It was an apparent eleventh hour deal that caused a furore amongst newly elected Councillors in Bournemouth. A contract for a casino in the centre of the town was signed at 6:45 p.m. on Election Day – the day that Bournemouth Council changed hands. The new Conservative leadership immediately ordered a review of the deal and the local media made much of ‘last minute’ deal signed by an outgoing Liberal Democrat Councillor.

The results of the review were published yesterday and, as expected, the former Council has been cleared. There was no arrangement hurriedly patched together as exit polls predicted a new Council leadership. In 2004 the Trevor Osborne Group was appointed the preferred bidder for a new development at Bournemouth Pavilion, the scheme including a casino as well as restaurants, tourist information centre and roof gardens. Discussions continue and came up for final consideration on 2 April 2007, with completion date set for 27 April. The delayed signing of the deal on 3 May was caused by further negotiation and problems with Internet at the Town Hall.

The inquiry reveals that there had been no move to overturn the 2 April decision to approve the Pavilion deal, and that if signing had been postponed until after the election then substantial compensation may have been due – and will probably be due if the new Councillors renege on the agreement. New Council leader Stephen MacLoughlin was quoted as saying that in strict accordance with the council's constitution, it seems as if nothing untoward happened. He added, “I think the situation is still highly questionable. I think most members of the public would say: Can this really be, that on the day of an election the officers sign a contract like this?"

Some Councillors are now insisting that voters will only be satisfied by a full investigation in public. As Bournemouth already has two casinos, and did have three, the addition of a casino at the Pavilion is unlikely to cause local residents much concern. Outgoing Council leader Richard Smith attributed the present public interest in the matter to the limited information given and the spin placed on it, but pointed out that there had been three and a half years spent in negotiations to provide an improved Pavilion with a restored public area in front of the theatre, more public access and more parking. Describing the deal as ‘fantastic’ he commented that the casino was just 6% of the new building. (E-05.23.07)

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