Independent councillor Neil McLennan, originally elected by the Tories, has held a seat since 2022 but is now working from Cairo, Egypt – and also has another job
A councillor has moved almost 3,500 miles away to Africa – but didn’t bother telling his constituents.
Moray politician Neil McLennan has been continuing to carry out his council duties while living in Egypt. The independent councillor and former Tory has held a seat in the Buckie ward since the council elections in May 2022.
However, he will now be answering his constituents’ questions from Cairo, some 3,492 miles from his area, after moving without an announcement. According to the councillors’ eligibility test, you only need to live in the Moray area at the time of election – and you do need to reside in the area once elected.
However, one of the key roles of a councillor, according to the Moray Council website, is to “spend a great deal of time with constituents through holding drop-in surgeries”.
Moray Council leader Kathleen Robertson told the BBC: “Councillor McLennan maintains he is still a representative of the Buckie ward though I understand he is currently working in Egypt.
“While he can still participate in some things online and undertake business, this is for Councillor McLennan to decide if he can properly represent his constituents while working in Egypt.”
In Cairo, Cllr McLennan is also working as a depute head at Malvern College, a British international school. His previous teaching post was at Nairn academy.
Despite his move to Africa, Cllr McLennan has not given-up his Buckie post, meaning he will be entitled to his annual £26,000 salary from Moray Council.
Cllr McLennan can be seen in videos and photos introducing the new staff ahead of the children returning to school after their summer break.
In a post uploaded by Malvern College in August, the politician, elected after an uncontested election with only three candidates standing for the ward seats, can be seen in the background of pictures of a staff introduction day, held at the school in Cairo.
On September 1, Cllr McLennan was be seen in a video posted by the school, looking excited about starting his new role.
Term-time for Malvern officially started on September 6 as children attend school on Sundays in Egypt. On September 9, Cllr McLennan posted a picture of himself on Facebook in a car showroom in Cairo.
The next Moray Council election is scheduled for May 2027.