Buckhurst Hill councillors failed to attend the majority of district council meetings in the last six months despite receiving thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money to do so, it has emerged.

Conservative Cllr Haluk Ulkan who sits on both finance and housing scrutiny panels and has represented the Buckhurst Hill West since 2007, had a 29 per cent attendance rate from August, the lowest for Epping Forest District Council.

His ward colleague, Cllr Sylvia Watson, who sits on the finance scrutiny panel and area planning sub-committee south, attended five of 11 meetings during the same period.

She has attended only half of planning meetings and is yet to appear at the two sub-committees held this year.

Fellow ward representative Gavin Chambers has a 58 per cent attendance record since August.

All three were not represented at a full council meeting in December, when a parking review in the area was discussed.

Cllr Ulkan said his attendances have dropped due to tiredness and his decision to step down at the next election, when he expects his party to struggle.

He told the Guardian: “When I arrived [the Conservatives] hadn’t had a councillor for 11 years in the area.

“But they need all the luck they can get in the next election; there is a changing wind in British politics.

“The small party rise we have seen in Europe, in France and in Greece, it will happen here.

“I think the time is right to pass on the baton and to have younger people stand."

"In the future I may go higher and stand as an MP."

District councillors receive a basic allowance of £3,435 a year, with extra for cabinet members and committee chairs.

The Guardian has attempted to contact Cllr Watson and Cllr Chambers.

Conservative Cllr Sue Jones, who represents Theydon Bois, receives a special responsibility allowance as chairwoman of the planning sub-committee east.

She has attended the majority of committees in the last six months, but has an overall attendance rate of 38 per cent.

She did not attend a single meeting of the district development control committee, housing scrutiny panels or meetings of all planning committee chairs.

Loughton Residents Association Cllr Sharon Weston was elected in May but has the joint lowest attendance rate in the council having attended four of 14 meetings since August.

She has missed four of six area planning committee meetings since August.