BCP councillor 'swearing' in meeting prompts inquiry

Complaints have been made after a councillor was reportedly heard swearing during a council meeting.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is investigating after an unidentified member of the council apparently used profane language.

It was heard during a pause in virtual proceedings while votes were being counted for a deal to sell land.

Current and former councillors described it as "simply unacceptable conduct".

The comment was made during a full council meeting on Tuesday, which was held remotely, and has prompted an internal investigation.

Councillors had paused to vote on whether to sign off a deal selling land to University Hospitals Dorset.

A male councillor, who has not been identified because they were off-screen at the time, was then heard to swear.

The comment was flagged by councillor Judy Butt who asked "who said that?" but it was otherwise not addressed for the rest of the meeting.

Former mayor, Sean Gabriel, took to Twitter to condemn the man's actions, saying it was "shocking behaviour."

The council's code of conduct, which governs the behaviour of its elected representatives and officers, makes no specific reference to councillors swearing.

It says they "must not behave in a way which could reasonably be regarded as bringing their role or the council into disrepute".

A spokesman for BCP Council said: "We have received a number of emails from councillors who were present at the council meeting, and from members of the public, all of whom have expressed their concern about the language heard during the online meeting."

Chief executive, Graham Farrant, said the issue would be investigated through the council's "internal complaints procedure" and if complaints were progressed further, they would be considered by the council's standards committee.