BCP councillors to take three-month break from full council meetings

COUNCILLORS from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will be taking a three-month break from full council meetings.

The BCP authority’s last meeting was held on 22nd June when they met at the Bournemouth International Centre. The next scheduled full council meeting is now not due until 14th September, writes Trevor Bevins of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A meeting due to be held on Tuesday 13th July has been cancelled as there was no "key business" to discuss.

A BCP Council spokesperson said: “The meeting scheduled for 13th July 13 was held only three weeks after the rescheduled meeting of full council, which took place on Tuesday 22nd June.

"As a consequence, key business which would have otherwise been considered at the meeting on 13th July was brought forward to 22nd June. There was no other key business that required the meeting to proceed on 13th July.

“Scheduling an additional council meeting some time between the ending of distancing restrictions and the next meeting was considered.

"However, on balance it was determined, in light of the business requiring council approval and the proximity of the pre-scheduled date of the next meeting, to proceed with the meeting on 14th September.”

A further meeting also due to be held next week has also been cancelled – the standards committee on Thursday 15th July.

The council said that once meetings do resume, assuming restrictions are lifted on 19th July, they will be held in person and open to the press and public to attend.

They will also be broadcast live, allowing non-voting councillors and officers to attend and participate remotely.

The council has not said if it will allow members of the public to participate in meetings remotely.