Election triggered by councillor's 6-month absence

A by-election is to be held after a Liberal Democrat councillor failed to attend any local authority meetings for more than six months.

Alan Skepelhorn was absent between 15 July 2025 and 20 January, according to a report for Luton Council's administration and regulation committee.

Amjid Ali, Liberal Democrat group leader and Barnfield councillor, said Skepelhorn's six-month attendance record was "miscalculated by the council" and the issue was "only realised afterwards".

The council's democracy manager Debbie Janes said: "Under the rules, the law requires this committee [to] declare a vacancy in [the] Wigmore ward and we proceed to a by-election." It will take place on Thursday, 2 April.

Skepelhorn moved to Luton in 1986. He first became a councillor in 2003 for the Round Green ward, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

During the pandemic, he was on a life support machine for almost six weeks after he contracted Covid-19 in January 2021.

He eventually returned to his council duties and retained his seat in the local elections in May 2023.

During that period of illness, the Liberal Democrats requested a procedural extension to enable his absence from the council chamber for more than six months to be waived.

The current six-month attendance gap was spotted after Skepelhorn attended the full council meeting on 20 January.

Janes added that the council was "bringing in a more formal process to help warn councillors if [they are] nearing the six-month period".

"We've no option other than to proceed in accordance with the law, if this occurs, as set out in the legal implications," she said.

"The situation is a councillor failed to attend for six consecutive months."

The Labour Party runs the council, where the seats are split as follows:

• Labour - 28
• Liberal Democrat - 13
• Conservative - 3
• Independent - 3

The BBC has approached Skepelhorn for comment.

Luton Borough Council does not have any elections taking place on Thursday, 7 May, when local elections are taking place in many other authorities across the country.

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