Borough Council Attendance Rates Decline

Published on: 24 Jan, 2026
Updated on: 26 Jan, 2026

Councillor attendance figures are published on the GBC website

By Izzy Trubshaw

Councillor attendance at Guildford Borough Council (GBC) has dipped from from 75 per cent to 69 per cent across all political parties in the past twelve months, January 1 to December 31 2025.

The decline appears linked to an increase in the number of individual councillors whose attendance has dropped below 50 per cent in 2025.  Four out of every ten councillors have an attendance rate below that figure.

Cllr Matt Furniss

Cllr Matt Furniss (Pilgrims), had the second lowest attendance figure, only attending 30 per cent of the meetings he was expected to and failing to offer an apology for 14 per cent of those. By contrast, his record at Surrey County Council stands at 81 per cent, with apologies given for 100 per cent of unattended meetings.

Conservative Group leader, Phillip Brooker (Worplesdon) defended Cllr Furniss and his party colleagues: “As long as councillors attend the required number of meetings and all committees are fully covered, then democracy continues unhindered. Conservative committee allocations are fully represented, which is not so for other political groups.”

Mr Brooker also pointed to some wider issues within council operations, which might contribute to lower attendance rates.

He said: “Rather than concentrating on a single aspect, I would recommend that a study is implemented on output, and perhaps more focus should be prioritised on the efficiency of the council, currently marred by overspending, a fraud enquiry, and public spats and resignations in the Lib Dem leadership.”

See also: Opinion – Attendance Is Only One Measure of Councillor Performance

Some non-attendance is explained by health concerns such as Liberal Democrat councillor, Sandy Lowry, who had the lowest attendance in the period, attended none of her 18 expected meetings in 2025. Normally, if a councillor does not attend in person at all for six months they automatically cease to be a member, but in extenuating circumstances non-attendance can be officially sanctioned by the full council, as it was in the case of Cllr Lowry.

James Brooker (Send & Lovelace), a member of Guildford Greenbelt Group (GGG), is another with one of the lowest attendance rates of 33 per cent and apologies offered for only 21 per cent.

When asked for a comment on Brooker’s low attendance, the group leader of GGG, Patrick Oven (Send & Lovelace), was rather brusk, saying: “I regard the attendance records of my GGG colleagues as being matters between myself as group leader and them. I would certainly not comment publicly on such issues. What I might say privately will remain just that: private!”

However, Cllr James Brooker later contacted The Dragon NEWS directly and explained a long-term, health-related reason for his absences.

Good attenders

But whilst the council are experiencing an overall decline in attendance figures some councillors have attended nearly all meetings they were expected to.

Among them is Liberal Democrat member Catherine Houston (Shalford), who has attended 47 of her expected 48 meetings in 2025, although her conscientious attendance did not prevent her recent dismissal from the GBC Executive.

See also: Councillor Claims She Was Dismissed as New GBC Executive Announced

Ms Houston is also a member of Surrey County Council.  Since her election in Guildford South East in October 2025 she has only been called to one meeting of the full county council in December which she attended.

Conservative Richard Mills (Castle) is another with a good attendance record. He attended 36 of his 38 expected meetings.

Good attenders: Cllrs Catherine Houston, Julia McShane and Richard Mills

And the Liberal Democrat leader of GBC, Julia McShane (Westborough), also recorded high attendance, attending 42 out of 44 meetings. At Surrey County Council McShane showed similar commitment, attending six out of seven expected meetings.

A Lib Dem spokesperson said: “In view of the extent of the responsibilities and time commitment required to fulfil the role of elected councillors the government could consider reinstating the legislation that made it possible for councillors to attend and vote at council meetings online during the Covid pandemic.”

“In view of the extent of the responsibilities and time commitment required to fulfil the role of elected councillors the government could consider reinstating the legislation that made it possible for councillors to attend and vote at council meetings online during the Covid pandemic.”

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