A town council says it will look to improve arrangements after a newly-elected town councillor lost her seat because she did not sign paperwork in time.

Olivia Westcott was elected to Kidsgrove Town Council last month, but her seat was subsequently vacated after a 'family emergency' meant she was unable to attend a meeting and formally accept the office.

Cllr Westcott, who remains a Reform UK borough councillor, said that she was never told about the urgency of the situation, and was informed she would be able to sign the paperwork the following day.

The town council has accepted that the arrangements 'may not have been as clear as they could have been'.

But the council also insists that it had no option but to vacate the seat after Cllr Westcott missed the statutory deadline. In a statement, the council said it would 'reflect' on what happened and aim to avoid a similar situation occurring again.

The council said: "The legal requirements for accepting office as a town councillor are set out clearly in legislation and are not matters of local discretion.

"In order to formally take up a seat, a Declaration of Acceptance of Office must be signed either at the first meeting attended or within a strictly defined statutory timeframe before a properly authorised officer.

"Failure to complete this process within the required timeframe results in the position automatically becoming vacant, and the council has no legal power to waive or extend these requirements.

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"The council also acknowledges that communication can always be reviewed and improved. While information about procedures and expectations is routinely made available, we accept that in this instance the arrangements and their implications may not have been as clear as they could have been. This is something we will reflect on to support future members.

"Nonetheless, responsibility ultimately rests with each appointed councillor to ensure that all statutory requirements are met in order to assume office."

The original town council election for Kidsgrove Central and Ravenscliffe was uncontested because only seven candidates – including Cllr Westcott – were nominated for the ward's seven seats, meaning all the candidates were automatically elected.

A by-election will now be held if at least 10 electors in the ward call for one by 15 June, and the by-election will be contested if more than one candidate is nominated.