Cr Kidd applied for leave in February, the council’s first meeting of the year, for all council functions that month.

Then in March, he applied to extend it until the end of April.

He has missed six consecutive council meetings and four committee meetings.

Cr Kidd had previously told the Central Western Daily he had been ill but following concerns from readers submitted on the newspaper’s website about Cr Kidd’s absence, the CWD contacted him by phone.

But he said in a text message he had been on medical leave and would return for Tuesday’s council meeting.

“All medical forms ... have been submitted,” he said.

The Central Western Daily attempted to contact Cr Kidd further to discuss his attendance at other board commitments during that time.

He is a board member for Central Tablelands Local Land Services (LLS), NSW Farmers’ biodiversity committee and Regional Development Australia (RDA) Central West, where he is the deputy chairman.

An LLS spokeswoman confirmed meetings were held every six weeks within the catchment area and two had been held since February, both of which Cr Kidd attended.

RDA Central West executive officer Peter McMillan said Cr Kidd had not missed any meetings, but declined to confirm how many had been held or where they were hosted.

“He consistently makes himself available for board commitments and is generous with his time as a member of the committee,” he said.

The NSW Farmers committee has not met since February.

However, Cr Kidd could not be reached by the time of publication.

Council spokesman Nick Redmond declined to comment on the reason Cr Kidd gave for his leave request.

“Cr Kidd has provided paperwork in relation to his absence,” he said.

By comparison, councillor Ash Brown has missed two of the six meetings so far this year and councillors Glenn Taylor, Jeff Whitton, Neil Jones, Russell Turner and deputy mayor Jason Hamling have missed one apiece. 

Orange mayor John Davis said while the length of the absence was “certainly unusual”, leave had been granted.

“We take it on face value,” he said.