A meeting of Hounslow Council to discuss a report saying the borough could face a financial "catastrophe" due to the pandemic was declared null and void because it flouted legal requirements.

The meeting was supposed to be streamed on YouTube when it was held on Monday evening so that local people could listen in.

Brentford Today and TV/Facebook challenged the council, saying it breached legal requirements.

John Dale who runs Brentford Today and TV said: "The Audit and Governance meeting was one of the most important of the council this year, to discuss a report saying the borough was at high risk of financial catastrophe because of the pandemic.

"But the public were not able to hear comments or witness the voting, rendering it null and void – as was pointed out by Brentford Today & TV in an email to Thomas Ribbitts, Head of Democratic Services.

"It was not,[streamed] except for a brief extract which was gobbledygook, resembling a performance by the distinguished comedian, Professor Stanley Unwin, popular several decades ago. This meant it was not public, a legal requirement."

Now a new meeting is to be called for the committee to go through the agenda again, at a date yet to be agreed.

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