A HEREFORDSHIRE town's mayor has spoken out in support of a councillor who has been replaced, assuring voters that she had done nothing wrong.

Councillor Rhiannon Jones was disqualified from Leominster Town Council in January this year for failing to attend meetings.

The North Ward councillor, who took on the role in May 2023, has now been replaced by Nicholas Carpenter, who was co-opted to the council to fill the casual vacancy that had therefore arisen in March.

Coun Allan Williams, the town's mayor, said that Ms Jones' disqualification from the council was not as a result of any wrongdoing on her part, and that personal reasons had prevented her from attending meetings since her co-option in May 2023.

ALSO READ:

What is a casual vacancy?

A vacancy can arise for a number of reasons, according to Herefordshire Council.

These include resignation, death, failing to attend a parish council meeting for six months, failing to sign their declaration of acceptance of office, ceasing to be qualified, or being disqualified.

The council or clerk of the parish or town council must tell electoral services as soon as possible if a vacancy occurs, with a notice of vacancy to be advertised locally for 14 working days, during which electors can request an election.

A parish election is only held if 10 people who are registered as local government electors in the relevant parish (or parish ward if applicable) ask for an election to be held.

If there are fewer than 10 electors or no one asks for an election then the council must co-opt a new member as soon as practicable.