Absentee: £10,975 bill as BNP woman turns up just once

Donna Hollins, a former independent at Barnsley Council, said she had been unable to attend because she had been suffering from stress, some of it brought on by revelations she had been a member of the BNP.

Mrs Hollins attended one meeting half way through the year – a Kingstone Ward Panel meeting on October 12, 2009. Elected members are lawfully obliged to go to at least one official meeting every six months to qualify as a councillor.

Mrs Hollins, who was elected in 2004, was expelled in April this year, six months to the day of her final appearance.

Asked why she attended the local ward meeting on October 12, she denied it was to avoid disqualification from office.

She said: "I was trying to get back into things but it just didn't work out."

Mrs Hollins insisted she had been a BNP member prior to her joining the council and not while a councillor. Her name appeared on a leaked BNP membership list in 2008 – a list she said was out of date.

Asked whether she should have continued to receive money, she said: "I think it's up to the council to decide. Individuals don't make those decisions."

But Coun Malcolm Price, who served in the same ward as Mrs Hollins, said: "The allowance system is ridiculous and really needs sorting out."

Lib Dem councillor Stephen Coddington went to just four of 30 meetings at Doncaster Council. He received 12,752.90.

Mr Coddington, the former Lib Dem group leader, said he was a teacher and found it difficult to attend all the meetings.

"I do as much as physically possible," he said.

Asked why he received the money if he could not commit his time, he said: "I don't claim anything, it just comes."

Coun Gavin Sharp, one of nine Conservatives on Rotherham's 63-strong council, attended three of 20 meetings. He received 12,306.98 in allowances. Elected four years ago, his job changed in 2008 from branch manager of Abbey National in Rotherham to trainee manager with Santander and he said the unexpected change, combined with responsibilities as a magistrate, made attendance "impossible".

"I've bitten off more than I can chew," he said. He said he would not be standing for re-election in May.

Rotherham councillor, Chris McMahon, went to three of 39 official meetings for the 2009-10 municipal year and received 12,952.16. Mr McMahon, no longer a councillor, was unavailable comment.