Hartlepool Council Attendance League Table: Who's Turning Up – and Who Isn't...

Hartlepool Civic Centre

Paid to Represent: Just How Often are Hartlepool Councillors Actually Attending Meetings, The Teesside & Durham Posts figures pulled straight from the councils own website could be an eyeopener for local residents.

28th December 2025

Attendance at council meetings is one of the most basic measures of a councillor’s commitment to the people they represent. While attendance alone doesn't tell the full story of effectiveness, consistently failing to turn up for meetings raises legitimate questions about accountability, priorities, and value for money for Hartlepool taxpayers, especially in the run up to the May 2026 local elections which are just months away.

Using published attendance data, The Teesside & Durham Post shows readers where every Hartlepool councillor stands using the most latest available data, ranked from best to worst based on the percentage of meetings attended versus those they were expected to attend.

Top Performers – 100% Attendance

Its been found that just three Hartlepool councillors attended every single meeting they were expected to attend according to the most latest attendance reports published by Hartlepool Borough Council with those gaining a (100%) attendance record being :

Reform UK's Amanda Napper achieved a 100% attendance record missing no council meetings whatsoever

• Amanda Napper, Throston Ward (Reform) – 22 out of of 22 Meetings

• Ged Hall, Burn Valley (Labour) – 12 of 12

• Rachel Creevey, De-Bruce (Labour) – 5 of 5

  
  

Regardless of party, a perfect attendance record means residents can be confident these councillors were present to scrutinise decisions being made at council level, as well as representing their wards.

High Attendance (Over 85%)

Strong and consistent attendance levels.

Labours Moss Boddy achieved a 93.1% attendance record according to the most recent records

4. Moss Boddy, Rossmere (Labour) – 93.1% (27/29)

5. Corrine Male, Burn Valley (Labour) – 90.0% (9/10)

6. Martin Dunbar, Foggy Furze (Labour) – 88.9% (16/18)

7. Michael Jorgeson, De-Bruce (Labour) – 88.2% (15/17)

8. Carole Thompson, Foggy Furze (Labour) – 87.5% (21/24)

9. Chris Wallace, Victora Ward(Labour) – 87.5% (7/8)

10. John Nelson, Headland (Labour) – 86.7% (13/15)

    
    

These councillors are, by attendance alone, reliably present for council business.

Solid, but Not Exceptional (80–85%)

Independent councillor Sue Little notched up an 82.5% attendance to council meetings

11. Karen Oliver, Victoria Ward (Labour) – 83.3% (20/24)

12. Owen Riddle, Burn Valley (Labour) – 83.3% (10/12)

13. Sue Little, Seaton (Independent), – 82.5% (33/40)

14. Rob Darby, Hart Ward (Reform) – 81.8% (9/11)

15. Matthew Dodds, Headland (Labour) – 81.2% (13/16)

16. Aaron Roy, Hart Ward (Labour) – 80.0% (16/20)

    
    

These figures suggest reasonable participation, though still some room for improvement.

Below Average Attendance (60–79%)

Despite being the leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, Labours Pamela Brash has notched up a less than impressive attendance record

17. Pamela Brash (Hargreaves), Manor House (Labour) – 69.6% (16/23)

18. Phil Holbrook, Fens & Greatham (Labour) – 69.2% (9/13)

19. Fiona Cook, Manor House (Labour) – 66.7% (10/15)

20. Shane Moore, Headland (Independent) – 66.7% (6/9)

21. Mike Young, Rural West (Reform) – 62.5% (10/16)

22. Gary Allen, Victoria Ward (Labour) – 60.0% (12/20)

    
    

At this level, absences begin to have a noticeable impact on representation and scrutiny, especially when taking into account the attendance percentages, the current Labour Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council Pamela Hargreaves (Brash) is clocking up a Below Average level of attendance to council meetings.

Poor Attendance (Below 60%)

Labours Melanie Morley sits with some of the 'underperformers' in terms of attendance percentages for Council meetings.

On the percentages of attendance, This is where serious questions arise.

23. Melanie Morley, Foggy Furze (Labour) – 58.8% (10/17)

24. Ed Doyle, Throston (Reform) – 57.1% (4/7)

25. Tom Feeney, Rossmere (Independent) – 57.1% (8/14)

26. Bob Buchan, Fens & Greatham (Conservative) – 52.9% (9/17)

27. Andrew Martin Wells, Rural West (Conservative) – 50.0% (2/4)

Bottom of the Table – Serious Under-Attendance

Labours Ben Clayton & Conservatives John Leedham have chalked up some of the worst attendances to council meetings.

28. Que Baily Fleet, Rossmere (Labour) – 33.3% (6/18)

29. Scott Reeve, Rural West (Conservative) – 33.3% (3/9)

30. John Leedham, Hart Ward (Conservative) – 25.0% (1/4)

31. Leisa Smith, Seaton (Independent) – 25.0% (1/4)

32. Ben Clayton, Manor House (Labour) – 22.2% (2/9)

    
    

Attendance at these levels means councillors are absent for the vast majority of council business taking place, limiting democratic oversight and raising obvious concerns for residents about adequate representation by those councillors.

Why It Matters

Councillors are paid, directly or indirectly, by the public to:

• Attend meetings

• Scrutinise decisions

• Represent their wards

• Hold officers and political leadership to account

  
  

However, when councillors repeatedly fail to attend, its residents who are then losing out. The attendance league table allows voters to make informed judgments about who is pulling their weight at Hartlepool Borough Council – and who is not.

As always, readers are encouraged to compare attendance with voting records, cabinet roles, and ward activity to form a full picture ahead of future elections where in just five months, locals will go to the polls once more in what's set to be nail-biting elections...