There was controversy over Mr Beesley’s register in 2011, when, as planning board chairman, he was called before a tribunal amid allegations he breached the councillors’ code of conduct by not declaring a prejudicial interest in applications involving the firm Planning Solutions, owned by his friend and former councillor Anthony (Tony) Ramsden-Geary.

The tribunal threw out the case against him, stating that he had followed the advice of council legal officers correctly.

AS well as running a consultancy business, John Beesley also works for a Bournemouth housing developer.

The leader of the council is a director of Platinum Skies, the retirement housing brand of Charminster-based Quantum Group. Quantum lists ambitious plans for a new luxury hotel and 121 flats on the East Cliff among its planning successes.

It builds and manages homes in the south for people aged 55 and above, declaring its aim as “revolutionising retirement living”.

Mr Beesley is listed online as part of “Quantum’s senior team”. The site speaks of his “considerable knowledge and experience in the public sector, particularly the work and function of local authorities”.

He told the Daily Echo he has been an unpaid, non-executive director of Platinum since June last year, and the firm is “not strictly a subsidiary” of Quantum.

He said Platinum is a registered social landlord with “as far as I am aware” no interests in Bournemouth.

“I made it clear to the company when I joined the board that I would leave the post if and when Platinum Skies developed a site in Bournemouth,” he said.

Quantum’s other schemes include Fairmile Grange care home and the Homefield Park retirement development, both in Christchurch.

Great Oaks care home in Bournemouth is under construction, as are the Esprit and Vista retirement blocks in Poole.

Leader has driven forward 'Master Vision' for Bournemouth

IN his council capacity John Beesley cannot be accused of not getting things done.

The leader has driven forward the Town Centre Master Vision, the blueprint for the development of Bournemouth.

Orchestrated via the Bournemouth Development Company, a partnership between the council and Morgan Sindall Investments, the vision has seen the construction of three blocks of student accommodation in Madeira Road, new flats and a restaurant in the Citrus Building at Horseshoe Common, and ongoing schemes to build flats on several council car parks.

Other major schemes include the Hilton Hotel in Terrace Road, and plans for a new shopping and leisure complex on the Winter Gardens site.

Cllr Beesley has also overseen the authority's budget as head of resources, and for the past six years has returned a balanced budget at the end of each financial year.