Alex McKinstry
@alexmckinstry.bsky.social
Bournemouth and Christchurch historian; sometime Private Eye contributor. Helped overthrow a corrupt Tory administration (local government) in 2023.
A mate who watched the full BCP Council last night says "I think the key thing from now on is for councillors to spend as little time as possible in the same room together."
November 4, 2025 at 10:21 AM
A mate who watched the full BCP Council last night says "I think the key thing from now on is for councillors to spend as little time as possible in the same room together."
Reposted by Alex McKinstry
I spend a year plotting a mystery novel and then this happens.
October 20, 2025 at 1:56 AM
I spend a year plotting a mystery novel and then this happens.
Reposted by Alex McKinstry
Tories with their snouts in the trough
Appalling corruption by Bournemouth Tories who left BCP on the brink of bankruptcy
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Appalling corruption by Bournemouth Tories who left BCP on the brink of bankruptcy
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Former BCP leader Drew Mellor 'fixed' role worth 150k a year
A report into a council-launched company concludes appointment of senior roles were premeditated.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Tories with their snouts in the trough
Appalling corruption by Bournemouth Tories who left BCP on the brink of bankruptcy
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Appalling corruption by Bournemouth Tories who left BCP on the brink of bankruptcy
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@andyjolley.bsky.social Hey Andy - forgot to send you the FuturePlaces report! This is Part 1 & gets debated by BCP Council's Audit & Governance Committee tonight. (Part 2 debated on 16 October.) Section 3.1 is where it seriously starts hotting up. democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/documents/g6...
democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk
September 24, 2025 at 7:25 AM
@andyjolley.bsky.social Hey Andy - forgot to send you the FuturePlaces report! This is Part 1 & gets debated by BCP Council's Audit & Governance Committee tonight. (Part 2 debated on 16 October.) Section 3.1 is where it seriously starts hotting up. democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/documents/g6...
Reposted by Alex McKinstry
Not a word has come from this government, for a month, about
Racist attacks in Britain: graffiti & intimidation
The sewer of racism online
These racist attacks on government ministers
The world's richest man promoting fascists who want to eradicate minorities from the UK
Racist attacks in Britain: graffiti & intimidation
The sewer of racism online
These racist attacks on government ministers
The world's richest man promoting fascists who want to eradicate minorities from the UK
September 7, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Not a word has come from this government, for a month, about
Racist attacks in Britain: graffiti & intimidation
The sewer of racism online
These racist attacks on government ministers
The world's richest man promoting fascists who want to eradicate minorities from the UK
Racist attacks in Britain: graffiti & intimidation
The sewer of racism online
These racist attacks on government ministers
The world's richest man promoting fascists who want to eradicate minorities from the UK
If you want to know what went wrong with BCP FuturePlaces - BCP Council's multi-million-pound urban regeneration company - this thread from the other place is the best guide to date. Even here I've left stuff out e.g. work added "on the nod", governance documents not finalised. x.com/AlexMcKinstr...
Alex McKinstry on X: "And so to BCP FUTUREPLACES LTD - BCP Council's short-lived (2021-4) urban regeneration company, which cost the public anything between £5.25 and £11.4 million. Set up by Cllrs Mellor and Broadhead, then-leader and deputy leader of BCP Council, who were also on the board. 1/" / X
And so to BCP FUTUREPLACES LTD - BCP Council's short-lived (2021-4) urban regeneration company, which cost the public anything between £5.25 and £11.4 million. Set up by Cllrs Mellor and Broadhead, then-leader and deputy leader of BCP Council, who were also on the board. 1/
x.com
March 20, 2025 at 9:37 AM
If you want to know what went wrong with BCP FuturePlaces - BCP Council's multi-million-pound urban regeneration company - this thread from the other place is the best guide to date. Even here I've left stuff out e.g. work added "on the nod", governance documents not finalised. x.com/AlexMcKinstr...
The public comments on this Bournemouth Echo piece are in every sense on the money - overwhelmingly calling for an investigation (even "a criminal inquiry") into BCP FuturePlaces Ltd. Worth noting if members of tomorrow night's Audit & Governance Committee try arguing "The public have moved on"
The facts behind #FuturePlaces is in the interest of all @bcpcouncil.bsky.social residents no matter their political leanings & should go ahead as a full investigation IMO.
The comments on the article tend to agree with me which is indeed a rare occurrence.
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/2501274...
The comments on the article tend to agree with me which is indeed a rare occurrence.
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/2501274...
FuturePlaces probe would come with 'significant' costs, warns senior officer
INVESTIGATING controversial FuturePlaces will likely come with a financial cost, a senior council officer has said.
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk
March 19, 2025 at 9:27 AM
The public comments on this Bournemouth Echo piece are in every sense on the money - overwhelmingly calling for an investigation (even "a criminal inquiry") into BCP FuturePlaces Ltd. Worth noting if members of tomorrow night's Audit & Governance Committee try arguing "The public have moved on"
Reposted by Alex McKinstry
Saw this on the other place - it's the building where Thomas Hardy trained as an architect in 1856-62. William Barnes lived next door at 40 South Street (now Fox & Sons). www.bbc.com/news/article...
December 9, 2024 at 9:19 AM
Saw this on the other place - it's the building where Thomas Hardy trained as an architect in 1856-62. William Barnes lived next door at 40 South Street (now Fox & Sons). www.bbc.com/news/article...
From the other place⬇️⬇️ - overture to tonight's BCP Council Audit and Governance Committee meeting. Will we find out which CORRUPT councillor leaked the Wessex Fields sale documents to the Bournemouth Echo - & LIED about it being sold at a £4 MILLION UNDERVALUE? x.com/AlexMcKinstr...
x.com
x.com
November 28, 2024 at 10:58 AM
From the other place⬇️⬇️ - overture to tonight's BCP Council Audit and Governance Committee meeting. Will we find out which CORRUPT councillor leaked the Wessex Fields sale documents to the Bournemouth Echo - & LIED about it being sold at a £4 MILLION UNDERVALUE? x.com/AlexMcKinstr...
Reposted by Alex McKinstry
There are so many questions to be asked about this. Greens asked for the meeting to be webcast as there is significant public interest in understanding whether this is incompetence, cronyism or corruption - but we were told no. I worry about the impact it is having on trust in local politicians.
A one-page report to the Audit Committee at Bristol City Council outlines the results of its investigations into the council's 'Stepping Up' programme over the past 6 years.
Read the full story here:
www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol...
Read the full story here:
www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol...
Council 'didn't follow its own rules' over companies' £600,000 contracts
Report reveals the ex deputy mayor used different name when registering as a director
www.bristolpost.co.uk
November 23, 2024 at 11:14 AM
There are so many questions to be asked about this. Greens asked for the meeting to be webcast as there is significant public interest in understanding whether this is incompetence, cronyism or corruption - but we were told no. I worry about the impact it is having on trust in local politicians.
Great to see you on here @leigh-hatts.bsky.social and many thanks for coming to my talk on The History of Bournemouth's Fish and Chip Shops at the Friends' Meeting House - that was my finest hour and yours were the most searching & erudite questions!
November 24, 2024 at 10:11 PM
Great to see you on here @leigh-hatts.bsky.social and many thanks for coming to my talk on The History of Bournemouth's Fish and Chip Shops at the Friends' Meeting House - that was my finest hour and yours were the most searching & erudite questions!
Latest of many public statements to be disallowed by Bristol City Council - against Nolan Principles, Article 10 of the ECHR, and the Heesom judgment. Plus which, the "member complaint" described by Mr Ackroyd (& the feeble outcome) is already publicly known. Some dire anti-scrutiny going on at BCC!
My statement for Audit Cmmt has been blocked. @caralavan.bsky.social @patdbmcallister.bsky.social @david-on-a-bike.bsky.social
This is not lawful. Members of the public have a right to voice their belief that the council is breaking the law.
This is not lawful. Members of the public have a right to voice their belief that the council is breaking the law.
November 24, 2024 at 3:27 PM
Latest of many public statements to be disallowed by Bristol City Council - against Nolan Principles, Article 10 of the ECHR, and the Heesom judgment. Plus which, the "member complaint" described by Mr Ackroyd (& the feeble outcome) is already publicly known. Some dire anti-scrutiny going on at BCC!
Reposted by Alex McKinstry
Do you know anyone sleeping rough within Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole?
SWEP has been activated from today 👇🏼
SWEP has been activated from today 👇🏼
November 19, 2024 at 11:41 AM
Do you know anyone sleeping rough within Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole?
SWEP has been activated from today 👇🏼
SWEP has been activated from today 👇🏼