Liverpool’s former assistant Mayor has been removed from the Labour Party.
Sarah Doyle is one of two local councillors whose membership of the city’s ruling party was revoked amid accusations of failing to fulfil responsibilities.
The representative for Dingle had served in the cabinet and was previously assistant to Joanne Anderson, the city’s last elected Mayor, from 2022-23.
Tom Logan, a former cabinet member for education who represents the Canning ward, was also removed amid accusations of absenteeism.
Liberal Democrat councillor Richard Kemp recently raised the issue of several current and former Labour councillors’ non-attendance at Town Hall meetings.
The pair, along with Elizabeth Hayden and Collette Goulding, are said to have only attended between three and five council meetings in the last 18 months.
Confirmation of their respective departures from Labour was issued through the council’s Democratic Services department on Wednesday (June 24).
It was stated that both figures ‘are no longer to be treated as members of the Labour Group with immediate effect’
A council spokesperson added: “This represents the final stage of a due diligence process which has taken some months to complete, as attempts to communicate with both councillors were rebuffed.
“Our initial concerns regarded their welfare, and we tried extensively to engage with them to ensure they were supported and felt able to carry out their responsibilities as councillors.
“Over time, it became apparent that neither Cllr Doyle nor Cllr Logan had any intention of engaging with the party in any form.”
Cllr Kemp welcomed the move, which leaves Labour with 57 out of the 85 seats which form the local authority in the run-up to next year’s elections.
He said, “Liverpool residents deserve hard-working councillors who turn up to meetings, whether in the town hall or in their communities, and who are there to help their residents with casework.
“I know in lots of places in the city, the Liberal Democrats are picking up Labour’s tab when it comes to casework.
“We are the ones out there working hard and keeping residents informed.
“Next year, voters in Liverpool face a clear choice: four more years of lazy Labour or a fresh start with Carl Cashman and the Liberal Democrats.”