Poole Local leader on BCP Council's newest political group

Cllr Mohan Iyengar is heading up the collection of Independents, who have formed the Poole Local Group.

Four of the five councillors in the group, including Cllr Iyengar, resigned from the Tories last month after they were not selected by Poole Conservative Association to stand for election next year.

Cllr Iyengar, who spoke in his new leader role at last week’s extraordinary full council meeting, told the Daily Echo that the group would put Poole residents' priorities at the heart of their work.

“One of the other leaders has said to me you are in opposition now. No, our group isn’t about being in opposition, we are about being for our residents,” Cllr Iyengar told the Daily Echo.

“With Poole we think there is lot of things to fix, including street cleaning, the look and feel of the town centre but there needs to be changes right now.

“When good ideas for people come forward we will support them – whoever brings them.”

• Read more: New political group on BCP Council after Tory resignations

Cllr Iyengar, who represents the Canford Cliffs ward, is joined in the group by Hamworthy councillors Julie Bagwell and Daniel Butt, Parkstone ward member Steve Baron and Creekmoor councillor Judes Butt.

Cllr Mohan Iyengar (Image: BCP Council)

“The five of us have been around for a fair old time with a long-standing connection with Poole,” Cllr Iyegar said.

“We are representing a much bigger group of people who have come together wanting to improve Poole.“

At last week’s full council Cllr Iyengar said Poole Local Group was “already in footlights”.

• Letter: Poole Local Group will listen to residents

He said claims the group was under the whip of the Conservatives was “absolute conjecture”, adding that no such allegiance had been formed.

Cllr Iyengar, a former cabinet member in the Conservative administration, said it felt like the maiden meeting for Poole Local Group was “the roughing up of the newbies”.

He said he expects this to continue before adding “most emphatically we are up for it so bring it on”.

The meeting Cllr Iyengar was speaking at descended into factious and bizarre scene at times with Cllr Bagwell accusing Poole People member Cllr Mark Howell of “slagging” her off, before a stand-off involving Cllr Howell and local authority chairman Cllr Nigel Hedges.

• Read more: Summer of discontent continues at divided BCP Council

When asked if the atmosphere at BCP Council meetings needed to change, Cllr Iyengar said he agreed that the respect at council meetings needed to improve.

“The tone of the meetings has got to a particularly bad place and it needs to be pulled back,” said Cllr Iyengar.

“At times things need to be calmed down and people should hold back on the strong language being used.”