It cost £5.3 million to establish and close FuturePlaces, the Urban Regeneration company was set up under the leadership of Drew Mellor. He wrote that the first part of a report published about the company “raises serious questions about transparency and governance”. He also wrote that the cost of the company was “staggering” and “particularly offensive given significant cuts to valued local services”. Tom Hayes MP said, “When the council closed King’s Park Nursery and pulled out of the Air Festival, it’s partly down to FuturePlaces. “We understand that these allegations have shaken public trust in BCP Council, and we are committed to addressing these concerns swiftly and decisively.