Ukip councillor Mike Baldock had to leave a meeting about Kent County Council’s autumn budget today - because he hadn’t paid his council tax.

There was laughter in the chamber of County Hall, Maidstone, when the mullet-haired politician admitted he owed money.

Councillors had been reminded that anyone two months or more in arrears with their council tax could not take part in the debate.

They were also not allowed to vote on the agenda item about the autumn budget statement or any matter to do with budgets and level of council tax.

The 48-year-old admitted he might be in arrears and left to sort the matter out.

Speaking this afternoon, the Swale West representative says he has since paid £307 towards what he owed and next month's total.

He added that he had paid a substantial amount of his council tax up front in May and this had run out.

He'd recently had a reminder for what he owed but he couldn't remember what date he had to pay it by. It was October 27.

Fellow county councillor Andrew Bowles (Con), who also sits with Cllr Baldock on Swale council, tweeted: “Embarrassment for former Ukip budget spokesman Mike Baldock as he has to leave county council meeting before budget debate due to arrears!”

KCC chairman Cllr Tom Gates (Con) said: “Thank you for being so honest. This is the first time in my 24 years on the council that this has ever happened.”