Having local authorities under no overall control is not ‘necessarily a bad thing,' according to new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council leader Vikki Slade.

More than 100 councils are now under no overall control after last month's local elections.

Speaking to The MJ's editor Heather Jameson and Cratus Communications chief executive Nick Kilby in the latest episode of the Our World Is Local podcast, Lib Dem Cllr Slade said: ‘If we had a system of some form of proportional representation we would see this as being the norm and we would all learn that collaborative working can be, if it's done well, much more effective and far less unstable because you can continue a piece of work through decades.'

Listen at www.themj.co.uk/Podcasts