THE Dorset councillor overseeing the A338 roadworks has not been selected by the Tories to contest next year's election.

As cabinet member for natural and built environment, Cllr Daryl Turner is responsible for county transport projects including the controversial ongoing road widening scheme at Blackwater junction, which has caused extensive delays.

Party sources say Cllr Turner sought to be selected as a candidate for the new unitary Dorset Council, due to be set up next year.

Local Conservative associations across the county are currently picking their candidates for the contest in May.

However, despite being in a senior executive position and with a good reputation among his fellow members, Cllr Turner has not been picked.

He is understood to have told colleagues in West Dorset that he feels he has been personally targeted, and he is planning to appeal the decision.

Cllr Turner has yet to respond to the Echo's questions on the matter.

Chris Loder, chairman of West Dorset Conservatives, told the Echo that Cllr Turner had not been 'deselected' and that decisions on who would stand for the election next year had not been finalised.

Dorset County Council is carrying out the roadworks on the A338, although Bournemouth council has been closely involved with the planning, as well as publicising the project.

Cllr Turner came under fire at the start of the nine-month scheme when motorists reported being delayed for hours, and business leaders called for the traffic management scheme to be re-thought.

At the time, he said: "Unfortunately if we don’t make these improvements to the A338 now, it won’t be fit for purpose in the future and the delays we are seeing will be a daily occurrence.

"I’d like to reiterate our apologies to everyone that is frustrated by these roadworks. We are doing everything we can to minimise delays and get the job done as quickly as possible."

There is no indication Cllr Turner's involvement with the road scheme is related to his not being selected.