BOURNEMOUTH’S council leader is being urged to reconsider his unpopular decision to sack the town’s education chief.

The controversy surrounding the decision to remove Cllr Nicola Greene from her job as cabinet member for education and children’s services is refusing to abate.

And leader Cllr Peter Charon is now coming under intense pressure from both his Conservative colleagues and opposition councillors to revoke his decision and reinstate Cllr Greene.

In an email seen by the Echo, long-standing Tory councillor and former education chair Stephen Chappell told Cllr Charon: “Education is too important to be the victim of a disagreement between you and Nicola.”

He said: “These are difficult, changing and challenging times for the Education Service, with the creation of academies, problems over school places, Mr Gove’s anticipated reforms etc etc.

“An experienced and wise hand is required to work together with Jane Portman to guide us over the hurdles.”

He said Cllr Greene had been “carrying out her task with great competence and ability and is held in high esteem by the profession”.

And he added: “It would be a grave error, in my opinion, to lose Nicola’s expertise and commitment at this time. In this season of goodwill, therefore, and in the interests of the education service, I ask you please to reconsider your decision.”

Other Conservative members have labelled the decision “appalling” and “shocking”.

Cllr Charon was unavailable for comment.

Cllr Nicola Greene issued a statement after her sacking, in which she said it had been “a privilege” to serve as cabinet member for education and children’s services.

“I am saddened to have been dismissed, not least because of the consistent approval from the leader, the Conservative group, officers and the whole of the council regarding the job I have done,” she said.

“However it appears that our personal styles are too different for me to continue in his cabinet.”