A CONTROVERSIAL policy that forced councillors in one half of Bournemouth to retire at the age of 70 is to be ditched.

For years, councillors in Bournemouth West have been compelled to stand down once they turned 70, while their counterparts in Bournemouth East were able to continue.

The policy forced out several long-standing councillors against their wishes and was harshly criticised.

It’s understood Conservative central office has recently written to the local association, telling them to revoke the rule.

But association chairman John Major said they already had plans to ditch it and it was “as good as gone.”

“It’s an anomaly, it’s unsatisfactory, it doesn’t recognise today’s circumstances and it’s not compatible with Conservative policy,” he said.

“It requires a vote but that will be a formality. To all intents and purposes, we’ve already recognised the rule has got to go and there will be a vote in a few weeks time.”

Jacky Harris, who was forced to stand down in 2003 after two decades on the council, said: “I was very bitter about it and if the legislation had been in place then, I would definitely have taken Bournemouth West to court.

“As it was I wrote to Central Office, everybody I could think of, but to no avail.

“I disagreed with it completely and I think we lost an awful lot of good councillors at the time – people who were providing a really good service.”

She added: “People should be looked at on merit and what they have contributed and can contribute in the future.”

And David Clutterbuck, who had to stand down in 2007, said: “I was simply told I had to stand down, there was no appeal against it. It was all done very nastily and it just made no sense.

“At the time I wanted to carry on, I felt I still had a lot to offer, but there was nothing I could do about it.”