WHEN will Drew Mellor and BCP Council sidekick Philip Broadhead realise that their campaign to earn Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole ‘city’ status is running the risk of turning into an out of control ego trip?

Cllr Mellor, in particular, bleats on about ‘our strongly held view is that we must at all times respect, protect and celebrate the sovereign status of all three towns’ after previously insisting ‘in many ways the BCP area is regarded as a single place’.

No, Cllr Mellor. That is a mealy-mouthed attempt to convince the residents of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that, in the space of four years, they have become part of an all singing, all dancing conurbation, something Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole never has, and never will be.

I am based in Plymouth but was born in Mudeford back in 1957 and am deeply proud of my Hampshire and Isle of Wight roots despite the ludicrous Tory-inspired boundary shift into Dorset during the seventies.

It never occurs to me when asked ‘where are you from’ to reply with anything other than ‘Mudeford, a village just outside Christchurch’ with any mention of Bournemouth or Poole never entering my head.

Do councillors Mellor and Broadhead seriously believe that attaching a ‘city’ tag to a town like Bournemouth, that has unfortunately become a shell of its former self, will provide a ‘click of the fingers’ solution to still growing problems?

On a final note, why does Cllr Mellor ‘feel it is correct for the civic leaders of these towns to determine whether they wish their area apply for city status’.

Surely the decision should be made by the constituents of the three towns by way of a vote allowing them to have their voices heard or is Cllr Mellor fearful of a snub and having to revert to the steam rolling that created the BCP itself?

Ross Taylor

Dark Street Lane, Plympton, Devon