WHILE I was not surprised with the farce involved in BCP Council’s application for Bournemouth city status (Out Of Town Sites in City Status Bid, Echo 8 March), it is still deeply concerning.

When the late decision was made on this bid by BCP Council on 9th November last year it was obvious they had no idea what was involved in such a bid and demonstrated a worrying dysfunctionality that is now becoming ingrained within this Tory-led BCP Council.

Not reported by the Echo item was that the Freedom of Information request by Alex McKinstry asking for sight of the bid document was initially acknowledged but then lost in the system.

And while the exclusion of Throop & Holdenhurst from the city status bid was noted in the Echo, a further FoI request by Alex McKinstry shows Throop and Holdenhurst Village Council were not even contacted on the matter.

They replied to Alex McKinstry saying “As far as the Bournemouth’s city status bid goes, Throop and Holdenhurst Village Council have not mentioned it in any meeting, and I can confirm we have not been contacted by Drew Mellor or anyone else from BCP.”

DR MARTIN RODGER

Bloxworth Road, Parkstone