RESIDENTS are being urged to “sow the seeds of a better future” as the consultation on the future of council organisation is set to be launched.

The campaign group, Uniting the Conurbation, has called on all residents to take part in the consultation looking at how councils will be shaped over the next few years.

It is due to begin on Monday and will last eight weeks until October 25.

Options will include a unitary authority of Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch along with a second authority for the rest of Dorset, a unitary authority of Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset, again with another unitary comprised of the rest of Dorset councils, a merger of Bournemouth and Poole with a large unitary authority for Dorset, and an option of no change.

Ahead of the start of the public consultation, Uniting the Conurbation, who formed in 2012, have called for residents to take an active part in the debate.

In their latest newsletter, chairman and former Bournemouth Council leader, Douglas Eyre, said: “The fallout from the economic recession heightened the urgent need to deliver services more efficiently and furthermore there is now a realisation that, in terms of devolved powers to the regions, the UK has for too long been over-centralised and that many of the decisions made in Whitehall would be better if made locally.

“The leaders of the nine councils in Dorset have all agreed that there are potential benefits in creating two unitary authorities for the county, albeit there are differing views as to precisely how that might look.”

He adds: “Perhaps many of us are disappointed and politically exhausted one way or another following the EU referendum and its aftermath but we really must seize this opportunity to sow the seeds of a better future for our community in the South East Dorset Conurbation.”

Leaders of Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset unveiled the merger plans last summer after months of private talks.

They claim falling grants from central government, financial constraints and increased pressure on services means the current nine-council structure is no longer viable.