FAILING to attend a local authority meeting for six months has seen two town councillors removed from office.

Formers councillors Ryan Hall and Chris Jenks have ceased to be members of Newton Abbot Town Council as the pair failed to attend meetings of the council for six months.

The Local Government Act 1972 states that when a council member fails to attend any meeting for six consecutive months from the date of his or her last attendance, he or she ceases to be a member of the authority, unless the council accepts a reason for the failure to attend before the six months period expires.

‘I think I missed eight meetings at the end of last year, reasons being other commitments, personal reasons and work,’ former councillor Ryan Hall said.

‘I have never been able to attend the planning committee meetings as they are held on Tuesday afternoons, which excludes anyone who is working full time, such as myself. 

‘Personal circumstances change all the time, so it is regretful that the council has taken the decision now, as I would have been able to attend more frequently now.

‘The schedule and amount of meetings is not suited to people who work full time and I think this is highlighted when you look at the demographic of other councillors at all levels, a majority of which are retired’ he added.

The vacancies which have arisen will be filled in the upcoming Local Government Elections in May.

Because the vacancies arose within six months of an election, however, the council may decide to co-opt, which means the council may decide to appoint persons to fill the avaliable spaces before the election date; Newton Abbot Town Council met on Wednesday, January 25, to discuss the matter.

Former councillor Chris Jenks was contacted by the Mid-Devon Advertiser for comment but none was forthcoming.