CHRISTCHURCH councillors have given up on attempts to re-join Hampshire as an alternative to a merger with Bournemouth and Poole.

Last week both Hampshire County Council said it was ready and willing to hold talks with Christchurch representatives to discuss the issue.

However, on Tuesday council leader David Flagg said that Hampshire would not support the idea meaning Christchurch will remain part of Dorset.

He said: “I would like to thank both officers and members at the county council for taking the time to meet with us.

“Following a meeting with colleagues at Hampshire County Council it has become clear that the option of Christchurch re-joining Hampshire is not something that they can support.”

Christchurch is to press ahead with a postal referendum in the next three weeks asking residents if they want the borough to become part of a new unitary council with Bournemouth and Poole.

An extraordinary full council meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 2, to discuss the results and agree the way forward.

Observers think there are the potential options for the borough.

Christchurch could join a conurbation council, join a rural unitary council based on the current boundaries of Dorset County Council, or look to pursue no change with the current structure remaining in place.

Cllr David Jones, who is against joining Bournemouth and Poole, said: “It’s disappointing that we’re not able to make progress on these lines because it would have been a simple and elegant solution to the question of consent which the secretary of state believes is important. However, the referendum isn’t about that.

“The referendum is very simple. Do you want Christchurch to be controlled by effectively a council which will be dominated by Bournemouth?

“If people do not want to consent, the government is in a difficult position as it said during the election it would not push councils together without consent.

“I would encourage the people of Christchurch to say they do not want to go into a single council dominated by Bournemouth.”

Cllr Jones said his preferred option would be for the authority system to remain the same.

However, Cllr Trevor Watts, who supports the super-council merger, said: “What worries me about the people who say we shouldn’t merge is where’s your back up plan? Where’s your solution to providing the services for the elderly, for our children? They don’t have one.

“At the end of the day the council has agreed that the referendum is going to take place.

“There are going to be people for the referendum and people against it, but the critical issue here is maintaining and bettering the services for the community.”