Documents leaked to the Guardian this week show an enquiry was made into the number of meetings Coun Entwistle has attended in the last six months.

Council internal emails show that an investigation was launched into whether the Labour councillor has attended enough meetings to continue representing the people of Worksop East.

An email from monitoring officer Ros Theakstone to six recipients, says that the council will be apologising to Coun Entwistle for causing him any unnecessary upset.

In an email from Coun Graham Oxby, to the monitoring officer, Coun Oxby points out that fellow Labour councillor Entwistle has been continuing his duties despite his 'current circumstances'.

It is commonly known that Coun Entwistle has spent the past month in Massachusetts in the US supporting his son Neil who has been jailed for life for murdering his wife and baby daughter.

And last week, during a cabinet meeting, councillors even passed around a card for Coun Entwistle supporting him.

"It was brought to my attention last week that there may be a problem," said Coun Oxby, Labour member for East Retford North.

"Mine and other people's separate enquires found that there was not a problem with Cliff Entwistle's attendance at meetings."

"It would appear that Cliff has been assiduously carrying out his duties as a member of the council, and there was no problem whatsoever."

"Somewhere along the way an error has been made. Let's hope that this error is never made again."

Coun Oxby said the situation has now been rectified.

In the email, Ros Theakstone, wrote: "It is of course with deep regret that this situation may have caused further distress to Councillor Entwistle, and we will of course be extending our sincere apologies to him."

When contacted by the Guardian, she refused to comment.

Leader of the council Conservative Mike Quigley said: "The circumstances Cliff Entwistle finds himself in, we have always been supportive and sympathetic to him."

Chief executive David Hunter refused to say who originally raised the issue with the council, but said the matter has now been dealt with.

"There was a question raised about whether Cliff Entwistle fell foul of his obligations to the council," he said. "It was an internal issue, there was nothing in it and the matter was closed."

Coun Entwistle declined to comment.