Calls for MP to resign council role not backed

REBECCA SMITH MAKES ‘KANGAROO COURT’ JIBE IN COUNCIL MEETING

- By ALISON STEPHENSON

CALLS for a Plymouth City Councillor to resign because of her nonattendance at meetings this year have not been supported.

Independent councillor Terri Beer (Plympton Erle) said Conservative member for Plymstock Radford Rebecca Smith was unable to fulfill her full duties because of her commitments as an MP for South West Devon, which she was elected to last year.

She asked the full council on Monday to back her motion asking Miss Smith, who had failed to attend city council meetings since May apart from as a substitute at a planning meeting, to resign and save the council £6,000 in allowances.

Cllr Beer called the MP a “remarkable individual” who had “demonstrated commendable commitment to holding the government to account” and “delivered confident speeches on behalf of her residents” but she said her failure to attend council meetings was “not fair to the principles of public service”.

She claimed the MP was being “paid twice” for local casework which her parliamentary staff were handling, with a £93,000 MP's salary and a £13,700 councillor’s allowance.