was acceptable. He said the process for AGM, full or extraordinary meetings are the same. Cllr Dungworth said those calling for the extraordinary meeting had not been told this at the time.
In response to the Lib Dem leader, Cllr Jeff Reid, the monitoring officer explains that hypothetically the only motion that could follow this one in relation to the administration is to remove the council leader.
Cllr Oliver asked why Cllr Dungworth didn't put any motions in in the normal way. She responds that she already explained this - there would be no need for a motion if the information on the request for the extraordinary meeting was on the agenda.
We have briefly descended into a shouting match between Cllr Gordon Castle and Cllr Hill. Cllr Castle says that motions are usually presented in advance of the meeting so that members can consider them.
So we're onto a named vote on Cllr Dungworth's call to suspend the rule of procedures to allow motions to be heard from the floor. Usually 67 councillors, but Robbie Moore was not replaced after being elected an MP as there were no elections in May. Tory Karen Quinn is absent.
Most Conservatives are voting against, but Cllr @WayneDaleyUK votes for.
Most independents and Lib Dems vote for along with Labour, but the Bedlington independents vote against.
And it is PASSED by 34 to 31, which means motions can be made from the floor. Cllr @SusanDungworth now moves a vote of no confidence in the political leadership with a resolution to remove Peter Jackson as council leader.
Cllr Dungworth has said it is a very sad day for Northumberland County Council as very few councils have ever moved a vote of no confidence in their leader whatever their political make-up.
"Our reputation is in shreds and we are the laughing stock of the region," she added. She claims that staff are scared to raise their heads.
Cllr Jackson is now responding - "I absolutely refute the things that have just been said." He said due to legal process, it has now been possible to clear our names about these 'ridiculous smears'. He adds that he is proud of achievements of he and his cabinet in past 3 years.
Cllr Jackson starts to talk about specific issues but is told not to. He then refers to the whistle-blowing allegations as 'bunkum' before being warned again not to address these issues in public. He says he is being 'judged and hounded by the press'.
"We need to stick together was a county council, stop this petty bickering, and focus on the things that matter to the people up and down this county," he concludes.
Labour's Cllr Lynne Grimshaw says that if everything is rosy then why did two cabinet members immediately resign?
Lib Dem leader, Cllr Jeff Reid, says: 'What does this look like to the 500 people watching online? You should have faced up to your responsibilities last week and said, I'm going.'
Cllr Jeff Watson says: 'The system in this country is innocent until proven guilty.'
Cllr Anne Dale refers to a report by the previous external auditors about the highly-charged political environment which is mentioned here - https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/council/northumberland-county-council-and-its-auditors-set-part-ways-after-breakdown-relationship-1326245
Cllr John Beynon accuses Labour of hypocrisy given the 'reasons you were kicked out of office in the first place', presumably in relation to the concerns raised in relation to the council's previous development company Arch.
Cllr @StevenBridgett says that people should be allowed to clear their names, but the council should led by others in the meantime.
Another Conservative councillor, David Towns, refers to the principle of innocent until proven guilty being 'absolutely sacrosanct'.
Cllr Russ Wallace, a #Bedlington independent, says: 'What we don't have yet are facts. Until we do, we should get on with what we were elected to do.'
Cllr Nick Oliver, the cabinet member for corporate services, says that Cllr Jackson is a strong leader and that means you won't always be liked and that this is a case of people 'settling scores'. He adds that the situation is 'not fair'.
Following some more debate, we are now moving to the vote on this one. The motion is that 'this council no longer has confidence in the political leadership and therefore resolves to remove Peter Jackson from the position of leader'.
Former deputy leader, Cllr Daley, describes it as the 'worst day of my life' and votes for the removal of his party's leader.
Fellow Tories Christine Dunbar and Mark Swinburn follow suit.
The motion is PASSED by 33 to 32 and Peter Jackson is removed as leader of @N_landCouncil.
Following a comfort break, we're back on and it is agreed that the election of a new leader will be dealt with at the next meeting.
Back to the main agenda, we have now gone through the minutes from all the previous meetings as well as the delegated decisions.
The next item relates to planning applications at the local area councils, which has been suspended since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with applications being dealt with at the strategic planning committee.
Members agree that the local area councils can resume dealing with planning applications although given they will be remote meetings, the changes to public speaking - written statements instead - will be used.
Next up is a community governance review in relation to #Amble - one proposal in relation to changing the boundary with Warkworth and another in relation to the number of town councillors are recommended to remain as they are.
A proposal to change the boundary with @HauxleyVillage is recommended to go ahead despite the objections of the town council. Two parishioners also objected and it is clarified that there was an error in the report although their responses were included in the supporting papers.
Amble ward councillor, Cllr Terry Clark, says he is opposed to the Hauxley change given that the parish council (the above tweet says town council but should say parish) is against it.
Taking them separately, the retention of the current #Amble- #Warkworth boundary and retention of number of #Amble councillors is agreed.
The change to the #Amble- #Hauxley boundary is going to a named vote given the concerns that have been raised... @HauxleyVillage
The vote is tied 22-all with 15 abstentions, so the casting vote of the chairman, Cllr Richard Dodd, is for the proposal, so the boundary between Amble and Hauxley will be changed.
Next is another community governance issue - it is agreed to realign the boundary of the Pegswood and Bothal county divisions with the boundary between Pegswood and Ashington parishes.
The nearly final item is the treasury management report for 2019-20, which was also discussed by the audit committee in July - https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/council/northumberland-county-council-borrowing-passes-ps800million-2931736
The final item is for the council to note the appointments after the first two cabinet resignations, although this has been somewhat overtaken by events earlier this evening... https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/council/new-appointments-made-cabinet-northumberland-county-council-following-resignations-2945422
And the meeting is over after just under four-and-a-half-hours and it's fair to say it's been one of the more dramatic ones in recent times.
My story on the main news from tonight is here, with stories on some of the other items to come tomorrow - https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/vote-no-confidence-sees-northumberland-council-council-leader-removed-post-2959967
