TOP level council posts will be changing hands next week as Bournemouth’s ruling Tory group has a reshuffle.

The Daily Echo understands that leader John Beesley will transfer his resources portfolio to Councillor Philip Broadhead. Other posts will be changed to accommodate departures from politics to one degree or another.

Cllr Michael Filer’s waste portfolio is expected to be reassigned to Cllr Mike Greene (right), who already holds a cabinet position for transport, sustainability and carbon management, as the former is thought to be retiring from the borough executive.

Meanwhile, Cllr Lawrence Williams’ departure from the tourism, leisure and the arts brief to serve as mayor this year has resulted in a vacancy, and the Echo has been informed Cllr Pat Oakley is in line for this role.

Cllr Beesley has held the resources portfolio, overseeing the budget, since before he was elected leader. Cllr Broadhead, an estate agent, has not held a cabinet position before, but is vice-chairman of the health and adult social care scrutiny panel.

It is only a few years since the waste and transportation portfolios were combined.

Cllr Greene, who declined to confirm the Echo’s information, said the portfolio had been divided to allow a dedicated cabinet member for waste to tackle a major procurement alongside Borough of Poole and Dorset County Council.

“It was particularly while negotiating a very successful package that came from national government for waste disposal, that was a very substantial piece of work and took up an awful lot of Cllr Filer’s time,” he said.

“But it will go from here is up to the leader to decide. I can safely say there will be enough for the 10 of us to be getting on with.”

The decision on the reshuffle is expected to be announced to the Tory group on Monday and publicly at the full council meeting on Tuesday evening, which will also see committee chairs appointed.

With Cllr Laurence Fear’s recent switch from UKIP to the Conservatives there are now only two opposition members on the council, who will like take roles on a majority of the borough’s scrutiny committees.

On Christchurch Borough Council, Mayor Cllr Trish Jamieson has been elected deputy leader of the ruling Conservative Group after a contest with former deputy leader Cllr Claire Bath.