CONFIDENTIAL figures read out in a public meeting have revealed it could be cheaper for some tax payers to have one single parish authority in Christchurch rather than three smaller groups.

Members of Christchurch Borough Council's community committee were discussing an initial recommendation from a task a finish group, before putting the proposals out for public consultation.

Residents are set to be asked to give their views on plans to set up three new parish authorities in addition to the two current groups in Burton and Hurn.

The initial proposals set out the creation of a new community council for Mudeford, Friars Cliff and Stanpit, a neighbourhood council for Highcliffe and Walkford, and a town council for the remaining area which includes the town centre, St Catherine's and Jumpers.

The task and finish group found setting up one single authority for the unparished area was unviable.

Independent councillor Colin Bungey, who voiced his objection to having five parish authorities in total, said finances discussed by the task and finish group should be recognised.

At the community committee meeting Cllr Bungey read out "indicative costings" which detailed the additional precept cost to council tax payers on top of their existing rates under each of the proposed authorities.

He said creating three new parishes would see a combined extra precept of £47.39 – £15.71 for households in Highcliffe and Walkford, £13.66 for those Mudeford and Stanpit and £18.02 for people in Christchurch Town - while the option of a single new parish authority across the whole area that is currently unparished costing £16.63.

"They are only indicative but it needed to be said. Right when we started this process of local government review it was banded about that it would cost £150 per a band D property to form a town council," Cllr Bungey said.

"That is totally out of the window. It is nowhere near this sort of money and I think that is why a lot of people when we started this review were very sceptical.

"They need to know £150 was a figure plucked out of the sky by someone to perhaps intimidate or deter people from even considering it."

Cllr Lesley Dedman, who chaired the task and finish group, highlighted that it had been agreed Cllr Bungey's figures would remain confidential.

Richard Jones, Christchurch Borough Council's legal and democratic services manager, added: "They were just intended as indicative figures to show the difference between a single town council and three separate ones at service level issues." Mr Jones said it was more accurate to say the precept would be close to the existing rates within Christchurch's parished areas.

The council was required to launch the Community Governance Review by statute, which is led by the views of residents. The public consultation is due to be launched in late May.