'Absent' councillor disqualified

Durham County Council will send a letter to Mr Murray-Hetherington

A councillor who has not attended a council meeting for six months will be disqualified from Durham County Council.

Keith Murray-Hetherington, the Labour councillor for the Stanley ward, has only been to eight council meetings in two years and none in the last six months.

The rules state that an absentee councillor can be disqualified if they fail to turn up for six consecutive months.

Mr Murray-Hetherington, who has a monthly allowance of £600 as a councillor, reached the six-month limit on Wednesday.

He resigned from the Labour Party last month and declined to comment about his attendance record.

The labour leader of the council, Ken Manton, said a formal letter would be sent out.

He said: "I think our action speaks for itself.

"We do not like councillors who come on to this authority who are not prepared to work for the people of the county or the people they represent.

"We have taken action as a political party, we have taken action as an authority."