SUPPORT for the proposed council merger from East Dorset council is about ‘opportunities’ and not just savings according to the authority’s leader.

East Dorset district councillors completed a contentious U-turn on the proposed local government reorganisation at full council on Monday evening.

Purbeck District Council also withdrew its opposition to the council merger at a meeting last night.

Members narrowly backed a motion to write to the Secretary of State to accept his minded-to decision to support the Future Dorset proposals.

The motion, which was supported by 14 councillors who voted for, 12 voting against and one abstention, indicates East Dorset District Council (EDDC) is in favour of merging with five other local authorities.

An attempt to defer the council’s decision to allow more time to consider the views of residents was narrowly voted down at the meeting before the decision on the proposal was reached.

Cllr Spencer Flower, leader of the EDDC, said: “It was a democratic decision. I worked faithfully to get a mandate.

“It was important to look at other opportunities in an ever changing financial environment.

“There was nothing that came anywhere close to this option in terms of opportunities and it is about opportunities, not just about making savings.”

Cllr Ray Bryan, who voted against the motion, said: “We held a public meeting locally and at this meeting people voiced their opinion and wanted overwhelmingly not to go into a unitary.

“I was left in a situation where I supported my constituents or risk seeing a response at the ballot box.

“I’m not against unitary authorities. They work in many places, but are better in cities. When it's a rural area the concerns are we will face an uphill battle to protect our green belt and secure the best deal for residents.”

This leaves just Christchurch Borough Council in opposition to the proposals. The borough’s referendum on the merger concludes tomorrow.

Read the full interview with Cllr Flower in the Daily Echo later this week.