MORE Bournemouth councillors than ever have decided not to make their home addresses or phone numbers available to the public.

Honorary Alderman Philip Whitelegg – who served on the council for half a century – has protested over the fact that six members have not revealed their home addresses on the publicly available list of councillors.

Two have put the Town Hall switchboard phone number as their only number, while 15 have provided a mobile number rather than a home landline.

Mr Whitelegg said the Town Hall was a “sort of B&B address” for members who did not want to say where they lived. And he said mobile numbers would be more expensive for the public to call. “Why the secrecy, bearing in mind that councillors are representatives of the public?” he said.

“They offer their services to the public and should be easily accessible to the public.”

Cllr Anne Rey, Independent group leader and Mr Whitelegg’s daughter, said: “I’ve never known so many councillors that don’t want to disclose their telephone number or their address.

“Some of them have put mobile numbers, which are going to be expensive, and when people want to write to them, it’s going to take ages.

“There’s no point in being a councillor if people can’t phone you any time of the week. We’re not nine to five and I think people should realise that.”

Liberal Democrat Cllr Roger West said: “I’ve always made my name, telephone number, address and email address available to the public. In my view it’s not right for people to stand for election if they’re not prepared to be identified.”

Conservative Cllr Jane Montrose only lists the Town Hall address and switchboard number. “I had some quite serious hoax phone calls at the end of last year. It was decided with the police and the council’s democratic services that it wasn’t appropriate for my telephone to be on there,” she said.

“It wasn’t a decision taken lightly.”

Members’ addresses are usually available for the public in the register of members’ interests, which is available online.