CONCERNS have been raised that the leader of Dorset County Council is not standing down from the role after being charged with criminal offences.

Lib Dem group leader Janet Dover said she was ‘surprised’ by the decision of Cllr Spencer Flower not to stand down as leader but merely to ‘step aside’.

Cllr Flower, 72, of Verwood, has been charged with three offences of failing to declare an interest in property planning in East Dorset.

He appears before Bournemouth magistrates on December 2.

Dorset County Council said that Cllr Flower ‘stepped temporarily aside’ as leader following charges over alleged failures to declare an interest in a property company. Cllr Flower formally remains as leader but for the next few weeks his deputy, Cllr Robert Gould, will take on leadership responsibilities.

Cllr Janet Dover said she had concerns over Cllr Flower’s decision to step aside for an initial six weeks.

This will have to be reviewed by the Conservative-controlled full council at the end of that period.

Cllr Dover had called for him to consider standing down until the matter is concluded.

“I was surprised by the decision,” she said. “It wasn’t what I expected because it doesn’t seem to be one thing or another. My main concern is what sort of impression this leaves the public.

“People have asked me if he will still be getting paid the leader’s allowance and I’ve had to say ‘I don’t know, I expect so’.

“The public realise the leader of the council is a highly-paid elected member and if they’re not going to fulfil their duties for whatever reason there obviously is going to be a query as to whether that’s appropriate. It leaves the council in limbo.”

In a statement issued earlier this week, Cllr Flower said he remained committed to public service duties but had asked Cllr Robert Gould to cover his role of leader for the next few weeks.

He said he would be ‘vigorous in his pursuit to clear his name fully.’ At a Cabinet meeting yesterday Cllr Gould said: “Obviously there are particularly circumstances as to why I am chairing this meeting. I am not going to discuss those. We are carrying on the business as usual and have got lots to do and we are getting on with it.”

Speaking to the Echo ahead of the meeting, Cllr Toni Coombs, wife of Cllr Flower, said she cannot make any further comment at this time as it would be ‘sub judice.’