Jackie Weaver 'did not have the authority' to remove people in infamous Zoom

Cheshire East Council did say her actions were "understandable"

Author: Rory GannonPublished 30th Mar 2022

Jackie Weaver has returned to the spotlight as the Handforth Parish Council saga continues.

The council officer, who went viral when trying to mediate a fiery council meeting over Zoom in December 2020.

Several Handforth councillors had questioned her "authority" in being able to mute and remove participants. Now it has been found she did indeed "not have the authority".

In a report published by Cheshire East Council on Wednesday (March 30th), the local authority said that Weaver "was not acting in a professional capacity" during the meeting, which saw Weaver famously remove people.

Mrs Weaver was brought in to peacefully mediate during the council meeting for Handforth Parish.

The small town of Handforth rose to prominence as a result of the infamous Zoom meeting in December.

However, the council did accept that her actions during the course of the meeting were "understandable".

The report also said that three parish councillors on the call at the time had broken the Council's Code of Conduct. These councillors have since resigned from their respective posts.

It comes as the investigation into the handling of affairs at Handforth Parish Council has cost Cheshire East Council as much as £85,000.

Currently, there are no set rules in place for how to enforce rules for council meetings held online, including over Zoom.

Mrs Weaver became a celebrity in the immediate aftermath of the meeting, appearing on TV shows including Mastermind, as well as releasing an autobiography titled "You Do Have the Authority Here!".

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