Mr Dickson said he felt a need to speak out after councillors attacked resident Gillian Kirby when she said in the Sun last month that the council was limiting free speech with changes to meeting rules. The changes proposed by mayor Yvette Whitfield will limit residents to a 25-word question when speaking in the council's public forum instead of the three to five minutes they are allowed at present.

"It's unbelievable," Mr Dickson said. "They are just not listening to the public."

Cr Gregg Ritchie told the Sun in January that the change was needed to stop abuse of public forum speech time for political gain by residents such as the one he named — Gillian Kirby. Mr Dickson said Ms Kirby was not abusing the system and that she has represented many residents' concerns when speaking at council.

"I think if anyone is abusing the public forum it is mayor Yvette Whitfield, " Mr Dickson said. "I would remind the mayor and all councillors they are servants of the public."

Mayor Whitfield said the 25-word limit would not restrict free speech but would help save the council time and money.

She said residents should call councillors direct if they wanted to speak to them.

"My door is always open," she said.