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The leader of Spelthorne Borough Council has come under fire after he was seen "laughing" as the father of the young boy who died during last winter’s floods addressed a meeting.

Cllr Robert Watts was rebuked by Kye Gbangbola ahead of a vote by councillors to dismiss a 16,000-signature petition from the family of seven-year-old Zane calling for a public debate on his death.

Zane’s parents, Kye and Nicola, have always maintained he was killed by hydrogen cyanide released through floodwater at their home in Thameside, in Chertsey, in February.

Cllr Watts has now apologised for any "unintended offence", maintaining his ‘smile’ was an involuntary reaction to the behaviour of another councillor.

Addressing the Conservative leader in the council chamber last Thursday (December 18) , Mr Gbangbola said: “Why are you laughing? This is not a laughing matter. My son died.”

Leader of the opposition Frank Ayers, who was sitting alongside Cllr Denise Grant opposite Cllr Watts, said he feels many members of the public feel his position is now untenable. “I thought Cllr Watts’ attitude all evening was inappropriate,” he said.

“We both noticed Cllr Watts either laugh or smirk, not really sure how you would describe it. However, hand on heart, I don’t believe Cllr Watts meant any disrespect to the Gbangbola family. That said, I can understand why many members of the public would consider Cllr Watts conduct not appropriate behaviour for someone holding such a responsible position within the council. I feel many members of the public believe his position has become untenable and would expect him to do the honourable thing and resign”

Cllr Watts has however refused to step down.

When contacted by the Surrey Advertiser, he said he "did not see anything wrong in that behaviour", before later issuing a statement.

“As to my smile at the Liberal leader, this was an involuntary reaction to Councillor Beardsmore’s customary flamboyance and obviously not in any way reaction to the proceedings,” he said. “Naturally, if any unintended offence was caused to anybody, I apologise.”

Mr Gbangbola, who was left paralysed by the incident, had earlier pleaded for councillors to be given a free vote after cabinet member Cllr Daxa Patel advised members to dismiss the petition so as not to prejudge a forthcoming inquest. Members eventually voted 12-9 to reject the petition.

“I’m here because I want your support,” Mr Gbangbola said. “We are just parents and like any other parents we would like answers. Our campaign is about getting the land tested and the truth of what happened to Zane.

“People and children are dying and being harmed and that’s simply not acceptable. You could be me, in a wheelchair, damaged by toxins and internally messed up. Or you could be Zane, all hope and promise of life with those you loved gone.”

He said hydrogen cyanide had been found in the family’s blood and had been identified in the house due to floodwater mixing with a former landfill site behind the home – a former mineral extraction site owned by building materials group Brett Aggregates.

Cllr Patel said the borough council had been working with all authorities to take biological testing of the site since Zane’s death.

“Further investigative work will take place near the bridge on the road,” she said.

“Public Health England has said there’s no risk to public health in the area and the landowner has undertaken some testing of the land.

“The council is looking for a truthful examination and the proper form for this is the inquest. A public debate will be premature or undermine the forthcoming inquest.”

Liberal Democrat Cllr Ian Beardsmore, who voted against dismissing the petition, said the display of his fellow councillors was nothing but a "disgrace".

“We talk about accidents and of course one thing about a emergency plan is risk assessment – not sitting back and waiting for someone else to do it,” he said. “I think this is what this campaign is trying to do. They want to find more information. There’s been an awful lot of pain, hurt and anger surrounding this. And that’s a considerable reason why to put in place the mechanisms to survey the land.

“I see no reason why Spelthorne should not keep in mind the pain, hurt and anger and at least recognise and wait for bureaucracy to take its place. We should support a land survey.”

No criminal charges over Zane Gbangbola’s death.