Clare,The rules are not very demanding I am afraid. Essentially you get chucked out if you don't attend for six months. You only have to turn up twice a year essentially to collect your cash. Cllr Said was the worst attender during the last municipal year attending only 57% of the meeting he should have. Even this figure flatters Said who only attended 8 out of 14 meetings last year. 14 meetings is an exceptionally light load. Some of the councillors are doing 50, 60 or 70 meetings a year, often long appeals panels or licensing hearings. Full information here:http://www.ealing.gov.uk/downloads/download/679/member_attendance_20102011%20Cllr Said's position at the bottom of the attendance table is likely to be challenged by two other Labour councillors this year. Cllr Ed Rennie, Perivale, simply disappeared for months to India. He say it was four months. It was more like five months. He is paying his allowance into his ward forum in penance. See here: http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/ealing-news/local-ealing-news/2013/03/06/councillor-who-missed-meetings-to-repay-cash-64767-32933569/Probably the worst attender will be Cllr Wendy Langan, Hobbayne. I understand that she is ill which is a great shame obviously. That said if she cannot do the job it might be better if she resigned so that someone else could take over. Hopefully she will be back to health soon.
Phil Taylor ● 4933d