A PETITION has been launched calling for council tax rises in Bournemouth and Poole to be kept under two per cent.

Under the Future Dorset plans currently awaiting a final decision in January the two towns would be combined with Christchurch under a single unitary authority, requiring their council tax to be brought into line.

At present Christchurch's Band D taxpayers contribute some £200 more per year than those in Poole.

Mid Dorset and North Poole Liberal Democrats have launched the petition to keep tax rises low during the 'harmonisation' period.

Poole councillor Vikki Slade said residents had been "misled" as the process may be carried out in under 10 years, unlike the 20 year harmonisation period described in the Future Dorset public survey.

"Those people who accepted that a merger was necessary for financial reasons were told that our council tax would rise slowly over 20 years, but the Government has suggested that they would like this done much more quickly and this could have a devastating effect on household incomes in Poole, and in Bournemouth too," she said.

"If equalisation is necessary, why not bring down the council tax in Christchurch in the short term and then raise everyone’s tax more slowly? That would be fairer and raise the money to close the funding gap."

At the last meeting of the Joint Committee set up to oversee the creation of the new council, members agreed that their goal should be to freeze or reduce council tax in Christchurch and seek no increase in Bournemouth and Poole above the cap which under Government rules will trigger a referendum.

This would be 1.99 per cent, however the aspiration does not entirely rule out a greater increase.

The party, which held sway in the constituency for many years before being ousted in the 2015 General Election, is also calling for parish, town and community councils to be established in "every neighbourhood" throughout the county to ensure the new unitaries remain accountable.

Phil Dunn, the party's candidate for Bournemouth West in the last election, said: “Parish councils, area boards or other neighbourhood committees will help to maintain the relationship with communities, but they only work if they have the ability to access funding, either through a precept or a dedicated fund.

"Centralisation of all the functions of the council will make residents feel even more distant from politicians."

For the petition on change.org, visit www.middorsetlibdems.org.uk/LGR