MEMBERS of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council were left at a “complete loss” during a full council meeting last week when they were greeted with a half empty chamber.

The meeting held on Thursday, 22 March was the last full council meeting before councillors were dismissed for a period of purdah ahead of May’s borough council election.

However, there was a sense of something was missing as the entire Basingstoke Labour Group appeared to boycott the meeting.

As the mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Paul Frankum commenced the meeting there was on sigh or mention as to why half of the council chamber was left practically empty expect for representatives from the Liberal Democrats and Independent Forum.

Group leader of the Basingstoke Conservative Party, Cllr Simon Bound said: “Clearly a basic requirement for a councillor is the ability to be able to attend the council’s meetings. Last night the conservative group were at a complete loss to understand why Labour councillors didn’t attend the meeting.

“We understand, from a tweet by the labour group this morning, that they appear to have gotten themselves into a position of some legal difficultly. We are not privy to what is happening within their group but we have had no communication from them suggesting that it has anything to do with the conservative administration or any particular conservative councillor.

“It must therefore be some form of internal matter that is currently stopping them from conducting their role of representing residents.”

During the meeting leader of the Basingstoke Liberal Democrats, Cllr Gavin James even joked that his party of six councillors now made up the opposition party.

The meeting was carried out with only two Labour councillors in attendance and they were the mayor and deputy mayor.

When asked as to why the group were absent from the meeting leader of the Basingstoke Labour Group, Cllr Paul Harvey told The Gazette: “We cannot comment further due to legal restrictions.”