Some Eurobodalla Shire councillors missed almost half of their 2015 council meetings. 

Of 19 ordinary meetings, councillors Milton Leslight and Rob Pollock missed seven each. 

Decisions made at some of the meetings Cr Leslight missed included the audit review of HuntFest, the Dargues Reef gold mine proposal and a memorandum of understanding with the Bega Valley Shire. 

Cr Pollock was not there to vote on the interim Sea Level Rise policy, Fit for the Future and the management of flying foxes in Batemans Bay. 

Cr Pollock said in all cases it was because of personal overseas travel. Cr Leslight did not respond to questions from the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner.

Councillor Peter Schwarz missed five meetings because he had “three kids, a wife and over 1000 animals to manage”.

“If anyone thinks that being a councillor pays well and that they are doing it for the money, they need their head read,” he said.

“I believe it is important for councillors to come from a broad mix of the community.

“Night meetings would be better suited to getting more working people involved.

“(This is) a common meeting practice in most metropolitan councils.”

Cr Liz Innes missed four meetings, while Cr Danielle Brice missed two. 

“I was moving house for one and sick for the other,” Cr Brice said.

Cr Innes said she missed meetings for personal reasons. 

“I am more than confident that I have represented myself in the best capacity for the ratepayers,” she said.

“I am really proud of the work I have done with the rural lands strategy and the effort I have put into my role as a councillor.”

Mayor Lindsay Brown missed one meeting due to illness. Cr Gabi Harding also missed one meeting. 

The only councillor to attend every council meeting in 2015 was Neil Burnside. 

A Eurobodalla Shire Council spokesperson said councillors could be suspended if they missed three consecutive meetings without notice or if fellow councillors did not grant them leave in their absence.