Tory leaders in the Cotswolds have hit out at a “heartless” decision to disqualify a councillor who failed to attend any meetings over the last six months.

Mark Annett, who has been on Cotswold District Council since 2009 and represented the Campden and Vale ward as a Conservative councillor, has been disqualified.

The last district council meeting he attended was in May this year and has since issued apologies for the two district council meetings he should have attended.

He missed the meeting in July because he was on holiday and he could not make the September meeting as he tested positive for coronavirus.

However, the council has disqualified him and there will now be a by-election for the ward on February 3.

Conservative group leader Tony Berry (Kemble) said the move by the Liberal Democrat run administration to disqualify Mr Annett was “heartless”.

He said Mr Annett would have been able to attend a meeting last month but this was rescheduled to December by the Lib Dems to accommodate a Christmas party.

“We were informed that there were no time priorities involved in the change of date, but since this took him over the six months without attending a meeting that wasn’t true,” he said.

“Whilst we, the Conservatives, are investigating the legality of the decision as he did attend a town council Meeting in September as a council representative, the moral issue remains clear, the Liberal Democrats were out to get him.

“After 22 years of public service, during which in his 10 years on the town council he was the mayor, and in his 12 years with the district council he was at various times both chairman and leader.

“Many hundreds of his ward residents who have taken their problems to him in his High Street office over this time would have a good story to tell! All cast aside and ignored by this shabby political ploy.

“Residents of Campden Vale will know that Mark had a serious aortic aneurysm in spring 2018 and very nearly died, possibly subsequently it is taking a long time for him to recover from his Covid attack.

“Look closely at the circumstances and decide for yourselves – was this fair or just nasty politics from an administration that is delivering falling service levels, the departure of many experienced staff, all charges going up and making free with your money on vanity projects?”

Cotswold District Council Leader Joe Harris (Lib Dem,St Michael’s) said it “beggars belief” that Mr Annett had the opportunity to attend 37 meetings of the council over the past six months and has not attended a single one.

He said he was an experienced councillor and should have known that he could have applied for a dispensation from the six-month rule if he was unable to attend because of a personal issue or poor health.

“Mr Annett’s disqualification also poses questions for his former Conservative colleagues on the council,” he said.

“Why did they not notice that he was about to be disqualified for non-attendance? If they can’t ensure their councillors attend one meeting every six months how can voters have any confidence that they could run the council?’

“Residents in Chipping Campden, Willersey, Mickleton, Aston-sub-Edge, Weston-sub-Edge and Saintbury deserve much better than they’ve been given by the Conservatives.

“The Liberal Democrats are the clear alternative to the Conservatives in the Cotswolds and we’ll be campaigning to ensure that Campden and Vale has a hard-working Lib Dem councillor.”