ONE of Witney’s most prominent councillors has lost her seat on the town council after failing to attend a meeting for six months.

Louise Chapman, who is the county council’s cabinet member for children, young people and families, has lost her Witney East seat under rules which say members must attend meetings at least every six months.

Mrs Chapman said the council should have reminded her of the meetings – but the town clerk said it was not her role to remind councillors of their duties.

Mrs Chapman said: “It certainly wasn’t a case of sitting at home on the sofa. I would have been out at official meetings.”

She said: “People have come up to that point before and they have been warned, but nobody informed me.

“If I had been told, I would have gone along.”

She added: “But I should have realised myself and I didn’t, and I hold my hands up to that.” She said she had no hard feelings towards the council.

She added: “I will continue to help people, whatever the issue, because that’s what I do.”

Mrs Chapman is also a Witney West ward member on West Oxfordshire District Council and represents the Hanborough division on the county council.

Mrs Chapman, a town councillor for more than a decade, missed three consecutive full council meetings on May 12, June 23 and August 4.

She said she had been planning to stand down at the town council election in May next year anyway.

She said a by-election ahead of this would be a ‘total waste of money’.

This needs to be called for by at least 10 residents.

Town council clerk Sharon Groth said last night it was “very unfortunate” that Mrs Chapman had lost her position.

But she added: “A councillor has a duty to attend meetings. In extenuating circumstances, such as serious illness, the council can agree a period of absence. On this occasion no request was made.”

She added: “It isn’t the role of the clerk to remind members to attend meetings, although in the past I have written to new councillors to remind them of their duty to attend if they were approaching the six month deadline.”

Witney’s mayor James Mills said: “Louise has worked extremely hard for the people of Witney for more than 10 years, including serving as Witney’s youngest mayor.

“She has championed local people’s interests, working for more affordable homes and more leisure facilities for young people.

“It’s regrettable that her time as a town councillor has ended in this way, but I know that Louise will continue to work hard for the people she represents on the district and county councils.”