DUDLEY councillor Derrick Hemingsley's term of office officially ends today (Thursday April 21) as he has not attended meetings for the past six months.

The Labour councillor for Wordsley was put on suspension last November by his party, pending the outcome of a police investigation, and he has not been seen in the Council Chamber since.

Philip Tart, Dudley Council's strategic director for resources and transformation, confirmed cllr Hemingsley's term was due to end today and said it was "in accordance the provisions of S.58 Local Government Act 1972", adding: "He took the decision some time ago to absent himself from council meetings for personal reasons.”

The popular councillor, of Penzer Street, Kingswinford, was elected in 2012 and had driven forward numerous community campaigns during his time in office including Speed Watch and Street Watch initiatives in his Wordsley ward as well as steering forward improvements in Wordsley Park in his role as chairman of the Friends group.

He was also a director of Dudley Zoo and a governor at Belle Vue School in Wordsley but had been asked not to attend governor meetings at the school while the police investigation continues.