Petition sparks row at BCP Council meeting

A petition calling for a delay to any new parish and town councils in Broadstone, Bournemouth and Poole until the next local elections in May 2027 has led to tensions at a Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council meeting.

Jo Keeling, chair of Talbot Village Residents Association, presented the petition titled ‘Stop Parish and Town Councils until 2027 – let residents decide’. She said she was “deeply saddened” by how councillors treated those who had signed it.

Councillors were given the chance to ask questions about how the petition began and why residents felt they were not being heard. However, no debate took place after the chair decided to move directly to the main agenda item, causing frustration among residents and some councillors.

Following the meeting, Conservative campaigner Jo Keeling said the experience had left residents feeling disrespected. “The way members of the public were spoken to last night simply for plucking up the courage to present a petition and ask questions on behalf of their community was completely unacceptable,” she said. She added that residents “deserve to see a council that listens, respects, and leads by example.”

Responding after the meeting, Councillor Millie Earl, leader of the Three Town Alliance, said Mrs Keeling’s political background should have been made clear. She described it as “disingenuous” for her to present herself only as a concerned resident. Councillor Earl said the Alliance had restored scrutiny, balanced the council’s finances, and ended the Future Places project since taking office.

The petition called for decisions on forming new parish and town councils to be postponed until the next local elections so that residents could have a greater say in the process.