COUNCIL tax in Christchurch should either be frozen or reduced under a new unitary, councillors have ruled.

The latest meeting of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Joint Committee, set up to prepare for the creation of the new authority in 2019, discussed levelling council tax between the boroughs on Tuesday.

Members, drawn from all three authorities, agreed that freezing or reducing rates in Christchurch, where residents currently pay several hundred pounds more per year than in neighbouring boroughs, should be an underlying principal of this process.

Also, they agreed that council tax would not increase in Bournemouth and Poole by more than 1.99 per cent, the maximum allowed under current rules without a local referendum.

"This will send the message that Bournemouth and Poole council tax payers need have no fear they are going to be paying more out of this," said Bournemouth councillor Mike Greene, who proposed the idea.

"Christchurch council tax payers can see they would likely be far better off under this proposal than without local government reorganisation."

Tax harmonisation has been a common concern expressed about the Future Dorset proposal, amid fears residents in some areas could face a steep hike while others would be effectively subsidising their services for several years.

Bournemouth council leader John Beesley, who heads the 'task and finish group' set up to examine options for harmonisation, said the plan had to ensure residents are not paying more tax than they would have been if the councils were left as they are.

Poole council leader and committee chairman Janet Walton said: "It is really important residents understand we have their best interests at heart.

"We don't want to be penny pinching, taking every penny we can out of them. We want to do the best for residents across the whole area."

The committee also agreed a motion by Cllr Beesley to set up a new task and finish group to examine options for preserving the civic traditions of the three boroughs, such as the mayoralties.