Hull disabled councillor's anger at being removed from council

Councillor Sarah Harper-Riches says she is "devastated" after losing her seat

A disabled new mother has complained she is being "pole-axed" from her council seat.

Labour's Sarah Harper-Riches has served as Hull's Bricknell ward councillor since May 2022, but has been recalled because she has not attended a formal council meeting since January.

Liberal Democrat-controlled Hull City Council said it had acted in accordance with local government rules.

Ms Harper-Riches said she had been left "absolutely devastated" and "baffled".

The Local Government Act 1972 allows for recall of a councillor if they have not attended formal meetings for longer than six months, unless they request an extension in advance.

Hull City Council says it acted in accordance with local government legislation

Due to a recent flare-up of her chronic fatigue syndrome, coupled with motherhood, Ms Harper-Riches said she did not submit a request.

However, she insisted she had been active in her ward, attending community events and gathering casework.

Ms Harper-Riches said: "I am absolutely devastated. It feels like I have been pole-axed from the council. I am baffled.

"Had I been notified by the council then of course I would have attended a meeting. But there was nothing."

Ms Harper-Riches said she was focussed on breast-feeding her daughter and managing her health condition.

"I am a politician but I am a person first and foremost," she said. "I understand my role as a councillor involves attending meetings but my return to work has to be carefully managed and appropriate."

'Archaic'

Hull's Labour group said Ms Harper-Riches had fallen foul of "archaic" legislation and claimed it was aware of other councils that alerted elected members in advance of disqualification.

Councillor Hester Bridges, deputy leader of the Labour group on Hull City Council, said she was "bitterly disappointed" at the decision to recall Ms Harper-Riches, who she described as "a hard-working councillor".

Hull City Council said Ms Harper-Riches had not attended a meeting since 19 January.

It added: "As a consequence, the seat she occupied became vacant by virtue of Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972."

The authority said Ms Harper-Riches was informed the six-month period had passed prior to the vacancy being made public.

An election will be held to fill the councillor vacancy subject to a request from two electors, the council added.

A Local Government Association spokesman told the BBC it believed the rules surrounding the ability for councils to hold remote meetings were out of date.

Changes, which would allow councils to hold some statutory meetings remotely, are expected to be voted on in the House of Commons later in the year.