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An MP has defended his decision not to stand down as an elected councillor on two local authorities.

Sedgefield Conservative MP Paul Howell also sits on Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council.

He has been criticised by opposition groups but said he would stay on until it was possible to hold elections.

Mr Howell said he had believed he could manage all three roles but that over time it had become apparent it was "almost impossible to do".

"I do what I can and try to react when people contact me," he said.

"That limited access is better than nothing for the residents."

The Sedgefield MP had intended to stand down from the council roles in May to coincide with elections that were cancelled because of the pandemic, he said.

'Effective representation'

Mr Howell has represented Aycliffe North and Middridge on the county council since 2017 and was elected to the borough council's Hummersknott ward in May last year.

He was elected as an MP for Sedgefield in December.

Thom Robinson, of the Darlington Green Party, said: "Paul Howell cannot expect residents of Hummersknott to believe that he is effectively representing them, his constituents in County Durham and his Sedgefield constituents."

Darlington Borough Council's Labour group leader Stephen Harker said, if Mr Howell had stepped down from both councils when he was elected as MP, residents would have had a new representative before the first pandemic lockdown.

Darlington council records show Mr Howell has attended six of the eight meetings he was expected to since being elected as an MP, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Howell said he stopped taking council allowances in April and donated what he had received from the roles since being elected MP to charity.

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