Sunglasses 'not OK' in Southend council online meetings

"They were not small glasses" and wearing them was "disrespectful", the councillor was told

A row broke out in an online public meeting when a councillor turned up wearing a large pair of sunglasses.

Independent Stephen Aylen said he was sporting the distinctive eyewear to stop screen glare during Thursday's Southend Borough Council meeting.

Mayor John Lamb said although councillors logged on from home, wearing sunglasses was like drinking or smoking, and was disrespectful.

Mr Aylen eventually removed the glasses and the meeting continued.

The councillor insisted he needed to wear the large round sunglasses during the virtual meeting to "stop the glare off the screen" and accused the mayor of "picking" on him, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

Mr Aylen said: "You have got lots of councillors not wearing jackets, you haven't told them off.

"Why are you picking on me for putting on a pair of sunglasses when it stops the glare off the screen?"

'Not small glasses'

The Conservative mayor told the BBC he had "tried not to embarrass" Mr Aylen and asked him to remove the glasses before the public joined the meeting, however he kept them on.

"It shows disrespect for residents and colleagues as people should be able to see you - and they were not small glasses - they were big green or blue things and you could not see his eyes at all," he said.

The mayor (centre, right) wore his chain of office - not sunglasses

Mr Aylen told the BBC that he often wears the glasses in meetings and "nothing has been said."

"He [Mr Lamb] doesn't do it to any other councillor, just me," he said.

"He has reflections in his glasses and you can't see him properly either."

Mr Lamb told Mr Aylen he needed to buy prescription sunglasses if he was unable to see his screen, he then warned him that if he kept them on he would have to leave the meeting.

Mr Lamb told the BBC: "We've excused jackets because members are in their own homes, but we have reminded people not to smoke or drink alcohol during meetings."

Mr Aylen eventually chose to remove the sunglasses.

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