The matter of 15 dissident party members is finished with, as far as the powers that be within the B.C. Conservatives are concerned, one of the party’s regional directors said Tuesday.

But one B.C. Conservative is criticizing a decision by the party’s board to send out letters of discipline to the dissidents.

After weekend meetings, the board announced Monday it had mailed out letters of expulsion or censure because of ongoing calls by dissidents for a review of John Cummins’ leadership.

Regional director Al Forseth was among 18 people who met via teleconference to deal with the issue.

“We spent a lot of time dealing with this over the weekend and the final resolution was letters of censure were being sent out to a number of people and some would have their memberships revoked,” Forseth told The Daily News.

He would not reveal how many members will be evicted from the party, saying these people will be contacted individually.

“There shouldn’t be speculation on how many or who they may be,” said Forseth. 

John Crocock, who was among the first to go public with complaints about Cummins, said nobody knows what’s going on because the decision to send out the letters was made during a closed meeting.

He said the party is divided over old and new politics, between members who want others to toe the party line and dissidents who want more transparency.

As far as Forseth is concerned, it’s time to move on.

“It’s done, it’s finished, and it’s over. It’s time to move on as a party and as a constituency,” said Forseth.

The public challenge to Cummins’ leadership followed two disappointing spring byelections, but last month, party members gave him a 70.1 per cent leadership endorsement at the annual general meeting.

The party then lost its only sitting MLA, John van Dongen, who left the B.C. Liberals to join the Conservatives but then left the Tories to sit as an independent.