A FORMAL censure against nine Christchurch councillors for their support of local government reorganisation has been overturned.

They were reprimanded by their 13 Conservative colleagues for going against the group’s policy of opposing the merger with Bournemouth and Poole councils.

However, according to a letter sent anonymously to the Daily Echo, a panel led by the party’s Dorset area chairman, Chris Loder, has found that there was “a lack of credible evidence” of the group’s policy and that as a result the censure was “unenforceable”.

The original decision to censure Cllrs Claire Bath, Bernie Davies, Tavis Fox, Cllr Wendy Grace, Vicki Hallam, Ray Nottage, Lisle Smith, Sue Spittle and Trevor Watts was taken at a meeting in July.

A move to expel them from the group did not receive enough support, it is understood.

The move was appealed by the nine councillors, leading to the panel meeting at the end of August.

Overturning the decision, Mr Loder said that the complaint was “an outcome looking for evidence” and that there was “no evidence” provided by council leader David Flagg of there being a policy on local government reorganisation.

“There were discrepancies in the documents that were provided to the censured councillors and the written evidence submitted to the panel by the leader,” he said.

“Given the discrepancy – specifically a differing list of complainants – the panel concluded that inappropriate coordination had taken place of the complaint – which had led to either councillors likely being named as complainants on a document without their knowledge or incorrect documentation being sent to the appellants.

“There was no evidence provided that the group leader, nor any designated group officer on the leader’s behalf had adequately investigated the matter in an attempt to avoid censure.

“The panel took the view that the format of the complaint provided to the leader of the council was ‘an outcome looking for evidence’”.

He added that the panel was “concerned” about the possibility of “inappropriate” behaviour contravening the party’s code of conduct after looking through the evidence.

As well as overturning the censure, the panel has recommended that the nine councillors be reinstated to committees they were removed from last month.