Councillor at centre of by-election calls continues attending meetings as questions remain over level of engagement in community

Councillor Nicholas Humphries represents Kingsley and Semilong on West Northamptonshire Council alongside Liberal Democrat councillor Farzana Aldridge.

The council's latest attendance figures show Councillor Humphries attended 18 of the 30 meetings he was expected to attend between his election in May 2025 and October 20, 2026.

That represents an attendance rate of 60 per cent, with apologies recorded for all 12 meetings he missed.

His record for the first year, from May 5, 2025, to May 5, 2026, shows he attended 15 of 25 expected meetings.

The figures relate to formal council meetings and do not provide a complete picture of a councillor's work within their ward.

Councillors receive a basic annual allowance of around £16,000, which covers their wider responsibilities and is not simply payment for attending meetings.

Under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, councillors can lose their seats if they fail to attend a qualifying meeting for six consecutive months without an approved reason for their absence. There is no minimum percentage attendance requirement.

In June, Kingsley and Link View Residents Association publicly called for a by-election over concerns over the level of engagement with residents by Councillor Humphries.

It also claimed the Reform administration had previously acknowledged its concerns and committed to supporting Councillor Humphries in his role, but that the support had not resolved the situation.

The council's attendance records show Councillor Humphries attended meetings in May, July and August 2026, although they do not establish the extent of his engagement with residents.

Speaking this week, Liberal Democrat group leader Jonathan Harris said the concerns over the level of activity in the community by Councillor Humphries remain.

The Chronicle & Echo contacted both Councillor Humphries and Reform leader of WNC, Councillor Mark Arnull, to respond to the concerns raised by the residents’ association and Councillor Harris.

Councillor Humphries had not responded at the time of going to press.

Councillor Arnull responded by criticising the questioning from the Chronicle & Echo. He said: “This is starting to look rather less like journalism and rather more like a running an individual audit of one councillor's life. The Chronicle & Echo, or rather its Chief Reporter, appear determined to scrutinise everything from meetings and casework to correspondence and contact with residents. Frankly, that level of persistent attention is now bordering on harassment.

“Perhaps the paper could reassure its readers by publishing equally forensic examinations of opposition councillors. If this is genuinely about accountability, the same standard should apply to everyone. If it doesn't, people are entitled to wonder why councillors of one political party are receiving treatment others apparently escape,” he added.

On Councillor Arnull's response to the Chron, Councillor Harris said: "Methinks the leader doth protest too much. They are so on the edge of losing overall control that this is their sole motivation. Keep asking legitimate questions."

In response, Councillor Arnull said: "There is only one legitimate question remaining - If the Liberal Democrats are the answer, what indeed is the question?"

In March 2026, the Chronicle & Echo published figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request showing how many formal members' enquiries councillors had submitted since their election.

Councillor Humphries had submitted four enquiries in his first 10 months in office.

Members' enquiries are formal requests made to council officers on behalf of residents, usually to investigate or help resolve local issues.

The figures provided another measure of councillor activity beyond attendance at meetings, although they do not capture all casework, informal contact with officers or other work carried out on behalf of residents.

The issue has wider political implications because Reform's overall control of West Northamptonshire Council depends on maintaining its numbers.

Reform won 42 seats in the May 2025 local elections but subsequently lost three councillors, leaving it with 39 seats – the minimum required for an overall majority on the 76-seat authority.

If Reform drops below 39 seats, it would lose its numerical majority on the council, although that would not automatically mean it ceased to run the authority.