A BOURNEMOUTH councillor has urged that local government boundaries be redrawn as part of the 'super council' process.

Cllr Nick Rose brought the idea up at a meeting last month, saying the authority should bid to have areas from East Dorset and Purbeck.

He said it made "make much more sense" for them to be part of the conurbation, brought under a new unitary authority.

However, he was told by leader John Beesley that the county's existing boundaries would remain fixed, and could not be changed, until the next Boundary Commission review at least a decade away.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Cllr Rose said: "I have been in politics for over 25 years, and my first patch was Hamworthy in Poole.

"The second time I went out it was to Upton, and I couldn't believe the town was divided between two authorities. It didn't make sense.

"What makes sense is to take a map, draw a semi-circle around the conurbation and sort out the boundaries. Do what is right not what is easy."

Cllr Rose said he didn't want to identify any areas which should be included, but he thought the split between the two new unitary authorities proposed in plans for local government reorganisation should reflect the divide between urban and rural areas.

"It is important that everyone has a say," he said.

"It is ridiculous to be told we have to wait 10 years to pull in Upton. It is part of Poole.

"I propose we, as councillors in these areas, should say 'this is a village, it should remain part of East Dorset' or 'this town is part of the conurbation'.

"I grew up in the countryside, and country folk are very different to town folk. They require different services.

"This is all about providing good quality services."

Cllr Rose expressed scepticism about relying on the Boundary Commission's scheduled reviews, saying the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid could be prevailed upon to initiate an examination of boundaries.

"If we had to do another consultation in affected areas, so be it," he said.

"We should have done something about this a long time ago.

"They don't want to do it because it is complicated."

Leaders and senior officers of the county's councils are due to decide this month on a final restructuring proposal to send to the government.