THE mayor of Bournemouth has issued a telling-off to councillors over their behaviour as the local elections approach.

His warning came after tempers flared at the March meeting of the full council.

The mayor Cllr Barry Goldbart, who chairs the council, later sent an email to leaders of the political groups to say he did not want the scenes repeated.

He told the Daily Echo the email remained private but said: “The worry for me was it was a difficult meeting for me as the mayor to control and I was pointing out that we have one more full council until the next election. I didn’t want a repeat of those difficulties.

“I think it will fall on deaf ears but nevertheless I was trying to do my best.”

The meeting saw accusations by Liberal Democrat councillors that members of the public putting questions on council business were in fact Conservative supporters.

In one angry exchange, Lib Dem Cllr Richard Smith demanded an apology from council leader Cllr Peter Charon.

Tory councillor Nick King tweeted from the council chamber: “In a rather bad tempered meeting of Bournemouth Council. All a bit unnecessary really.”

Cllr Goldbart said: “When the mayor asks people to stop, they’re supposed to stop, and they didn’t. If I’d stood up, then the whole council is supposed to stand up but I think that gets a bit silly with adults.”