Anger at councillor's 'unfair' comment over colleague with cancer

THE leader of Wolverhampton City Council has demanded an apology from a Reform UK councillor over comments made about a colleague with cancer.

- RACHEL ALEXANDER

Cllr Anita Stanley (Bilston North) faced fierce backlash at a full council meeting after she said granting a dispensation order for a colleague battling cancer was 'unfair on taxpayers'.

The order, now approved, means Cllr Carol Hyatt (Lab, Merry Hill) can continue to be a member without attending council meetings in person.

Under the Local Government Act, all local councillors are required to attend meetings within a six-month period to avoid disqualification.

Councils do have the power to grant dispensation orders for medical or other valid reasons but it must be voted on by elected members.

If it wasn’t approved, it would have resulted in a by-election for the Merry Hill ward at an estimated cost of £30,000.

At the council meeting, Cllr Stanley said: “I do not feel it is very fair on the residents not to have a political representative to be able to speak up for them for the period of effectively one whole year. It’s not fair on taxpayers.”