A ‘SHADOW authority’ of 120 councillors will be set up to prepare for the Future Dorset plan.

The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Joint Committee ruled on Friday that the shadow council, operating under Bournemouth’s procedures, should contain all the councillors, the vast majority of which are Conservative, from the three existing borough authorities.

It will have a shadow executive committee of 16 members providing “a balance of representation” from the boroughs.

At the committee meeting, Poole Liberal Democrat councillor David Brown put forward a motion for this body to include representation from other political parties, however it was not seconded.

Bournemouth and Poole legal officer Tanya Coulter told councillors at the meeting: “There is no requirement for it to be politically balanced.”

Bournemouth councillor Mike Green said Cllr Brown’s own inclusion on the Joint Committee meant his party were “overrepresented” there as they had only “seven members out of 120”.