A councillor at the centre of a fraud investigation has attended a meeting for the first time since May.

Councillor Tonia Ashikodi is due in court on October 1 alongside her 49-year-old father Tony Ashikodi.

The case follows an investigation by the council’s anti-fraud team into the ownership of a number of properties.

Cllr Ashikodi, who lives in Plumstead, is charged with two counts of fraud by misrepresentation.

She and her father, who lives in Thamesmead, have both been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Until September 17, the Glyndon ward councillor had not attended a meeting at the town hall since May 23.

Cllr Ashikodi, 29, who has been suspended from the Labour Party, was present in the audience of an overview and scrutiny meeting.

The councillor has been listed as “in attendance”, which means she attended the committee in a voluntary capacity.

A councillor must attend a council meeting at least once every six months otherwise a by-election is called.

A council spokesperson confirmed this is the case.

They said: “Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 determines that attendance by a councillor at any meeting of a committee of a council, whether or not he/she is a member of that committee, counts towards fulfilment of the minimum attendance requirement imposed by Section 85.

“Councillor Ashikodi’s attendance at the overview and scrutiny meeting on September 17 will count towards her attendance figures and this has been verified by our head of legal services.”

Cllr Ashikodi was contacted for comment in relation to her attendance.