News has just emerged that a conservative borough councillor attended a meeting (and presumably voted) when disqualified from doing so.
Cllr Elly Charnley Conservative member for Penton Bellinger attended a Northern Area Planning Committee on 22nd July 2014 and then failed to attend any other meetings in 2014. Council rules stipulate that any member not attending for six months is automatically disqualified and must not attend or participate in any future meetings unless given dispensation by full council. This did not happen.
According to the regulations Mrs Charnley ceased to be a councillor at midnight on 21st January 2015. Despite this Mrs Charnley attended a further planning meeting on 22nd January 2015 in direct breach of the rules, No action was taken by the council leadership.
Commenting NW Hants Liberal Democrat vice chairman Len Gates said “This is a disgraceful flouting of the rules by this ex-councillor and the leadership of the council. Previously when councillors have not attended action has been taken either by allowing a dispensation or by removal of party membership from the offending councillor. On this occasion the conservatives appear to have swept the matter under the carpet in the hope no-one would notice.”