Cllr Kevin Hughes and Cllr Sarah Lishman, from the Labour Party, said: “As new councillors, we were completely shocked and disgusted by the behaviour of certain Tory councillors at the full council meeting on Tuesday, March 3.

“To bring a debate to an abrupt end by using a constitutional device that is, by convention, not used at full council or budget meetings, was discourteous, disrespectful and plain rude to opposition members.

“The necessity for some members to leave at 6pm was used as an excuse but this shows both a lack of foresight in arranging a budget motion in the middle of a packed agenda and utter contempt for the residents of Chichester district.”

the full story can be read in the Chichester Post and Chichester Observer.