A Poole councillor served for only 10 days before being thrown off a hospital council of governors.

Cllr Charles Meachin thinks he may be the shortest serving member in history after the Royal Bournemouth Hospital reduced its board shortly after he was appointed.

Now the Borough of Poole has challenged this decision, concerned because many Poole residents are referred to the hospital.

"I think we should get some representation," said Cllr Meachin. "I served for 10 days. The Leader has written and we are challenging Bournemouth's decision."

Cllr Meachin was appointed by the council to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust council of governors in September, replacing another Poole councillor.

"We were really quite shocked by what took place," said Cllr Guy Montrose, chairman of the Borough of Poole's health scrutiny committee.

"There is no reason we shouldn't have representation on the board of governors. It is a very serious matter and we are investigating it," he said.

However the hospital, which now has 28 instead of 34 governors, including a public member from Poole to represent the town, is unrepentant.

Deputy council chairman and Bournemouth governor Sharon Carr-Brown said: "The vote of the council was overwhelming after a thorough debate and we had no desire to go back on the decision. The council is happy that it's the right thing to do."

Simon Dursley, trust secretary said the Borough of Poole had been represented on the council of governors since achieving foundation status on April 1 2005.

A number of factors led to the reduction in size, including guidance from the independent regulator monitor about ensuring the size was workable, he said.

"It was the Borough of Poole's decision to change their representative very recently - who was made aware of the proposed changes on joining," he added.