Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council is a unitary authority in Dorset, England. It was formed in April 2019, with the inaugural elections held in May of that year. The council is made up of 76 councillors from 33 wards, elected for a four-year term, with the next elections due take place in 2023.

Political control

After the 2019 Election no party was in overall control, with the Conservatives 3 seats short of a majority, with a "Unity Alliance" coalition, led by the Liberal Democrats instead forming a majority administration.[1] In 2020, a vote of no confidence lead to the Conservatives forming a minority administration.[2] In September 2021, 4 councillors, 3 independents and 1 Liberal Democrat, defected to the Conservatives, forming a majority on the council for the first time since its first election in May 2019.[3]

Party in Control Years
No overall control 2019–2021
Conservative 2021–2023
No overall control 2023

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2019 have been:[4]

Councillor Party From To
Vikki Slade Liberal Democrats 21 May 2019 15 Sep 2020
Drew Mellor Conservative 1 Oct 2020 13 Feb 2023
Philip Broadhead Conservative 21 Feb 2023 24 May 2023
Vikki Slade Liberal Democrats 23 May 2023

Result maps

Council elections

By-election results

2021

Two by-elections were held in May 2021 alongside national local elections after the death of a Liberal Democrat and an Independent councillor in the wards of Canford Heath and Commons.[5][6]

Canford Heath

Canford Heath
Canford Heath (1 of 3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sean Gabriel 1,406 40.50
Liberal Democrats Jennie Hodges 1,365 39.32
Labour Janet Elizabeth Green 335 9.65
Independent John Sheldon 132 3.80
Green Ben Pantling 128 3.68
UKIP Vicky Spence 105 3.02
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Majority 35 0.82
Turnout 31.96

Commons

Commons
Commons (1 seat of 2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Christchurch Independents Vanessa Helen Ricketts 1,310 44.67
Conservative Lisle Carol Smith 822 28.03
Independent Fred Neale 296 10.09
Liberal Democrats Carol Ann Gardiner 242 8.25
Labour Peter Stokes 214 7.29
UKIP Peter James Bailey 48 1.6
Independent hold Swing
Majority 488 16.64
Total votes

References

  1. ^ "Vikki Slade named leader of BCP Council as 'Unity Alliance' takes control of new authority". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Tories back in control of BCP conurbation after leadership vote". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  3. ^ "COUNCILLORS FROM AN ARRAY OF PARTIES ANNOUNCE THEY ARE JOINING THE CONSERVATIVES. – bcp". Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Council minutes". Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Canford Heath ward by-election 2021". www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Commons ward by-election 2021". www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
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