A FORMER Poole MP has written to the Government calling for Dorset's new councils to use a new voting system.

Dame Annette Brooke, who was between 2001 and 2015 the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, said in her missive to Communities Secretary Sajid Javid that she was unconvinced that the plans to merge the county's councils together into two unitary authorities was justified.

However, she said, since the decision had been made, with discussion carried out "behind closed doors", the reorganisation should be seen as an opportunity for a shake-up in local democracy by introducing a form of proportional representation.

"I am still very much aware of local opinion and I wrote to you prior to your final decision on the merger of Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch councils with my view on how the case had not yet been made for the merger to proceed in April 2019," Dame Annette said.

"Now the decision has been made I believe we must all do our very best for local residents.

"Given that early decisions were made behind closed doors at a local level and subsequent consultation did not engage fully with all residents, I would like to make a request that could give the new authority the best possible start.

"If the new authority could be a pilot for a more proportionate voting system in English local authorities, I believe faith in local democracy could be restored, people would feel that their vote matters and counts."

Dame Annette, of Upper Golf Links Road in Broadstone, said she would prefer to see the single transferable vote system used – the system used currently in the Northern Ireland Assembly and in local elections in Scotland, and the preferred system of the Electoral Reform Society lobby group.

Proportional representation, said by some to lead to fairer representation in political bodies, but criticised by others for potentially overly-moderating policy, is backed by the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party.

"This would give the new local authority a real chance to succeed and potentially to act as one on behalf of all residents within the area," said Dame Annette.

"I do hope that you will give this request serious consideration."

The new unitary councils in Dorset, one covering the conurbation, the other the rural county, are to be established in April next year with elections taking place a month later.

The form of those elections will be determined in Parliament by statute.