AS local authorities go, Christchurch Council is pretty civilised.

This may be because local members do their best to make sure that the town’s motto – Where Time is Pleasant – filters into the council chamber. And it’s a small council with only 24 councillors who generally rub along well together. This might account for the rather more mild and muted reaction the defection of Liberal Democrat Peter Hall to the Tories, compared with the response when Derek Borthwick abandoned his Independent colleagues to join the Conservatives in Bournemouth with the ink barely dry on the election results. Mr Hall – both a borough and a county councillor, says his move “is for the benefit of the residents of Christchurch” and that he can achieve more as part of the Conservative group. This is a poor justification.

We are entitled to ask why it has taken him so many years to work this out? And when this Eureka moment occurred given the elections happened just last month. It’s a shame councillors who jump ship always seem to do so just after polling day rather than just before, therefore denying voters a more honest choice at the ballot box.

The electors of Twynham have been ill served by his actions. And now the Tories have 22 seats on the council so has democracy. Come on councillor, do the decent thing. Resign, re-stand - let the people decide.