PLANS for the whole of Dorset to be run by two super-councils have “extensive support”, the leader of Dorset County Council has claimed.

Cllr Rebecca Knox called on the government not to heed a postal referendum held in Christchurch, which she said was influenced by “misleading and inaccurate information”.

Under the Future Dorset plans, there would be one powerful unitary council covering Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, with another for the rest of the county.

Local government secretary Sajid Javid has said he is “minded” to approve the plans, but a final decision is expected over the coming weeks.

In a letter to Mr Javid, Cllr Knox warned the county would need to find £33.7million of savings by 2020 if it did not reform, with £4m of cuts in the current year and £15.7m in 2018-19.

“This will mean making more cuts in all service areas, including adults and children’s services,” she said.

She defended the 2016 consultation carried out by Opinion Research Services (ORS), which found 73 per cent of households who responded to a consultation backed the plans.

Cllr Knox wrote: “The consultation had both breadth and depth. We remain clear and confident that the case is robust, and accurately reflects the views of residents and partners.”

It also found 63 per cent of Christchurch households who responded to a postal survey backed the change. However, but a referendum carried out by Christchurch Borough Council found 84 per cent of residents against.

Cllr Knox said the county council had offered Christchurch council “support and information” so that the role of the county council could be considered during the referendum.

“It was most disappointing that this was not accepted and to see a campaign based on misleading and inaccurate information being circulated, not validated by the county council or indeed Christchurch Borough Council,” she said.

“This was both before and while the poll was open, and must introduce the question of bias in the process and undermine the validity of the findings.”

She said 75 per cent of Dorset councillors supported the plans, along with 73 per cent of residents, 89 per cent of businesses and Dorset Local Economic Partnership.

“This is a pan-Dorset solution which transcends issues of local concern and has extensive support from public bodies, the Local Enterprise Partnership, residents, town and parish councils and others.”