‘Bully’ councillors seen berating Jackie Weaver in Handforth Parish Council video may face disciplinary action
THE “bully boy” councillors seen berating Jackie Weaver in a viral video could face disciplinary action, the Sun Online can reveal.
More than four million people have now seen the infamous, cringeworthy clip of Handforth Parish Council's Zoom meeting - which descended into chaos.
At one point chairman Brian Tolver tells Jackie, who works as chief officer for the Cheshire Association of Local Councils, to ‘stop talking’ and sneers "you have no authority here".
Vice-chairman Aled Brewerton can also be heard yelling at her to "read the standing orders".
Jackie, 62, can be heard in the video saying she plans to share details of what happened with officials.
And that could lead to punishment for those involved.
A source told the Sun Online today: “This video has shone a light on an issue that has been going on in the council for way too long.
“Lots of people might be laughing about it, but senior officials at the council are not impressed at all and will be looking at it.
“It is clearly not an acceptable way to behave and those seen shouting and screaming could end up being on the end of some strict disciplinary action.”
Despite being publicly shamed, neither Cllr Tolver nor his colleague Cllr Brewerton are thought to regret their behaviour.
And Mrs Weaver has herself admitted she does not expect an apology.
“I don’t think they see anything wrong in the way they behaved,” she told the Sun.
“In many ways that’s the saddest part in all of this.”
Social media is still full of posts sharing the clip of the December 10 Handforth parish council meeting which descends into utter farce as councillors insult one another.
But Jackie remains ice-cool and ejects them from the call.
Celebrities, including comic Dara Ó Briain, TV presenter Sue Perkins and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan have since branded her a hero.
T-shirts are now being printed with her face on.
The Sun Online has contacted the council for further comments about the possible disciplinary action.
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Why did the Handforth Parish Council Zoom meeting go viral?
Originally the footage was posted on Cheshire Council's website.
The meeting took place in December 2020 but only went viral in February 2021.
Footage of the hapless Zoom meeting quickly spread on social media with people comparing the clips to an episode of The Thick of It.
In the footage, Chairman Brian Tolver lashed out at clerk Jackie Weaver - who has quickly shot to social media fame - saying “you have no authority" before she chucked him out of the online meeting.
The tumultuous meeting has since been viewed more than two million times - which at one point heard an unseen councillor mumbling "f*** off" under their breath.
One impressed viewer commented: “I propose we grant Jackie Weaver emergency powers to form a clone army.”
Radio One DJ Greg James declared the viral vid "the best British comedy in decades".