PLANS to equalise tax across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will go back to the drawing board.

A report to the Joint Committee for the three towns - set up to establish a new single unitary council should Government approval be granted - states that the raising of the national council tax cap means a new proposal must be calculated.

Previously the Government said council tax could not be raised by more than 1.99 per cent a year without a local referendum being held. This ceiling has now been raised to 2.99 per cent for the 2018/19 financial year, and possibly the following year as well.

Also, the discretionary three per cent 'adult social care precept' rise on top of this for 2018/19 may be extended in some form to 2019/20.

All three top tier councils, Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset, are now recalculating their financial plans as a result.

The Joint Committee has previously agreed a general principle that in equalising tax between the three boroughs there should be no increase above the referendum limit, and a freeze or reduction in Christchurch, where residents currently pay the most.

A task and finish group chaired by Bournemouth council leader John Beesley put forward an initial proposal late last year, which would see rates rise in the two larger towns by between £24-29 per year over seven years, and a freeze or reduction in Christchurch.

The group's report to next week's Joint Committee meeting states: "The implications are that the current basis of the modelling, whereby a 4.99 per cent increase was used for 2018/19, will now need to be revisited.

"In the interests of accuracy, it will need to be undertaken in the knowledge of the levels of council tax increase applied by the upper tier councils and the level of adult social care precept that may now be applied in 2018/19 and 2019/20.

"Each council will be setting their council tax in February 2018, and as soon as the level of council tax increases is made public for 2018/19 the modelling can recommence in earnest again."

The report on the committee's website, bcpjointcommittee.wordpress.com, includes details of the financial modelling for the original proposal, which was requested by members.

The next meeting is on Monday, January 15, at Poole Civic Centre at 10am.