COUNCILLORS from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will be taking a three month break from full council meetings.

The authority’s last meeting was held on June 22 when they met in the Bournemouth International Centre – with the next scheduled full council meeting now not due until September 14.

A meeting due to be held this/next week, on Tuesday July 13, has been cancelled as there was no ‘key business’ to discuss.

Said a statement from a BCP spokesperson: “The meeting scheduled for July 13 was held only three weeks after the rescheduled meeting of full Council, which took place on Tuesday June 22. As a consequence, key business which would have otherwise been considered at the meeting on July 13, was brought forward to June 22. There was no other key business that required the meeting to proceed on July 13.

“Scheduling an additional council meeting sometime between the ending of distancing restrictions and the next meeting was considered. However, on balance it was determined, in light of the business requiring council approval and the proximity of the pre-scheduled date of the next meeting, to proceed with the meeting on September 14.”

The council says that once meetings do resume, assuming restrictions are lifted on July 19, they will be held in person and open to the press and public to attend – but will also be broadcast live, allowing non-voting councillors and officer to attend and participate remotely, if they wish to. The council has not said if it will allow members of the public to participate in meetings remotely.