Wee problem forces council to cut back trips to the toilet

Councillors across the country are under financial contraints, but in the Borders they are even having the opportunity to spend a penny restricted.

One committee chairman has become so exasperated at colleagues taking too long on toilet breaks he has taken action to restrict the flow of colleagues from meetings.

While Jock Houston says his stance is essential to keep the council moving - if not fellow committee members - others say it is like being back at school.

Mr Houston, the planning chairman at Scottish Borders Council, has been keeping a watch on councillors' comings and goings since February when a committee member did not vote after leaving the chamber for eight minutes.

At the time just seven of the 13-member planning committee voted in a debate on Transport Scotland's bid to radically realign the A7 arterial road to Edinburgh, passing the plan 4-3 despite strong opposition.

Three of the committee did not attend, two abstained and one, Trevor Jones, ruled himself out of voting as he had left for a comfort break during the debate. Mr Houston said yesterday: "Since February, I have been checking my watch when councillors go and return and operating a two-minute rule. Up until the last meeting this had been complied with."

Now, a set time is agreed at the start of meetings for toilet breaks to avoid "random" trips to the smallest room.

Those who do leave outwith the set times will be allowed to return to the chamber, but not allowed to vote.

"It would not be acceptable in a court of law for a juror to nip out during evidence and from now on the same rules will apply to the planning committee," he said.

"We are, after all, a quasi-judicial body making important decisions such as the one in which we agreed to support the A7 alignment," he added.

Mr Houston said he was acting in line with other councils and would only relieve the ban in "special circumstances" and councillors would have to ask for an adjournment.

He said: "If a member needs a comfort break between items, then he or she can request one and I will delay discussion until his or her return," he said.

Councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre complained that the rule was reminiscent of being at school and having to ask permission to go to the toilet.

She said: "It's a long time to sit, not just for councillors but for the officers as well and they can't just say: 'Please sir, I need to go'. "

But Cllr Houston is refusing to budge. He said: "I don't think councillors should be voting when they could have missed a vital point.

"It's a bit like a trial; you can't have jurors walking out all the time or it would be a mistrial.

"If they kept having to go out to the bathroom it would descend into farce."A council spokesman said yesterday: "As the planning committee is dealing with matters of a quasi-judicial nature it is important that it not only acts properly but also that it is seen to be acting properly."