JUST three Wyre Forest district councillors managed 100 per cent records at the authority’s meetings in the past year.
Figures just released reveal that between May last year and April this year only Conservative Rose Bishop and Labour councillors Barry McFarland and Jamie Shaw were present at all their meetings.
Nine members of the 42- seat authority attended fewer than 75 per cent of meetings, including chairman Stephen Clee, who went to just eight out of 15 (53 per cent) and Independent Community and Health Concern (ICHC) councillor Brian Glass, who attended 17 out of 27 (63 per cent).
Conservative Tracey Onslow recorded 44 per cent attendance but was on maternity leave from June 1 until December 31.
ICHC councillor Jim Parish was present at 43 per cent of his meetings but was absent with a heart problem from January 7 until last month.
Mr Glass, who owns Mr Cleancalls in Stourport’s High Street, said: “I run my own business and I do most of my things in the shop. I do not attend meetings for which I am an observer.”
He added he was “stuck in the shop” during daytime meetings.
His attendance record – up from 42 per cent last year – showed he had been at all full council and Kidderminster education foundation meetings but only one of seven members’ forums and eight of 12 planning committee sessions.
Conservative Mr Clee was present at all full council and Kidderminster education foundation meetings but failed to show at any of his seven members’ forums. His figure is down from 83 per cent the previous year.
He said: “I have been chairman for the past two years. Those duties have made me exceptionally busy and I have been unable to attend the forum briefing sessions.”
Members’ forums are bimonthly meetings to which all councillors are invited in order to discuss information items such as reports from other members.
For most councillors, the forums are the least attended meetings.
The full statistics:
- John Aston (Con): 70 per cent attendance (19 out of 27 meetings)
- Graham Ballinger (ICHC): 83 (20/24)
- Rose Bishop (Con): 100 (45/45)
- Cliff Brewer (ICHC): 83 (29/35)
- John Campion (Con): 93 (25/27)
- Stephen Clee (Con): 53 (8/15)
- Liz Davies (ICHC): 76 (39/51)
- Nathan Desmond (Con): 80 (20/25)
- Helen Dyke (Ind): 84 (38/45)
- Peter Dyke (Ind): 69 (18/26)
- Nicky Gale (Con): 91 (31/34)
- Brian Glass (ICHC): 63 (17/27)
- Douglas Godwin (Con): 84 (27/32)
- Jenny Greener (Con): 89 (32/36)
- Ian Hardiman (Con): 86 (31/36)
- John Hart (Con): 90 (35/39)
- Marcus Hart (Con): 95 (40/42)
- Pauline Hayward (Con): 72 (26/36)
- Vi Higgs (Lab): 94 (34/36)
- Anne Hingley (Con): 83 (24/29)
- Tim Ingham (Lib): 76 (29/38)
- Michael Kelly (Lab): 74 (28/38)
- Nigel Knowles (Lab): 79 (23/39)
- Howard Martin (Lab): 78 (43/55)
- Daniel McCann (Con): 84 (32/37)
- Barry McFarland (Lab): 100 (40/40)
- Chris Nicholls (Lab): 81 (22/27)
- Fran Oborski (Lib): 89 (35/39)
- Tracey Onslow (Con): 44 (8/18)
- Jim Parish (ICHC): 43 (9/21)
- Julian Phillips (Con): 91 (20/22)
- Mike Price (Lib): 93 (43/46)
- Mary Rayner (ICHC): 93 (30/38)
- Chris Rogers (Con): 78 (25/32)
- Mike Salter (Con): 82 (31/38)
- Jamie Shaw (Lab): 100 (25/25)
- Dixon Sheppard (ICHC): 75 (27/36)
- Nigel Thomas (ICHC): 70 (26/37)
- Stephen Williams (Con): 92 (45/49)
- Gordon Yarranton (Con): 79 (38/48).
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