Ill ex-mayor, 76, forced to quit Bridgnorth Town Council

Norman Cottrell was informed in an e-mail that he had breached attendance rules and that he would no longer sit as a councillor.

Mr Cottrell was told he had broken a six- month rule, which states that councillors who do not attend meetings for that period of time can no longer be a member of the authority.

The 76-year-old has been suffering with illness since the start of the year, which he says has prevented him from attending meetings.

He said today that the e-mail from town clerk Anne Wilson had come without any warning, adding: "On every occasion, I gave my apologies and my reasons to councillors and the councillors voted to accept them. To me that complies with the six-month rule.

"If the town clerk had advised me that I was about to breach the six-month rule I could have done something about it. She did not, but in my mind I was not in breach anyway."

According to Section 85 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 a member of a local authority can be removed if he fails to attend any meeting for a period of six consecutive months.

But it states an exception can be made if the absence is approved by the council.

In an e-mail addressed to Mr Cottrell, Ms Wilson said: "I am not sure if you are aware but you have not attended any meeting of the town council or committee or represented the council at a meeting of an outside body for more than six months.

"The last meeting you attended was June 4 and you have sent apologies which have been recorded at each meeting since. It is therefore with much regret that I am e-mailing you to let you know that under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972 s85 you are no longer a town councillor."

Mr Cottrell said the first he had heard of the problem was when he received an e-mail while at a Bridgnorth Chamber of Commerce event last week with the mayor.

He said: "I have been a councillor for 11 years. I was first elected in 2003 after my wife died. I have been to almost every meeting since I've been a councillor except when I have been on holiday."

Mr Cottrell said he was now in the process of writing to Philip Dunne MP for Ludlow, to ask him to investigate.

His removal today drew criticism from council colleagues of Mr Cottrell. One, who asked not to be named, said: "A councillor only automatically loses his position if such absence is not agreed by the council. His sterling service to the town over many years seems to count for nothing."

Bridgnorth Town Council said that at the present time it was unable to comment.