BOURNEMOUTH councillors are finally set discuss an independent inquiry into council leader John Beesley at a meeting of the standards board next Friday - the last working day before the authority is abolished.

The long-awaited, 46-page report by lawyer Mark Heath of VWV Solicitors finds the complaints by colleagues to be unproven and that he did not breach the council's Code of Conduct.

Both a police investigation and the independent inquiry commissioned by the council itself were triggered by a letter of complaint from ten Conservative councillors, just after the sudden departure of chief executive Tony Williams on March 17 2017.

The police investigation into Cllr Beesley and his business interests ended last year with the Crown Prosecution Service concluding there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.

Mr Heath's report was published by the council last night.

A full analysis of the findings, as well as Cllr Beesley's response, will be published online tomorrow but you can view the full report online from today.

Report into Bournemouth council leader John Beesley.pdf

While Cllr Beesley will be delighted at the outcome, the complainants have already indicated they are unhappy with the findings.

Meanwhile the family of Mr Williams, who died last year, are upset that Mr Heath did not consider his own documentation.

Mr Williams was conducting his own review into Cllr Beesley when he suddenly left the council in March 2017.

The report highlights some significant concerns among his Conservatives colleagues about his role as a private consultant and his influence and leadership style as council leader.

In his executive summary, Mr Heath said "taking account of the evidence and the law" all the allegations are unproven.

The report says there is no direct evidence in support of breach of Code of Conduct but there is "compelling evidence especially from the officers that there was no breach."

It says: "We believe that a member of the public, knowing all the relevant facts, would reasonably think that Cllr Beesley's actions would not impact on the council's ability to properly carry out its functions."

There was concern that the report could be withheld from the public and next week's meeting held being closed doors.

But the council's senior legal officer, Tanya Coulter has ruled it is in the public interest.