CHRISTCHURCH Borough Council won't be in the room when Dorset councils talk merger with the government.

Councillors have joined their East Dorset colleagues in voting down plans to create two unitary authorities out of the current nine councils.

But they were warned by Conservative council leader Cllr Ray Nottage that they ignored the case for change at their peril.

Before the lengthy and at times fractious full council, the mayor's chaplain Charles Stewart called for "truthful dialogue and mutual respect."

Mayor Cllr Trish Jamieson said: "This is the most important decision we will ever take."

Chief executive David McIntosh told the meeting that option 2b, merger of Christchurch, Poole and Bournemouth, had been assessed as the most viable option and had public support by residents.

He acknowledged EDDC had rejected change.

Poole, Dorset, West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland and North Dorset have all voted in favour of the two unitaries.

Purbeck council also rejected the plans on Tuesday night.

Dorset leaders supporting change will meet next week to agree a submission to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid. This submission will ask him to replace the current nine councils with two.

Last night Cllr Lisle Smith put forward an amendment to keep the leader, his deputy and the chief executive party to ongoing discussions with other leaders "to protect the position of Christchurch."

But Cllr Colin Bungey and Cllr David Jones described it as "smoke and mirrors" and "a red herring." The amendment was rejected.

On the main recommendation to join with Poole and Bournemouth, leader Cllr Ray Nottage said: "This is the most divisive issue I have ever dealt with.

"There is a need to change to protect and transform services. This presents a huge opportunity for Christchurch."

He said the council would ignore the case for change "at its peril".

"Let's understand what is at stake. The current two tier system of local government is no longer sustainable. Ignoring the facts, doing nothing is not for me."

He said he did not accept that more money would be forthcoming from central government. "But this issue is all about money."

But his Tory colleagues queued up to attack the merger proposal.

Cllr Margaret Phipps told colleagues: "Option 2b would be a transfer of power away from the people of Christchurch.

"We are being hurried and pressured into this. Our partnership with East Dorset is successful and strong. Option 2b is not in the interests of Christchurch."

Cllr David Flagg said: "All we would be left with is a mayoral robe and chain."

Cllr Peter Hall rejected the notion that there was overwhelming public support for merger, which he described as "absolute nonsense."

Cllr Lesley Dedman said residents feared blocks of Bournemouth-style flats on the clifftop and the loss of sovereignty.

Cllr Colin Jamieson said: "The options on the table are not in the interests of Christchurch. It's simply not true that 2b is the best option for Christchurch. I do not believe the case has been made. I would urge more time for proper consultation to be undertaken."

Independent councillor Colin Bungey said: "We must go back to the drawing board."

He added: "The government says no sovereign council will be forced to merge against its will and we have that in writing.

"We have had a lot of fear tactics. And we have had never seen a business case, you have to ask why."

Deputy Mayor Cllr Nick Geary said: "Being part of a super council will not benefit us at all. It's wrong for us and wrong for the people of Christchurch. Let's enjoy another 1,000 years of sovereignty."

Cllr David Jones said the assumptions that all this was built on had gone.

However Cllr Sue Spittle urged colleagues to "stop this civic war."

Cllr Trevor Watts said: "We have had a lot of negative debate. Being in the room is paramount. East Dorset are out in the cold. Do not make the same mistake. Let's make the best of this opportunity. Mark my words, someone else will make the decision for us."

Cllr Vicki Hallam said: "We must change but Christchurch will always be Christchurch."

Deputy leader, Claire Bath, said: "All of our services have been cut. You can spread fear of a takeover or you can spread the economic benefits of working together. Are we going to stick our heads in the sand?"

The recommendation to support the creation of two new unitaries and join with Bournemouth and Poole was defeated by 14 votes to eight.