About us

A unique mix of vibrant urban communities, stunning natural landscapes with a breathtaking range of wildlife and a wealth of historic culture, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a fantastic place to live, work, visit and invest in.

With over 400,000 residents, three universities, two hospitals, a castle and priory, international conference centre, an airport and a commercial port, it’s an area brimming with prospects and potential. 

Businesses recognise this and are investing – from premium restaurants opening in Bournemouth to fintech firms expanding in Poole, we are home to over 15,500 businesses.

Our town centres and local high streets are a mix of market town community feel too busy urban hub. And we have several sites ripe for regeneration, including a former power station site in Poole and key locations in Bournemouth.

We’re also proud of our natural spaces – from 15 miles of south-facing sandy beach and the second largest natural harbour in the world, to 19 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 2,500 hectares of greenspace. We’re working with partners to support nature recovery, reduce our carbon emissions and create spaces where nature and people can thrive.

And at BCP Council we want to make the most of these natural assets and committed communities of residents and businesses to create a place where people, nature, coast and towns come together in sustainable, safe and healthy communities.

Six years after the most complicated local government reorganisation in 40 years, BCP Council is a modern, forward-thinking, ambitious council. We’ve overcome financial and political instability, improved core services, established a clear Corporate Strategy and led the way in digital transformation.

Our Children’s Services has just been awarded a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted – one of only a few to make this leap directly from ‘inadequate’, our transformation-programme is sector-leading and we’ve achieved a balanced medium financial plan for the next three years.

Our ‘Vision for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’ sets out our plans for the next few years and we’re determined to deliver value for money for those that depend on us whilst respecting the identities and heritage of our three towns that make up the urban conurbation.

Working with our public sector partners, businesses, charities and community groups is key to this success.

We’re a council ready to make the most of our own and our area’s potential by putting people at the heart of what we do and driving forward our ambitions for the three towns. We want a visible, energetic Chief Executive to drive that agenda with residents, businesses and partners alike.

Award Winning Council

BCP Council was a winner in this year’s prestigious Municipal Journal (MJ) Local Government Achievement Awards. The Council won the Senior Leadership Team award for its work to create a new council while focusing on residents. The Council fought off competition from some of the best local authorities in the country, impressing the expert judging panel with their work on ’successfully creating a new council amid political change all while staying focused on delivering for residents’.

BCP Council Leader, Cllr Millie Earl, said: “This award is real recognition for the remarkable work BCP Council does despite facing significant and unique challenges. Every day I see the extraordinary lengths our teams go to in serving communities across our three towns. I love where we live, and our residents deserve high-quality services from a reliable, agile and proficient organisation capable of adapting to their changing, modern-day needs both now and in the future.

My congratulations to the Chief Executive, our Senior Leadership team, Councillors, Cabinet Members and all colleagues. Their dedication, passion and skill has been rightfully recognised through this award and I am grateful for their exceptional contributions.

” BCP Council Chief Executive, Graham Farrant said: “I’m proud of the outstanding recognition we have achieved in winning Senior Leadership Team of the Year, having been shortlisted for five individual MJ Achievement Awards this year. “Six years ago this April, our three towns of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole came together in one of the most complex examples of Local Government Reorganisation in the last 40 years, and this award is testament to the hard work of council colleagues, commitment from our members and confidence from our partners.

BCP Council wins prestigious award | BCP

Who we’re looking for

We’re building a corporate leadership team that is ambitious, united, and relentlessly focused on delivering better outcomes for our communities. To thrive here, you’ll be:  

  • A corporate team player first, committed to whole-council success over siloed interests, working collaboratively to deliver collective impact.
  • A bold change-maker, unafraid to challenge convention, champion innovation and drive smarter, more effective ways of working.
  • A proven strategic leader, with experience of leading transformation and improving outcomes in large, complex organisations.
  • An inspirational people leader, who empowers others, sets a clear vision and builds a culture of trust, growth and accountability.
  • A visible, values-led role model, demonstrating integrity, inclusivity and ambition while driving continuous improvement and excellence.
  • A collaborative system leader, confident building strategic partnerships across sectors, services and political boundaries.
  • A systems thinker, able to influence public, private and voluntary sector change beyond organisational walls.
  • Politically astute and credible, supporting elected members while navigating complexity and risk with confidence.
  • Financially literate and commercially aware, with a sharp eye on resources, innovation and long-term sustainability.
  • Insight-driven and outcomes-focused, using evidence and intelligence to shape decisions and measure what matters.
  • Creative and future-focused, always seeking new opportunities and ready to adapt to a fast-changing world.
  • Resilient and responsive, calm under pressure and focused on making a real, lasting difference.