Absent Bristol councillors could lose £11,000 allowance

Bristol city councillors who miss too many meetings could have their annual allowance docked.

A motion has been tabled for Tuesday's full council meeting after a row involving Lib Dem Councillor Shirley Brown who last year married an American.

She has been accused of spending too much time overseas while continuing to claim her £11,000-a-year allowance.

The Tories' motion does not name any councillor but argues they should not receive pay if they are unavailable to serve their constituents due to prolonged absences.

Under national legislation, a councillor is entitled to claim their allowance as long as they do not miss six consecutive meetings of the council.

But the motion calls for a voluntary arrangement between the political groups so that "an absentee councillor's allowances will be suspended for the duration of any unwarranted or unapproved absence".

Councillor Brown sparked a race row after calling a Tory colleague a "coconut" at a recent meeting.

The comment will be considered at a meeting of the council's standards committee next month.

Tory Leader Richard Eddy (Con, Bishopsworth) said: "People feel aggrieved when they hear of certain councillors being paid to represent their constituents when they are not in a position to carry out this important role.

"Such a situation brings the council into disrepute and must not be allowed to continue.

"In the absence of reform at a national level, we are calling for a voluntary scheme between the parties locally which would see an absentee councillor's allowances docked for unapproved absences.

"Never again should we have to tolerate situations where an individual like former Lib Dem councillor John Astley continued to profit from the public purse whilst on remand and then imprisoned for criminal offences."

Councillor Brown was unavailable for comment.

But Lib Dem council leader Barbara Janke, said: "This is a very selective approach.

"It does not deal with members whose words or deeds bring the council into disrepute, which is much worse than being absent.

"There have been a number of cases over the years, from all political parties.

"I'm not sure that it's possible to dock members' allowances.

"But if it is right to seek to withhold allowances for absence, it is also right to do so for these actions that bring Bristol City Council into disrepute, too.

"The Tories should think hard before throwing stones from glass houses. Shirley Brown has been frank and open about her marriage to a US citizen and the time she has spent in the US.

"Shirley's absence did not exceed the six month rule and she is now back working in her community."