CHRISTCHURCH councillors have hit back at the leader of Bournemouth council after he called for the results of the referendum to be "disregarded completely".

Cllr Beesley, writing to Secretary of State, Sajid Javid before the formal submission deadline of January 8, criticised members of Christchurch council for their opposition to the proposed merger with Bournemouth and Poole.

He implored Mr Javid not to grant Christchurch Borough Council their request for extra time, saying it would have "significant implications".

Referring to the recent referendum in Christchurch in which 84 per cent of those who took part voted against forming a unitary with Poole and Bournemouth, he says pressures in adult social care and children's services were not mentioned in information for the local poll, nor was the financial position of Dorset County Council.

Dorset County Council is responsible for the "majority of services for Christchurch residents", he says, while Christchurch Borough Council "has control of only 13 per cent of spending and service delivery within Christchurch."

He also criticises the "very active campaigning by some individuals intent on opposing change for reasons known only to themselves" and says the negative campaigning 'skewed' the poll result and "rendered the result unreliable".

It is understood the leader of Borough of Poole, Cllr Janet Walton, has also written a letter to Mr Javid expressing similar sentiments.

But Christchurch councillor David Jones, who is also the co-ordinator of the Keep Christchurch Special campaign, said: "I regret the contempt for the opinions of Christchurch residents is still very evident today with the two surviving members of the 'hands across the sands' gang.

"A charm offensive might have been expected from Janet and John, to convince the 17/20 Christchurch residents who rejected Mr Beesley’s scheme of the benefits of a 'Greater Bournemouth'.

"Instead, this overwhelming vote is dismissed as 'manipulation' which voters are too dense to see through.

"Janet and John complain about biased propaganda put out by Keep Christchurch Special, but they cannot disprove a single point it makes.

"They say nothing on the many misstatements made by Yes Christchurch and Future Dorset in the referendum or the refusal of Bournemouth councillors (despite invitation) to participate in the public debate at Christchurch Priory."

Cllr Colin Bungey, another prominent opponent of the Future Dorset proposal, said in a letter that Cllr Beesley was "showing his true colours in his contempt for the residents of Christchurch."