THE chief executive of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has urged political groups to continue discussions to form a controlling administration.

Ahead of the first meeting of the new unitary authority on Tuesday (May 21), Graham Farrant has called for cooperation between councillors.

Elections at the beginning of the month left no one group with a majority of the 76 members of the council and since then groups have held several meetings to try and secure a ruling coalition.

Mr Farrant has taken in several discussions and facilitators have been brought in by the council to try and aid negotiations ahead of the first full meeting of the new authority.

He said: “This meeting will mark a significant milestone in the establishment of BCP council.

“It is important that party representatives continue to talk to each other across the groups with a view to determining how they can best work together to help shape key policies and strategies for BCP council going forward.

“As officers it is important we remain impartial and objective whilst supporting all 76 elected councillors.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, which will take place at Bournemouth University, the council’s first ever chairman and leader will be appointed.

Once this has been completed, the leader will be able to appoint cabinet members.

The Conservative group, which has 36 councillors has held discussions with other councillors in a bid to secure the support of three it needs for a majority.

However, several meetings have been held between representatives of the majority of the other groups who are hoping to put together a non-Conservative alliance to run the council.

Talks have taken place every day this week to try and work out what its priorities could be and how it would be run.