Conservative Councillors on Weymouth Town Council have turned down the opportunity to sit on a group which is working on the town's neighbourhood plan.

At the first meeting of Weymouth Town Council since the local elections on Wednesday, May 15, councillors were selected for committees, champion roles and working groups.

The working group has been working towards creating the Weymouth Neighbourhood Plan.

The working group has four members, which is intended to include one member from each political party, from the Liberal Democrats, Labour, Green and the Conservative Party.

Cllr David Northam from the Liberal Democrats, Cllr Jon Orrell from the Green Party and Cllr Howard Atkinson from Labour were chosen to represent their parties.

However, the Conservative group decided not to select a councillor to join the group, due to their past disagreements with the plan.

Cllr Louie O'Leary, leader of the Weymouth Conservatives and Littlemoor councillor said: "As a group we have chosen to not take our seats up on the neighbourhood plan working group due to past issues around Democratic deficits and the group's attitude towards certain areas of Weymouth who have raised concerns around the plan.

"The Weymouth Conservative group will continue to oppose the plan for a number of reasons and do so in a constructive manner alongside our residents and local businesses."

Fellow Conservative councillor Peter Dickenson said: "The decision was independently made by each of the councillors.

"I feel that I cannot go onto a group that has collective responsibility and let my residents down.

"As a councillor for Preston that was my decision and the new Weymouth councillors have agreed."

Cllr David Northam, who was chosen to remain on the steering group to represent the Liberal Democrats, said: "It is disappointing because it is a whole Weymouth Neighbourhood Plan, it covers the whole of Weymouth and not just Preston.

"The steering group wished for cross-party representation, but sadly they chose not to take part.

"The steering group will publish in due course allocations for the Neighbourhood Plan.

"There is a need for affordable homes in Weymouth to buy and rent."