BCP Council leader may face no confidence vote

The deputy leader of the Conservative-run council said the allegations over the meeting held on 26 April were "unfounded"

A vote of no confidence in a council leader could be tabled next month.

The Christchurch Independents Group on BCP Council is planning to move a motion criticising the Conservative council leader Drew Mellor at a full council meeting on 10 May.

The decision was prompted by a meeting earlier this week, attended by two Tory councillors who were believed to have had Covid.

BCP Council confirmed an extraordinary meeting would be held next month.

It is yet unknown if councillors will be allowed to table the motion.

But Lesley Dedman, a Christchurch Independents Group councillor, has confirmed a request has been made.

'Appalling scenes'

In the motion, which has been seen by the BBC, the group claims the Conservative administration and leadership brought the council "into local and national disrepute".

The group said "this culminated in the appalling scenes" at the full council meeting on 26 April, when two Conservative councillors believed to have Covid voted.

The BBC understands the two councillors had informed the authority's democratic services team that they had tested positive, but they were then phoned and turned up at the meeting, at which point a row started behind closed doors.

Philip Broadhead, the deputy leader of the Conservative-run council, previously said the allegations were "unfounded".

In the motion, the Christchurch Independents Group said the events "would have shamed and embarrassed any council, let alone one of the newest and largest authorities in the country".

"This council therefore has no confidence in the current administration's ability to provide the residents of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with proper, responsible and reliable local government and seeks the removal from office of its leader," the motion reads.

A BCP Council statement said: "The chair has agreed to hold an extraordinary council meeting on May 10.

"The agenda for that meeting will be published shortly."

The Conservatives took control of BCP Council in 2020, after the Unity Alliance administration, lead by Lib Dem Vikki Slade was ousted following a vote of no confidence.