Hasta la vista, voters

But back in the town centre ward he plans to continue representing, the voters he has left behind are less forgiving than he would hope.

In January, the Independent Wear Valley district councillor ditched the bleak British weather to soak up some Caribbean sunshine on holiday in the Dominican Republic.

Seduced by the stunning sandy beaches and clear blue skies, he decided to move his life, and council work, more than 4,000 miles to start a new life on the Spanish-speaking island.

He is thought to have sold his delicatessen business, which was part of a family butcher's business established in 1748, and leased out the town centre flat he had been living in since the break up of his marriage.

But the move now means that people living in the market town he has represented for six years must contact him on the island of Hispaniola, paying £3.25 for a five minute telephone conversation from a BT landline.

The growing sense of discontent throughout the district is clear when browsing the local authority's website, where angry residents have posted messages of disbelief.

One asks: "How on earth can we have a local councillor representing the town when he doesn't live there? It is absolutely ridiculous."

Another says: "Why should any person from Bishop Auckland be inconvenienced with an international telephone call, and, of course, who will be paying the telephone bill from the Dominican Republic?"

On the streets of his ward, many voters are having second thoughts about their decision to elect a man who feels he can still represent them despite being thousands of miles away.

Postmistress Sara Abbott, 37, said: "If he is overseas, he isn't seeing the place or talking to the people he represents. If we wanted to talk to a councillor, we would want to see someone face-to-face as soon as possible."

Janet Barrons, 34, said: "He wants to be where his people are and in his area to do a good job. Being overseas is very nice for him, but no good for people in Bishop."

Retired 56-year-old Barbara Dunn said: "A councillor should be there for people to turn to for help and advice, and we shouldn't have to phone abroad to speak to him about anything.

"It is wrong that he can get the money without fulfilling his role properly."

Taxpayers in the country's 19th most deprived ward are angered that he can pick up £4,508 a year for his role on the council.

The basic allowance figure was set by an independent remuneration panel, formed in January last year following a Government directive, and based on the assumption that a councillor spends 16 hours a week on council business.

The panel says elected politicians should show "genuine concern for the welfare of the community and a commitment to public service".

Since becoming a district councillor in 1999, Coun Gregory has received £15,777 in basic allowance payments and can claim expenses for travelling between his Bishop Auckland address and the council's headquarters inCrook.

He was also a Durham County councillor for the town from March 2000 to June 2001, starting his tenure as a Liberal Democrat, before switching allegiance and becoming independent.

A pensioner, who didn't want to be named, said: "It's a disgrace. I don't approve of councillors getting an allow-ance without having to work for it. How can that be right?"

Regulations issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) about members' attendance state a councillor needs to attend one meeting every six months to keep the post.

A report by the remuneration panel states that the average number of citizens per councillor is 1,534, but with Coun Gregory overseas most of the time his ward colleague, Margaret Jones, is left representing 2,263 electors and their families.

She said: "He is still a Wear Valley district councillor and, as long he attends one meeting every six months, there isn't a thing we can do about it.

"I know it is going to be more work for me - by spending most of his time abroad, he has doubled my workload.

"Then again, in the past I probably had more than my share of the work. Stephen Gregory hasn't always attended meetings in the past."

Jim Tague, of Bishop Auckland Conservatives, said: "Why should any person from Bishop Auckland be inconvenienced with an international telephone call?

"Let's not forget, there is no money for playgrounds or grass cutting."

A spokeswoman for the ODPM, which oversees local government regulations, said a councillor must meet the requirements of the Local Government Act 1972, section 85.

It states: "If a member fails throughout a period of six consecutive months from the date of his last attendance to attend any meeting of the authority, he shall, unless the failure was due to some reason approved by the authority before the expiry of that period, cease to be a member of the authority."

The spokeswoman said: "There are exceptions, including military personnel in a time of war or emergency."

The Local Government Association, which speaks for the 500 local councils in England and Wales, refused to comment last night.

*Hasta la vista is Spanish and translates as "Bye, see you later".

When councillors face the music

WHEN voters tick the box next to a politician's name and elect them on to a local authority, they get no guarantee about the commitment they will make to their community.

Entrusted with the role of councillor, they need only attend one meeting every six months to defend the seat and to receive an annual allowance determined by each authority's remuneration panel.

Across the North-East, councillors have been struck off or forced to step down for poor attendance records or failure to represent their constituency because of loose ties to the area.

One recent high-profile case was that of Keith Murray-Hetherington, Labour member for Stanley, who was expelled from Durham County Council for not attending meetings.

In North Yorkshire, Hambleton District Council's standards committee calls for an explanation from councillors if their attendance falls below 60 per cent.

If they fail to meet the statuary requirements, they are automatically struck off, unless council agrees there is a good reason not to.

Michael Dowson, head of democratic services for Richmondshire District Council, said: "If a councillor was absent for six months it would be reported to council.

"If they decided not to grant further leave, there would be a by-election."

Darlington Borough Council struck off a member in the 1980s for non-attendance. A spokesman said: "If someone doesn't have a good reason, they cease to be a member."