Northamptonshire: Home-move councillor claims £10k for four meetings

A councillor who has moved about 65 miles (105km) from her ward has claimed £10,000 in allowances but only attended four meetings since April.

Conservative Annabel de Capell Brooke, who represents Oundle on North Northamptonshire Council, moved to Norfolk last month.

She has not resigned, meaning a by-election has not been triggered.

The BBC approached Ms de Capell Brooke for comment, but has not received a reply.

As first reported by NN Journal, Ms de Capell Brooke has received more than £8,000 in basic allowances since April.

Councillors in North Northamptonshire get a basic allowance of £1,041.67 per month.

She has also received more than £2,000 for special responsibility as chairwoman of the employment committee, despite it not yet having held any meetings.

In the last eight months she was expected to attend 21 meetings, but has only been to four.

The last was a remote online meeting in August.

Council rules dictate that if a member fails to attend any meeting for six consecutive months they will cease to be a member of the authority.

Under this rule, Ms de Capell Brooke would lose her seat on 3 February 2022 if she does not attend any meetings in the interim period.

In November, when the house move was revealed, Ms de Capell Brooke told the BBC she would remain as a councillor until a new election took place.

The council's chief executive and returning officer, Rob Bridge, said: "In accordance with Electoral Commission guidance, Councillor de Capell Brook remains qualified as a councillor as she met the qualification criteria on nomination."

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