A NEW political group on BCP Council has been established by councillors who resigned from the Conservatives.

The four former Conservatives members and established Independent Julie Bagwell have now established the Poole Local Group.

With five seats on the council, it is the joint fourth largest group alongside Poole Independents.

The Conservatives now hold 37 of the 76 seats on BCP Council, followed by Liberal Democrats (13 councillors) and Christchurch Independents (seven councillors).

An extraordinary council meeting is due to take place at Bournemouth Town Hall on the evening of Tuesday, June 21.

The single item on the agenda is to review and approve the political balance of the council, the allocation of seats on committees to each political group, appointment of councillors to committees and appointments to outside bodies.

This review is needed to ensure compliance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and associated regulations.

As reported, four Conservative councillors - Steve Baron, Mohan Iyengar, Daniel Butt and Judes Butt – resigned from the Tory group and announced they would sit as Independents initially before deciding whether to form a new political group.

This move came after the councillors were not selected as candidates by Poole Conservative Association ahead of next year’s local elections.

Last week, BCP Council leader Cllr Drew Mellor, Conservative, announced changes to the ‘cabinet+’ team, with Cllr Judes Butt becoming lead member for engagement.

Cllr Baron will continue as lead member for Poole regeneration but Cllr Iyengar’s time as a cabinet member came to an end.