Councillor Attendance Under the Spotlight once more, Amidst claims the figures are ‘Unimpressive’...
- teessidetoday
- Jan 6
- 3 min read
A concerning number of town councillors elected to Hartlepool Borough Council have chalked up less than impressive attendance figures, according to reports, sparking debate over whether councillors should be paid on attendance rather than being successfully elected.
6th Jan 2025
Edited 6th Jan 11:05am
Attendance figures for Hartlepool Borough Council are once again under scrutiny, with growing frustration from residents over claims that some elected councillors are failing to show up for their civic duties.
The controversy arises as its claimed the council could be preparing to push through a crippling council tax increase for April 2025 —adding to the financial burden of rising utility bills and increasingly sparse public services. For many households, this potential increase feels like salt in the wound, especially as questions arise about whether councillors are simply doing enough to justify their allowances.
Hartlepool Borough Council spent nearly £384,000 in taxpayers' money to cover councillor allowances last year according to the councils own financial reports. Each councillor receives a basic allowance of approximately £8,330 per year, with some earning as much as £22,000 more when special responsibility allowances are factored in. For that kind of pay, residents quite rightly expect their representatives to show up and put in the work.
Attendance records are maintained for various council meetings—such as full council, finance & policy, and audit & governance—offering the public insight into which councillors are working hard for their wards and those who are falling short. Whilst some councillors balance their council roles with full-time jobs, criticism is said to be mounting that meeting schedules need to be more accessible to ensure councillors can fulfil their duties effectively.
By law, councillors are entitled to take paid leave from their regular employment to attend council meetings. However, attendance figures suggest this isn't happening as consistently as it should. Some councillors have missed more than three meetings in the current municipal year, raising some questions amongst their ward constituents.
The worst offenders...
Amongst the councillors with the most absences, Conservative Councillor Rob Darby has the worst attendance record, missing a staggering 11 council meetings so far out of a possible 22.
Other notable under-performers included:
Conservative Councillor Mike Young: 8 missed meetings out of a possible 27
Conservative Councillor Bob Buchan: 8 missed meetings out of a possible 17
The Mediocre performers....
Whilst not the worst, several councillors have still raised some concerns about their dedication to their elected roles with less-than-impressive attendance:
Labour Councillor Carole Thompson, the current ceremonial mayor of Hartlepool, has missed SEVEN council meetings out of a possible 27, sparking criticism over her symbolic leadership role.
Seaton Ward Councillor Sue Little: 7 missed meetings out of a possible 37
Labour Councillor Matthew Dodds: 6 missed meetings out of a possible 10
Labour Councillor Cameron Sharp: 6 missed meetings out of a possible 16
Independent Councillor Jim Lindridge: 6 missed meetings out of a possible 11
Labour Councillor Pamela Hargreaves (Brash): 6 missed meetings out of a possible 16
Additionally, five meetings have been missed by councillors such as:
Headland Ward’s Shane Moore. (6 Attended Possible attendance 11)
Rural West Councillors Scott Reeve (3 Attended, Possible attendance 8)
Andrew Martin-Wells. (6 Attended, Possible Attendance 11)
Labour Councillors Phillip Holbrook (13 Attended, Possible Attendance 18)
Garry Allen. (15 Attended, Possible Attendance 20)
A number of other councillors such as Labours Ben Clayton & Labour Councillor Tom Feeney missed four of their council meetings......
Taxpayers Right to Question Some Councillors Dedication to the Role
Critics argue that councillor allowances should be tied to attendance, ensuring taxpayers get value for their money. Many feel it's unjust to pay allowances to councillors who repeatedly fail to attend meetings, with some calling for reforms to the system. Suggestions include withholding pay for missed meetings or introducing performance reviews to hold councillors accountable.
Historically, councillors with poor attendance rarely ever survive re-election, as frustrated voters demand representatives who are present, engaged, and committed to their wards, with Hartlepool facing some tough financial decisions in the months ahead & the spotlight being shone firmly on councillors performance, and whilst councillors showing up for meetings is only the first step—its delivering results is that matters the most.
