Claire Detheridge on extended leave from Cape Breton regional council

Cape Breton regional council has grantedCoun. Claire Detheridgean extended leave of absence, which government regulations require when an elected officialmisses three or more council meetings.

The District 4councillorhas been in hospital since suffering a brain bleed in December.

The mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Cecil Clarke, is optimistic aboutDetheridge's progress after visiting her in hospital. Hedescribesher recovery as "remarkable."

"I was totally floored today to see the progress," he said.

Clark said heanticipates Detheridge will be returning to her duties, although he adds she will require rehabilitation to regain full mobility and he can't speak for her.

"She has access to her phone but not to her emailand other things that could distract her from having a full recovery as soon as possible," he said.

'Baby steps'

Clarke would not speculate onwhether Detheridge will run in this fall's municipal election. Everything between now and then will bedone in "baby steps" as she recovers, he said.

Detheridge, 63, has been a councillor for 33 years. Her district encompassesthe Coxheath-Sydney River area with a population of about 8,500.

Due to her illness sheis also unable to fulfill her duties as president of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, a position to which she was elected in November. Clarke has agreed to take her place in the interim.

In addition to the decision to grant Detheridgea leave of absence, Cape Breton regional councilalso decided to leave the North Sydneyseat, formerly occupied byCharlie Keagan,vacant until the election in October.

Keagandied in January after a heart attack the month before.

Clarke said council decidedit doesn'tmake sense to hold a byelection with associated costs of $34,000 when the general election is only months away.