Vote of no confidence to be called at BCP Council

A VOTE of no confidence will be called on the leader of BCP Council and her unity alliance administration next week.

The Conservatives, led by Cllr Drew Mellor, will put forward the motion at the meeting of the full council on 9th June in a bid to take control of the authority, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Cllr Mellor said his group would be “much stronger” and “more experienced” and would deal with the financial effects of the coronavirus response “head on”.

Since the death of Christchurch Independent Cllr Colin Bungey last month, there have been as many Conservative councillors as members of the ruling coalition, which runs the area of Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole.

Cllr Mellor had approached council leader Cllr Vikki Slade about the possibility of working together, with Tory councillors assuming some senior positions.

But this was rejected by Cllr Slade who said it would have meant existing coalition members being sidelined.

Now Cllr Mellor has announced he will call a vote of no confidence in the existing leadership, saying the Tories have enough support for a majority.

“Over the last year we have seen several high-profile disagreements with the ruling seven-group coalition, leading already to a number of resignations,” he said.

“This has left the administration in even greater difficulty as it becomes harder and harder to satisfy the divergent wishes of each group and individual.”

Cllr Mellor praised the work of Cllr Slade, particularly during the coronavirus outbreak, but said her “cabinet of compromise” was stifling decision-making.

He referenced the scaling-down of the Wessex Fields project and “disagreements and dithering” over the future of the Bournemouth Air Festival.

“It is clear that there has been too much need to compromise and not enough action,” he added. “At a time when the financial black hole resulting from the Covid-19 crisis is a real threat to us all, such a luxury can no longer be afforded.”

He said the Tory group was already “in discussion” with business figures across the conurbation about putting together “a bold transformation agenda” should the vote be successful.

Cllr Slade said the move was “incredibly disappointing”.

“It is not the right thing for the residents and it is unhelpful for some council colleagues to be playing politics while officers and councillors are working so hard to get through the coronavirus pandemic and to continue delivering vital local services, looking after the most vulnerable in our communities,” she said.

“Only last month Cllr Mellor wrote to two cabinet members saying he had no intention of bringing a vote of no confidence until after we are through the initial phase of the pandemic and also until the tragically required Christchurch by-election had been contested.”

She added: “This is a hugely unhelpful and unnecessary distraction and I feel that many people will agree that it’s a serious error of judgement.”

Should the vote succeed, there would be a ballot to elect a new leader of the council who would then appoint their own cabinet.