Belfast City Councillors with the worst attendance revealed

A number of Belfast City Councillors have missed more than half of their scheduled meetings in the last six months, it can be revealed.

Figures compiled by Belfast Live show that on average, Councillors in the city attended 79.4 per cent of their meetings between 26th May and 19th November this year.

However, four councillors have failed to attend more than half of their scheduled meetings with one councillor having an attendance rate of just 25 per cent.

Independent Councillor Paul McCusker had been scheduled to attend 12 meetings in the last six months but his attendance has only been recorded at three.

Under current legislation, Councillors must attend at least one meeting every six months to be entitled to claim their allowance. Otherwise, they risk being struck off.

In the year after his re-election to represent the Oldpark DEA in 2023, Cllr McCusker attended just 42 per cent of his meetings and had the lowest attendance rate of any councillor in the city.

When contacted by Belfast Live, Cllr McCusker said that he had been unable to attend meetings because he had been busy with other work.

"I work a lot in the community, and I have been under a lot of pressure in terms of working within the community and my role in the community in terms of the projects I am involved in. I am under a lot of demand," he said.

While being elected as a councillor is not considered a full-time job, councillors are entitled to claim an annual allowance of £15,486 with additional money available if they hold a position of responsibility, such as being their party group leader or a committee chairperson.

Alderman Sonia Copeland, who serves as the UUP 's group leader on the council, has attended just 36 per cent of meetings within the last six months. In the year prior, she had an attendance rate of 50 per cent. Alderman Copeland has been approached for comment.

People Before Profit's Councillor Michael Collins also had an attendance rate of 36 per cent during this period.

A spokesperson for People Before Profit said: “People Before Profit is a small but active organisation which takes its commitments to the people we represent incredibly seriously.

“We have one councillor in Belfast City Council who has attended a majority of meetings since being elected, but whose principle focus is always on grassroots activism and the constituents he serves at a community level.”

Meanwhile, Alliance councillor Emmet McDonagh Brown had an attendance rate of 46 per cent. Cllr McDonagh Brown has been approached for comment.

See our table below for a full list of attendance rates at Belfast City Council in the last six months

*These figures were correct at the time of publication, for up-to-date figures, see the Belfast City Council website.

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