'Shock' as Poole's mayor is forced to 'work from Audi'

Cllr Pete Miles, the mayor of Poole, has slammed BCP Council’s proposals to sell off Poole civic centre following a review. 

The Poole People party member has said “people are shocked” when they learn that he has to do his work from the back of his mayoral car, a silver Audi A6. 

Speaking at a full council meeting, Cllr Miles said: “People are shocked when they hear that the mayor of Poole works out the back of an Audi. 

“The civic regalia is hidden from public view and spread in various locations across BCP while the building that is the heart of the town lays idle. 

“We could be utilising that massive car park at the civic, the solar panels, instead it’s left to rack and ruin with an extortionate cost that I don’t believe.” 

Pete Miles (Image: Andy Beeson-Brackstone)

A report by senior officers found that BCP Council is forking out around £19k every month to maintain it in business rates, electricity, security measures, maintenance requirements, mild levels of heating and standing charges for water. 

Hamworthy councillor Peter Cooper told Three Towns Alliance cabinet members: “I drive past the civic centre and remember so much joy, innovation and pride.  

“I suspect everyone who worked in that building does and that needs to be considered. 

“Our mayor works out of the back of a [car], when Pete is doing his stuff. Can we reflect on that, what that means for the people, history and heritage of Poole? This is part of the decimation of that.” 

Former mayor of Poole Mark Howell (Image: David Higgins Photography, Bournemouth)

Poole People councillor Mark Howell successfully made an amendment to cabinet’s decision to sell the council. 

He said that the “viability of retaining the vertical slice in public use incorporating the Poole mayoralty function and potential community and coroner” should be considered before the sale. 

Cllr Howell added that any decision on the sale of Poole civic centre should be “reserved to the council” - voted on by full council. 

Cabinet member for finance Mike Cox said: “The people of Poole have been consulted on this site via the local plan.  

“Many options open to the council have been discussed by members at a number of meetings in the years since Local Government Reorganisation.   

“Following the amendment passed by council, and following soft market testing, cabinet and then council will again be asked to consider options for the former civic centre in Poole.   

“This soft market testing will consider two options - disposal of the whole site, and disposal of the whole site minus the vertically sliced civic function.”