By-election to be held for Wigmore ward in Luton
A by-election is set to be held in Wigmore ward on Luton Borough Council, after a councillor failed to attend any local authority meeting for more than six months.
Liberal Democrat councillor Alan Skepelhorn was absent from its meetings between July 15, 2025 and January 20 this year, according to a report to LBC’s administration and regulation committee.
This exceeds the six-month attendance requirement for members, confirmed the report. Procedures require “a casual vacancy to be declared in Wigmore ward, in accordance with Section 86 of the Local Government Act, 1972”.
Liberal Democrat group leader and Barnfield councillor Amjid Ali said in a statement: “Alan was at the January 20 full council meeting. But his six-month period was miscalculated by the council and the issue only realised afterwards, so an election has had to be called.”
During the pandemic, councillor Skepelhorn was in a coma on a life support machine for almost six weeks with Covid-19, after contracting the virus in January 2021. He eventually returned to his council duties later that year.
The Liberal Democrats requested a procedural extension to enable his absence from the council chamber for more than six months to be waived. Having recovered his health, he retained his seat at the May 2023 local elections.
Section 85 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 states that on a six-month failure to attend any meeting of the authority, unless this was due to some reason approved by the council, a councillor shall cease to be a member of that authority, explained the report.
“Councillor Skepelhorn attended full council on July 15, 2025, but didn’t attend another meeting until January 20, 2026, which exceeds the six-month attendance requirement.
“The casual vacancy arising from this position doesn’t occur until the council declares the office to be vacant. Section 86 (1) (c) of the 1972 Act states where a local authority member fails to attend its meetings for six months, the authority shall ‘forthwith’ declare that office to be vacant.
“Responsibility for declaring a casual vacancy in Wigmore ward sits with this committee, in accordance with LBC’s Constitution. The law requires that this matter be agreed.
“If the vacancy is contested, a by-election will be held to fill the seat on the council. The cost of the by-election will be met from within current budget.”
Labour Saints councillor Shahanara Naser wondered what the procedure is, and whether “there’s a warning or a reminder via letters”.
LBC’s democracy manager Debbie Janes replied: “The situation is a councillor failed to attend for six consecutive months.
“Under the rules, the law requires this committee declares a vacancy in Wigmore ward and we proceed to a by-election for the reasons set out.”
Councillor Naser asked: “Why is there no policy giving a warning or reminding someone that this is the procedure?”
Ms Janes added: “We’ve no option other than to proceed in accordance with the law, if this occurs, as set out in the legal implications.
“We’re bringing into effect a more formal process to help warn councillors, if it’s nearing the six-month period.”
The committee declared the casual vacancy in Wigmore ward. There are 28 Labour councillors, 14 Lib Dems (including councillor Skepelhorn), three Conservatives and three Independents on the local authority.