Town council meeting suspended after F-bomb dropped.

Ross-on-Wye Town Council’s community, markets and tourism subcommittee were discussing the apparently innocuous matter of whether to continue to fund Park Yoga to the tune of £1,500, among other funding proposals for the coming year.

During its first year, the 20 sessions held in the town’s Caroline Symonds Gardens between May and September drew an average of 54 participants a time, a report for the meeting said.

“It’s been a tremendous success,” subcommittee chair Ed O’Driscoll told the meeting, adding the town council should make clear to the public its role in funding the sessions.

The town’s Deputy Mayor Coun Julian Utting said: “It’s only 54 a week,” to which Coun O’Driscoll interjected: “Which is great.”

“Well there’s 11,000 people in Ross, that’s my point,” Coun Utting responded. A female voice can then be heard saying: “It was only (set up) this year.”

“I understand, let me just f***ing finish – please,” Coun Utting hit back.

“Point of order, please, there’s no need for language,” Coun O’Driscoll said amid some uproar.

“I’m constantly being interrupted,” Coun Utting said.

“I just need time to get my point of view out, and I’m getting fed up of the constant interruption.”

“No offence, but if I said that to you then you would go mad at me, so mind your language,” another voice, believed to be that of Coun Katie Fowler, can be heard saying.

Coun O’Driscoll then suspended the meeting “for people to take a breath”.

Coun Utting said: “I apologise for using offensive language.

“I do not apologise for stating my point of being constantly interrupted, which I felt I was.”

Coun O’Driscoll, his Liberal Democrat colleague, can then be heard saying: “I thought the meeting was okay Julian.

“I didn’t think that outburst was required at all.”

“I sometimes struggle to get my words out,” Coun Utting replied, before the meeting resumed.