A DORSET MP has called for the shake-up of local government in the county to go ahead as quickly as possible – and for Christchurch people to back it.

North Dorset MP Simon Hoare said the alternative to the Future Dorset plans was cutting services while maintaining numbers of council officers and buildings.

Local government secretary Sajid Javid has said he is “minded” to approve plans for Dorset’s nine main councils to be scrapped and replaced with two powerful authorities. One would cover Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, with another for the rest of the county.

But Christchurch councillors are holding a postal referendum on the issue, while Purbeck and East Dorset have come out against the scheme.

Mr Hoare said: “Christchurch has now explored the option of going into Hampshire and that has now come to nothing. I’m really hopeful that we can now move fairly speedily to this last stage and then get the decision through.

“I think it continues to be the best deal on the table as far as service users are concerned.”

He added: “I see no merit at all in repeating this claim about sovereignty because my understanding from my constituents is that most people don’t care how their services are delivered, by what body, by what mechanism. All they’re concerned with is that those services are there and they’re delivered as effectively as possible.”

He said the choice was between “hundreds of councillors trotting around all over the place costing quite a lot of money” and a reduction in councillor numbers and improvement in services.

With council spending being squeezed, Mr Hoare claimed services would suffer if councils were not made more efficient.

“If we don’t have these new arrangements, it’s salami slicing of services and the depreciation of services and the quality of services – and the only things we would be maintaining are the number of councils and council officers and buildings,” he said.

He said Christchurch was not being merged with its neighbours but replaced by a new council. “I think the question the Christchurch residents have got to ask is: If not this, what?” he said.

“Hampshire has said no. There’s some idea of East Dorset, Purbeck and Christchurch forming a new council. That’s disappeared into the ether. Where do people in Christchurch look to for a lot of retail service provision and employment? It’s Bournemouth and Poole.”