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17
Jul
North Yorkshire councillors with low attendance will not be asked to pay back allowances
Six North Yorkshire councillors whose attendance at committee meetings fell below the expected level will not be asked to pay back any of their allowances.
North Yorkshire Council said it had accepted the explanations given by the councillors for failing to attend more than 66% of committee meetings they were required to attend.
The six councillors whose attendance fell below the level in 2025/26 were:
- Angus Thompson, Conservative, who represents the North Richmondshire division
- Dan Sladden, Liberal Democrat, Sowerby and Topcliffe
- John Cattanach, independent councillor with the North Yorkshire Independent group, Cawood and Escrick
- John Mann, Reform UK, Oatlands and Pannal
- Lindsay Burr, independent councillor with the North Yorkshire Independent group, Malton
- Nathan Hull, Conservative, Washburn and Birstwith.
A council spokesperson said:
Where a councillor’s attendance at the committees they have been appointed to falls below 66 per cent in a year, they are contacted to remind them of the importance of attending meetings and to determine whether there are any circumstances that explain their lower than expected attendance and if they are in need of any additional support.
None of those who have been written to recently have been asked to return any of their basic allowance as their explanations for the reasons for their lower than expected attendance have been accepted.
It is understood that the councillors were contacted unless they had previously advised officers that they would be unable to fulfil their commitments, for example, because of a planned operation.
Four councillors, all Conservative, attended 100% of their committee meetings over the 12 months.
They were: council leader Carl Les, Catterick Village and Brompton-on-Swale division; David Staveley, Settle and Penyghent; George Jabbour, Helmsley and Sinnington; Roberta Swiers, Cayton.
Every North Yorkshire councillor receives a flat basic allowance of £17,964 per year.
Councillors who take on extra roles, such as chairing a committee, receive special responsibility allowances.
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