Glasgow City Councillors in north west of city with near perfect attendance record revealed

Two councillors in wards north of the River Clyde and west of the city centre were present at 98% of the committee meetings they were required to attend.

The Glasgow Times has obtained the attendance records of all 85 councillors in the city.

Yesterday we reported how more than one in 10 councillors failed to attend more than 60% of meetings the were expected to.

READ MORE: How many meetings did your councillor attend? Rates for the east and north wards of Glasgow

We also highlighted council wards in the north east of the city.

Today we show the attendance records of every councillor in the seven wards in the north and west.

They are Anderston/City/Yorkhill, Hillhead, Victoria Park, Garscadden/Scotstounhill, Drumchapel/ Anniesland/ Maryhill and Partick East/Kelvindale.

READ MORE: Revealed: Glasgow councillors with highest and lowest attendance rates

One councillor missed only one meeting out the 89 meetings he was to attend over the last three years.

Chris Cunningham, SNP councillor for Garscadden/Scotstounhill was at 88 committee meetings.

He had full attendance in 2018 and 2020.

Mr Cunningham is the council convenor for Education. He also is a member of six committees including the City Administration Committee,  Environment Committee and the City Region Education Committee.

Angus Millar SNP councillor for Anderston/City/Yorkhill also had an 98% record having been at 90 out of 92 committee meetings in the last three years.

Mr Millar is also on six committee including chairing the Environment committee, and is a member of the Finance and Audit Scrutiny Committee and the Neighbourhood and Housing Committees

There were another five who had more than 90% attendance.

Jane Morgan, Labour Maryhill 97%, Ken Andrew, SNP Hillhead, 96%, Kenny McLean, SNP Partick East/Kelvindale, 96%, John Letford, SNP Maryhill, 91%, and Eva Bolander, SNP Anderston/City/Yorkhill, at 91%.

Three councillors had a rate of below two thirds, with an attendance rate of 65% or below over the three years.

Paul Carey Labour councillor for Drumchapel/Anniesland was present at 58% of all meetings he was a committee member for.

He attended eight out of 11 last year, six out of 13 in 2019 and eight out of 14 in 2019.

Mr Carey is a member of the Environment, Sustainability and Carbon Reduction committee, the local area partnership for his ward and the full council, that meets every six weeks when the council is in session.

Last year in the Queen’s Honours list, Mr Carey was awarded the Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for his services to the Drumchapel community.

As well as being a councillor he works in a children’s home as a residential worker.

Mr Carey said: “As well as being a councillor, I work full time and have family and childcare responsibilities.

“I work three, sometimes four, 12-hour nightshifts a week and need to sleep, so sometimes it does clash with council meetings.

“If I have a meeting in the ward, I put that before a committee meeting.

“Constituents want us to be doing work in the ward.”

Mr Carey said “There are a lot of balls to juggle, with council, constituents, surgeries, work and family.”

Martha Wardrop Green councillor for Hillhead had a rate of 62% having been at 127 out of 204 over there years including 19 out of 35 last year.

Ms Wardrop is an experienced councillor who sits on six committees including the  City Administration Committee, and the Health and Social Care integrated Joint Board both key decision making committees.

She is also a Sessional Worker with Renfrewshire Environmental Trust.

Elspeth Kerr, independent councillor for Drumchapel/Anniesland was at 65% with 132 out of 202, including 30 out of 37 last year.

Ms Kerr is a former SNP councillor who left the party following the resignation of fellow councillor Michael Cullen, citing concerns about the leadership of Susan Aitken as her reason. The SNP said at the time Ms Kerr had not raised any official complaint.

Ward                                   2018                     2019                     2020                     TOTAL%

ANDERSTON/CITY

YORKHILL

Eva Bolander SNP  6/7               7/7               7/8               91%

Philip Braat Lab      24/30           20/25           9/13             78%

Christy Mearns Gr  12/14           7/14             7/10             68%

Angus Millar SNP    34/34           30/31           26/27           98%

HILLHEAD

Ken Andrew  SNP    27/27           20/23           27/27           96%

Hanzala Malik Lab   33/43           35/46           30/34           80%

Martha Wardrop Gr 55/79           53/90           19/35           62%

VICTORIA PARK

Ade Aibinu Con                 15/16           14/21           14/16           81%

Feargal Dalton SNP           24/29           17/21           17/20           82%

Maggie McTernan Lab       21/22           17/21           16/21           84%

GARSCADDEN/

SCOTSTOUNHILL

Bill Butler Lab                   28/41           44/47           32/38           81%

Michael Cullen Ind            36/45           32/47           28/39           73%
 

Chris Cunningham SNP     31/31           29/30           28/28           98%

Eva Murray   Lab               18/20           15/19           21/25           84%

DRUMCHAPEL/

ANNIESLAND

Malcolm Balfour SNP        22/22           15/17           25/32           87%

Paul Carey Lab                 8/14             6/13             8/11             58%

Elspeth Kerr Ind               59/90           43/75           30/37           65%

Anne McTaggart SNP        32/49           34/47           24/25           74%

MARYHILL

John Letford SNP    30/31           27/30           15/18           91%
 

Jane Morgan Lab     35/37           38/38           31/32           97%
 

Franny Scally SNP  17/21           10/14           8/11             76%

PARTICK EAST/

KELVINDALE

Martin Bartos Gr     38/49           36/41           22/30           80%

Tony Curtis   Ind     11/15           22/31           7/14             66%

Kenny McLean SNP 31/32           32/35           29/29           96%

Martin Rhodes Lab  36/44           38/40           23/25           89%