Under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, local councillors are required to attend meetings regularly in order to retain their position on the council.
Minimum Attendance Rule
A councillor must attend at least one meeting of the council or one of its committees within any six-month period.
Meetings that qualify include:
Full Council meetings
Committee or sub-committee meetings
Meetings of any external body or group to which the councillor has been formally appointed by the council
Failure to Attend
If a councillor does not attend any qualifying meetings for six consecutive months, they will be automatically disqualified from office — unless the council approves a reason for absence before the six-month period expires.
Approved Leave of Absence
In cases such as illness or other exceptional circumstances, councillors may request formal approval from the council to extend their absence beyond six months. This approval must be granted before the deadline.