Green Councillors Blame Health Issues for Absences
Labour defectors accuse other parties of double standards on attendance
Councillors Trey Campbell-Simon and Liz Collins
March 17, 2026
The two Green councillors on Hammersmith and Fulham Council have said they were dealing with “very serious health issues” after questions were raised about their attendance record following their high-profile defection from Labour last year.
Cllr Trey Campbell-Simon and Cllr Liz Collins, the borough’s first representatives for the Green Party of England and Wales, issued a detailed statement days after an earlier report highlighted their limited attendance at formal meetings.
The pair defected from the ruling Labour Party in July 2025, describing the move at the time as a “momentous moment” that would bring “real representation and accountability” to residents. However, in the months since, records show they have each attended only one meeting.
Under council rules, members who fail to attend any meetings over a six-month period can be removed from office. Both councillors have remained within the threshold and have continued to receive their basic allowance, set at £12,347 for 2025/26.
In their joint statement, the councillors said the attendance figures did not reflect the full picture. They stated they had “only missed three Full Council meetings in the last seven months” and pointed out that no meetings were scheduled during August and December due to recess periods.
They also highlighted structural and procedural factors, including a delay in being assigned to Policy and Accountability Committees after forming a Green group, which they said limited their ability to participate fully in council business.
Cllr Collins attended a Children and Education Policy and Accountability Committee meeting in November, while Cllr Campbell-Simon was present at a Cabinet meeting in December. He did not speak, which the councillors said was due to rules preventing non-administration and non-opposition members from contributing at Cabinet.
The councillors insisted they had continued to carry out casework and represent residents in their wards—Walham Green and Ravenscourt—despite their health challenges. They said they had taken the decision not to stand in the May 2026 elections following medical advice.
A spokesperson for the local Green Party had previously acknowledged “ongoing issues” with the councillors and confirmed they would not be selected as candidates for re-election, though it remains unclear whether this was a party or personal decision.
The situation has drawn criticism from political opponents. Conservative group leader Cllr Jose Afonso questioned the Greens’ effectiveness, while Labour’s deputy whip Cllr Callum Nimmo emphasised the need for dedication and engagement in the role.
In their response, Cllrs Campbell-Simon and Collins also pushed back against what they described as “double standards”, claiming that other councillors with poor attendance records had not faced similar scrutiny.
They went further, using the statement to criticise the Labour administration’s record on housing conditions, council tax and major infrastructure projects such as Hammersmith Bridge, as well as raising concerns about crime and transparency in local governance.
The councillors also argued that the Conservative Party opposition had failed to provide effective scrutiny, leaving residents without strong political challenge within the council chamber.
The row comes ahead of May’s local elections, when control of the council—currently held by Labour—will once again be contested. While the Greens made history with their defections last summer, the party will now head into the election without sitting councillors defending those seats.
Written with contributions from Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter