DECISIONS about the future of the conurbation will be taken in secret, a councillor has warned.

Dorset and Christchurch Cllr David Jones was speaking to the Echo after the first meeting of the new Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole Joint Committee, on which he sits representing the county council.

Cllr Jones, who is opposed to the Future Dorset plan to merge the three towns under a new unitary authority, said the 'task and finish group' system adopted by the committee would lead to decisions being made by small groups of officials.

"The real work will be done by small groups which are going to meet in private out of the public eye, but even if they come back with lots of options we won't know which other options have been discussed," he said.

"The most important things will be done in private when everything should be open to public examination."

The Echo understands a private pre-meeting was held before the committee, in which senior roles on the panel were agreed. Several sources told the Echo Bournemouth council leader John Beesley expressed disappointment at being overlooked for the role of chairman.

Cllr Jones has also expressed concerns over "conditions" he said Christchurch had set for its involvement, including the speed at which council tax in Bournemouth and Poole is raised to match that in the smaller town.

"My worst fears are being borne out, the conditions Christchurch set haven't been met," he said.

"They do not seem prepared to harmonise council tax from day one. It should be set at one level by the new authority for all council tax payers. This present plan will mean Somerford subsidising Southbourne.

"It is not going to be democratically supervised as there is a gap between the closure of the existing council and elections to the new authority.

"It looks like the concerns Christchurch has will be swallowed up by the two big boys, Bournemouth and Poole."

Christchurch council leader David Flagg, also committee vice-chairman, said the borough had voted to join the committee to "work towards" day one tax harmonisation and that the appropriate task and finish group would "look at all options".

Committee chairman Janet Walton, leader of Borough of Poole, said Parliament would determine "democratic transition arrangements".

"It is entirely appropriate for the task and finish group to undertake its detailed work outside of the public arena," she said.

"It is wrong to assume that the options considered and ruled out by the task and finish group would not be made public, as the terms of reference and reporting requirements have not yet been set by members."