BOURNEMOUTH council leader John Beesley will not go to court over misconduct allegations, the Echo can reveal.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has told Dorset Police it does not intend to charge Councillor Beesley with misconduct or an allegation that he failed to properly disclose pecuniary interests.

The 17-month-long police investigation is now at an end.

A force spokesman said: "Following a lengthy and thorough multi-stranded investigation by Dorset Police the CPS received a comprehensive file for consideration as to any potential criminal proceedings.

"The CPS review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to take matters any further."

The police case began in April last year after a complaint against Cllr Beesley, signed by 10 Conservative councillors, was submitted to the council's legal team.

This complaint is understood to relate to Cllr Beesley's work as a self-employed hospitality consultant.

Bournemouth council has said it intends to arrange a formal inquiry conducted by an "external assessor", "regardless of the outcome of the police investigation".

A borough spokesman said: "We are pleased that the lengthy, thorough and multi-stranded investigation by Dorset Police has ended.

"The investigation commenced following a referral by the monitoring officer, on receipt of a complaint about Cllr Beesley eighteen months ago, which included allegations covered by the Localism Act.

"We have been notified by Dorset Police that they will not be taking matters further in respect of these allegations.

"The original complaint, which also alleged potential breaches of the council’s members' code of conduct, will now be processed in accordance with the council’s published local arrangements."