Three Kingston councillors have missed more than a third of the meetings they were expected to attend, according to official figures.

The Surrey Comet investigated the issue after readers questioned how many meetings Kingston representatives were present for.

The debate in our letters pages began after the then- councillor Robert-John Tasker continued receiving his £7,528 backbench allowance weeks after moving to the US.

Councillor Kate Stinton, who works in the nuclear industry, had the lowest attendance rate of 64 per cent since the 2010 election.

She said a busy period in her job forced to her to prioritise casework and advice sessions over evening meetings.

She said: “It is hard for me and I suspect for others who are working in London to get back in time.

“I think it is important young people and professionals have the opportunity [to be councillors], otherwise you just get retired people. You have to get that breadth of experience.”

Councillor Simon James disputed data on the council website that showed him attending 76 per cent of the meetings he was called to, the lowest of the Liberal Democrat councillors.

He said most of these absences were due to meetings being changed or redesignated at short notice.

He said: “There are extra stresses [working and being a councillor], but it is quite important the council represents people living there.

“The majority of people living in the borough are commuters, and it is vital they are represented on the council.”

Leaders of the Conservative and Lib Dem council groups said they had discussed attendance with Coun Stinton and Coun James.

Council leader councillor Derek Osbourne said two-time mayor Councillor Shiraz Mirza, who has not attended a meeting since the start of October, was in Pakistan following his mother’s death.

Conservative councillors Dennis Doe and Karen George were the only politicians credited with a perfect attendance record.