Labour councillor Danny Barnes has left the residents of the Heavitree & Whipton Barton division without representation in County Hall decision-making for more than a year after missing twelve of fourteen public meetings at which he was expected.
Neither of the two meetings of Devon County Council’s public rights of way committee that he did attend conducted any business related to Exeter, but the timing of their dates means that the Local Government Act six month rule does not apply.
This provides that councillors who do not attend a meeting of the local authority of which they are a member at least once every six months must vacate their office, triggering a by-election.
Danny Barnes attended a public rights of way committee meeting last July. It considered parish boundaries in Littleham and Halberton and footpath routes in Chardstock, Aveton Gifford, Colebrook and Cheriton Bishop as well as a rights of way improvement plan.
This meeting took place twelve days short of six months after his preceding committee appearance in January.
He then attended another public rights of way committee meeting held in November. It considered parish boundaries in Ashwater and Halberton (again), bridleways in Sheldon, East Down, Marwood and Wembury and footpath routes in Newton Poppleford and Harpford, Marldon, Upton Pyne and Crediton Hamlets.
As a result he will not breach the six month rule for the rest of his term of office, even if he does not attend another county council meeting before the local elections in May.
Danny Barnes. Photo: Devon Labour.
The last public meeting attended by Danny Barnes that was not related to rights of way was a meeting of Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee held in January 2024, at which time he was still the committee chair.
Like the five such meetings held since, every item on its agenda concerned Exeter. It addressed issues including bus services, a school safety crossing and the Heavitree & Whipton Active Streets trial scheme.
Four of the five following meetings of this committee also included substantial agenda items on this issue, which has had a significant impact in the division he represents.
The last time Danny Barnes attended a meeting of Devon County Council itself, the full council that is the ultimate Devon authority decision-maker, was in December 2023.
He did not participate in the past two years’ county council tax and budget-setting meetings, or the meeting that chose to establish the Devon & Torbay Combined County Authority or the county council’s attempt to postpone this year’s local elections, or any of the other many far-reaching decisions it took at the six meetings he missed on the trot.
The next County Hall meeting at which he is due is Thursday’s public rights of way committee meeting. It remains to be seen whether he will turn up to weigh in on parish boundaries in Loxbeare, Virginstow and Thurlestone or footpath routes in Colyford, Colaton Raleigh, Ilfracombe or Tavistock.
Danny Barnes is employed as a Labour Party regional organiser, according to his county council register of interests.
When we contacted him earlier this month via his county council email address we received an automatic reply: “This mailbox is not monitored”. We tried again last week, asking questions about his attendance record and why he has not resigned to allow a by-election in his seat. He did not reply.
He was nominated for an LGiU “resilience champion” award in October 2023, on the basis he was “a dedicated and inclusive leader who has spearheaded ambitious and challenging improvements in active travel to decarbonize transport in Exeter, demonstrating value to the local area and making Exeter a better place as a result”. He didn’t win.
