RAY Nottage is clearly angry. At least in the first part of our chat. It's three weeks since he was unceremoniously deposed as leader of Christchurch Council.

Not in the public glare of a full council meeting but on a Monday night in a private get-together of the ruling Conservative group after a vote of no confidence.

After an acrimonious two hours, Cllr Nottage was out, Cllr David Flagg was in.

It brought to a close a rancorous few months inside the council chamber and outside when all political debate had been refracted through the issue of whether to merge with Bournemouth and Poole.

Or more accurately, to abolish Christchurch Council and create a new conurbation-wide authority.

We are meeting in the neutral venue of Christchurch Harbour Hotel where he is clearly well known. Chef Alex Aiken comes up to wish him all the best.

And it's clear the former leader blames a number of people for his fall from grace. Including the media, the Echo in particular. We have, he says, pursued him for the past six years, "the last two aggressively."

But some of his Tory party colleagues on the council are first in line. Along with MP Chris Chope not very far behind.

"I was treated disgracefully." he says. "Knowing I had confirmed I was going to pack up anyway, obviously they wanted blood on the carpet and they got it.

"That politics. I'm not complaining. My time will come again, not in the leadership but in terms of whatever qualities I've got, until I decide enough is enough."

Cllr Nottage had been instrumental, along with John Beesley in formulating the local government reorganisation plan that is now sitting on the desk of Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid. His decision on whether to approve the abolition of all Dorset nine councils and their replacement with two unitaries (one being Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch) is imminent.

Christchurch voted against the plan, as did East Dorset and Purbeck.

The council has been split down the middle for a while - with Cllr Nottage and his portfolio holders on one side and a group of 'rebel' Tories, two independents and a Ukip councillor on the other.

The rebels have effectively been an opposition within their own party, using their fears about the future 'sovereignty' of the town as their driving force.

They were also unhappy at what they saw as his divisive leadership, a view expressed in the Echo. Controversies about beach huts, bins and other issues have sparked public anger and made him something of a hate figure.

"I am fascinated to know how you got that opinion that I am divisive. I led my team for six years and we were united in achieving things. Partnership working, saving £12m, the Dorset Waste Partnership, enabling the community to run things. I am hugely proud of these things. My portfolio holders have done a brilliant job."

I suggest to him leadership style is that of a political bruiser and that with more finesse and persuasion he could have taken his own council with him on the restructure.

"Look, I'm not a politician. I did it my way. I had to get things done and I did.

"We had a majority on local government review until Chris Chope got involved. I had the support until he got into the argument, then it went pear-shaped. He confused the situation.

"I have no regrets. Local government needs reorganisation. The current system is untenable."

The businessman says the issue of sovereignty is nothing compared with the problems facing local councils over cuts and the ability to protect services - mainly adult social care.

"Alongside the possibility of losing for the aged, the infirm and the deprived, the argument about losing sovereignty has no merit. That's just about people wanting to walk around in red coats and fluffy hats."

Cllr Nottage criticises his colleagues (and Chris Chope) for "giving people false hope that we could stay the same. I am very surprised to see that they put their heads in the sand and how far they pushed them."

He is confident that Mr Javid will give the restructure plan the go-ahead "if he has the balls to follow party policy". To the concern of anti-merger campaigners, ministers seem to be rowing back on a commitment not to impose change on councils that don't want it.

Does he want a role in the process if it happens?

"I'm pretty exhausted at the moment for other reasons too." It has been a traumatic time for Cllr Nottage and his family. His son-in-law was killed outside a pub on the Isle of Wight over Christmas.

"But if the go-ahead is given, I question where the talent and ability is to lead negotiations? That is what I will be asking as soon as decision comes through?"

Cllr Nottage will no doubt feel vindicated if it is approved and will surely see this as the most important legacy from his six years as leader.

"I threw the brick in the pond two years ago to see where the ripples went," he said.

No-one is sure yet where those ripples will end up.

But one thing is for sure. Some people are now hoping for calmer waters in Democratic Republic of Christchurch. At least for the moment.