2 October 2020
The Unity Alliance control of BCP Council ended on 1st October. BCP Green Party expressed their thanks to the Unity Alliance administration for their:
Drew Mellor beat off competition from Liberal Democrat councillor Vikki Slade having seen her deposed in his vote of no confidence last month. He said he would lead a council that was “collaborative, accountable and fair”.
Cllr Mellor was nominated as leader by his deputy, Cllr Phil Broadhead, while Christchurch Independent councillor Lesley Dedman, a member of the Unity Alliance cabinet, put forward Cllr Slade once again as the coalition’s candidate, praising her “integrity” and “honest desire to improve things for residents”.
Questions were raised by Lib Dem councillor Mike Cox about Cllr Mellor’s past in business, highlighting two county court judgments over debts, but Cllr Mellor hit back, asking which entrepreneur had not “made mistakes”.
In a secret ballot he won the support of 40 of the 74 elected members of BCP Council with Cllr Slade receiving 33 votes and one councillor abstaining.
He appealed to the Christchurch Independents, who broke off from the Conservatives over the creation of BCP Council, to “take the weekend” to consider becoming a part of his administration.
However, the offer has been immediately rebuffed by the group, which had dismissed similar offers in recent weeks.
“We stood on a platform in the elections last year that the Tories cannot be trusted to protect Christchurch and we won eight of the ten seats,” it said in a statement.
“We stand by that position to retain our political and personal integrity.”
Cllr Mellor said he would meet with council chief executive Graham Farrant “at the earliest opportunity” to began work to put his policies in place.
The Bournemouth Echo report can be read here.
