Government tells 'acrimonious' BCP Council to improve

A council that holds "acrimonious" meetings and has an "unrealistic" budget plan has been urged to make improvements by the government.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has been issued with a Best Value Notice.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said it was a record of concerns over issues including behaviour and finances.

The council said it agreed with the report and was acting on its findings.

The levelling up department said relationships between councillors and officers had not been positive in recent years.

It wrote: "Meetings have been acrimonious with a high number of complaints to the standards committee.

"The authority's medium term financial plan and budget, as currently agreed, is unrealistic.

"It is based on the delivery of an overly ambitious transformation programme both in terms of levels of savings and timescales for delivery."

The notice also raised concerns over the council's regeneration company, FuturePlaces, which was set up in 2021.

The notice from the government said the authority should urgently revise its medium term budgets, implement training and agree priorities for FuturePlaces.

It said a failure to improve might lead to statutory steps being taken by ministers.

The 12-month notice has been prompted by an external review of the council's finances following BCP's request in 2022 for extra financial support.

The council in Dorset is controlled by a Liberal Democrat-led alliance following May's local elections.

The Lib Dems led a similar alliance from 2019, when the authority was formed, until 2020 when a Conservative minority administration took over.

In February 2023, council officers criticised a Conservative plan to limit the council tax rise to 2.99% rather than the maximum 4.99%. The plan was abandoned after Tory council leader Drew Mellor resigned.

In July, the council said it was considering the future of funding for the Bournemouth Air Festival due to a £44m shortfall in the 2024-25 council budget.

Council chief executive Graham Farrant said the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities had "recognised its findings correspond to our own understanding of the challenges we face."

He added: "We have already taken steps to act on its recommendations.

"We're confident we're making the necessary improvements to put the council on a sustainable financial footing."

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