COLUMN: I nearly choked on my lunch when I read about Trump debate at Ashfield District Council

I have to say I nearly choked on my lunch when I read about this proposal in the Agenda last week. More than once myself and the Conservative group have raised our concerns that so much time - and taxpayers money paying for the staff at these meetings, I might add - is wasted talking about issues that we have no control over at a District Council level, when we should be talking about the issues that we can genuinely deal with.

There is literally nothing Ashfield could do to prevent Donald Trump from visiting the District.

We can’t build a wall and make Gedling or Mansfield pay for it.

More to the point when he comes to meet the PM and other powerful Westminster figures, why on earth would it take place in Ashfield? How would that arrangement happen? “You know what Mrs May I don’t fancy Big Ben or the London Eye, I want to see Kirkby Plaza.”

I have to say, writing in advance of the meeting this week, I am expecting lots of grandstanding, lots of arguing about who has the moral high-ground, and absolutely no useful action or outcome at all.

As Conservative leader I will speak only very briefly in the debate to register my frustration at once again sitting through a pointless exercise instead of dealing with the genuine problems our District faces.

Time for a change I think.