BOURNEMOUTH’S new mayor has said his love of the arts was behind his decision to fundraise for three organisations which receive large amounts of taxpayers’ money.

The mayor, Cllr Lawrence Williams, picked Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Pavilion Dance South West and the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum as three of his good causes for 2017-18.

Bournemouth council gives hundreds of thousands of pounds to the three arts charities, although all but the BSO have had their council funding reduced.

The mayor’s fourth chosen charity is the Hannah Levy House Trust, which runs a home for elderly Jewish people in Bournemouth.

Cllr Williams, who was previously the council’s cabinet member for tourism, leisure and arts, has made the arts and culture the theme for his mayoral year.

Cllr Williams said of his choices: “They’re all registered charities and I wanted the theme of arts and culture as much as possible.

“They’re the three biggest Bournemouth charities – and I do consider the BSO as Bournemouth – that are tied to the arts world.”

He stressed his chosen causes were also doing good work in the community.

Charity fundraising has become an important part of the mayor’s role. The BSO was previously chosen by 2015-16 mayor John Adams, but alongside other causes including three cancer charities.

Cllr Williams acknowledged that the council had reduced its support to some of the arts organisations.

“The mayoralty is taking its own cuts within the organisation. I will be driving myself a lot more often than past mayors have,” he said.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra received £194,020 from the council in the last financial year and Pavilion Dance South West £120,000. Russell-Cotes officially received £842,465 in 2015-16, but the council says almost half of this was an accounting adjustment to account for depreciation of the building, while £444,000 was the council’s direct subsidy.

Jane Portman, executive director at Bournemouth Borough Council, said in a statement: “The Mayor’s Charity Appeal Fund, which is a registered charity, provides an opportunity for the mayor to choose any charity or charities he or she wishes to support, providing they are of course registered with the Charity Commission and are approved by the Mayor’s Charity Appeal Fund trustees.

“Traditionally, mayors tend to select charities that undertake work that they are passionate about; over the years these have ranged from very local and community based charities, right up to international and national fundraising organisations either based in Bournemouth or supporting a Bournemouth project.

“It is not just through subsidies and grants that the council supports charities in Bournemouth. We recognise the huge contribution that all charities make to communities and appreciate that many are struggling in the current climate. The council works closely with many charities, commissioning services from them in a number of areas, in particular social care and community work."

Poole mayor Cllr Lindsay Wilson has chosen as her charities Forest Holme Hospice, the eating disorder charity Restored and the Crash hedgehog hospital.