The councillor who receives a £17,000 allowance - even though she spends three months a year in NEW ZEALAND

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Updated: 07:28 EST, 4 May 2011

• Council leader says her absence is a 'non-issue'

Tidy sum: Jan Mashlan, director of an aviation consultancy company with her husband Gene, is paid the same £11,457.96 basic annual allowance as other councillors

A councillor received an annual allowance more than £17,000 even though she spends three months every year in New Zealand.

Tory Jan Mashlan, from Northwich, has come under fire at Cheshire West and Chester Council.

She sent apologies for full council meetings held last December, and in February and March, according to the town hall's online attendance record.

But she says she is able to keep in touch with local people by email while she is almost 12,000 miles away.

And the council leader has refused to accept her resignation, saying her absences are a 'non-issue'.

'The leader knows I go away for three months and I told him last January that I would be standing down at the next election because of my commitments to my personal business and family,' said Councillor Mashlan, a grandmother of 12.

'Councillor Jones said don't worry because lots of councillors take a year out, but I said because of my commitment to constituents I didn't want to do that and really need to give more time to my family and business.

'I said I wanted to leave in January 2011 but Councillor Jones said he would rather I stayed until the next election then it won't cause a by-election.'

Cllr Mashlan, director of an aviation consultancy company with her husband Gene, is paid the same £11,457.96 basic annual allowance as other CWAC councillors.

In the 2009/10 financial year she was also given a £5,729.04 special responsibility allowance for her work with children's services.

In the first half of the 2010/11 financial year Cllr Mashlan, whose ward includes Davenham, Moulton and Hartford, has been paid a £1,750.54 special responsibility allowance. She has not claimed any expenses for travel or subsistence.

Cllr Mashlan, ward councillor for Abbey, in Northwich, said she wanted to resign from CWAC when she realised work and family commitments would be too much and she would be away in New Zealand for so long.

Council leader Mike Jones refused to accept her resignation.

Global economy: Cllr Mashlan says she's been able to keep in touch with local people by email while she's 12,000 miles away in New Zealand where she spends three months in every year

Cllr Mashlan, who lives in Sandiway, said: 'All the time I've been away I've been corresponding with constituents by email.

'I use my own laptop, I've never used a council laptop or printer.

'Yes, I've had the allowance which I'm entitled to but I've never claimed any expenses.'

She was elected in May 2008 and is now expected to stand down next May, rather than cause a by-election.

Cllr Mike Jones said: 'I didn't want her to resign because I didn't want to lose her expertise.

'She's only away for three months and that's just like a long holiday.

'Other people go on long holidays - it's a non-issue.'

He said flexibility was the key to attract a wider range of people on to the council.

'If you want to take people from across the board, from different walks of life, you've got to be flexible and make allowances,' he said.

'Fifty years ago it was only wealthy people with plenty of time on their hands who did it for nothing.

'But society has changed and we want to recognise that and broadly reflect the make up of our communities.

'You want a council made up of a range of people bringing different skills and have to accept you will have to work around people's lives.'