FLINTSHIRE Councillors are expected to approve the continued absence of two of their fellow members on compassionate grounds.

A meeting of the full council is to take place on Tuesday.

One of the matters up for discussion is support for members who are unable to attend meetings due to ill-health.

A report to members recommends the council "approves, on compassionate grounds, the continued absence of two members from meetings due to their ill-health."

It explains: "Councillors Bernie Attridge and Rita Johnson have been unable to attend meetings since May due to ill health and convalescence.

"We recognise that members who are unable to attend through health or personal reasons should be offered support.

"As council is aware, members are not employees, and so it does not have the same legal ‘employer’s duty of care’ as it does for the employed workforce.

"However, members of the council are elected to represent the people in their wards, and we give assistance to them to do so.

"Supporting members through illness and life changing events is a significant element of that assistance, and officers have been in touch with each member."

It also states the council's head of democratic services will be recirculating details of the authority's Carefirst Employee Information and Counselling service to all members.