Councillor fined for driving during Zoom meeting

A senior councillor seen driving a lorry during a Zoom meeting has been fined £200.

David Brown, of Boston Borough Council, Lincolnshire, spent the first 20 minutes of the cabinet session behind the wheel before he pulled over.

He was reported to police after a video of the meeting appeared on the authority's YouTube channel.

Mr Brown was also given six points on his driving licence, Norfolk Police said.

In the footage, originally live-streamed on the council's website, Mr Brown was seen to reposition his mobile phone several times before parking.

Despite calls for him to quit, he remains a Conservative councillor but has stepped down as portfolio holder for Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Mr Brown admitted he "shouldn't have joined" the virtual meeting, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

• More stories from Lincolnshire

During the virtual meeting David Brown appeared to take part in a vote while driving

Norfolk Police, which investigated reports of a man using a mobile phone on the A10 on 9 September last year, said it issued a fixed penalty notice after a review of the evidence.

A Boston Borough Council spokesperson said the authority would not be making any further comment on the case.