THE planned Christchurch referendum in May has been thrown into confusion over an offer from a resident to pay £30,000 towards the costs.

Last week councillors voted 13-9 to go ahead with the postal ballot seeking opinion from residents over whether to merge with Bournemouth.

At the end of the meeting, acting leader, David Flagg, revealed the cash offer - and businessman Alistair Somerville-Ford later confirmed he had made it.

Now council chief executive, David McIntosh, has demanded to know whether other councillors knew of this in advance - and whether it influenced their vote.

In a letter to members he says the vote could be rendered void.

And he has given them a 48-hour deadline, due to end at 4pm on Wednesday to explain what they knew and when they knew it.

One option is that another council meeting may have to be held and the issue voted on again.

Cllr Flagg told the Echo: "I made my decision to support a referendum because I believe the people of Christchurch must have their full say on the future of the borough. There was no other consideration."

Meanwhile, the government had still not announced a decision on local government review at the time of going to press.

And as the county council election process started on Monday, it seems unlikely anything will now happen until after May 4.

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid was due to make a decision on the proposal to reform Dorset's nine councils into just two unitary authorities.

Six councils have backed the scheme, but Christchurch, East Dorset and Purbeck are opposed.

Purdah (the period in the run up to an election in which councils are prohibited from public discussion of political issues) began for county council elections Monday - and Christchurch MP Christopher Chope said this would likely delay any decision.

"The county council is in purdah and won't be able to comment on the decision," he said. "It would make it very difficult, the arrangements for purdah are very strict."

Mr Chope, who opposes the merger plan, said a decision might be further delayed due to the government prioritising Brexit.

"An enormous amount of parliamentary time is being spent in preparing legislation and statutory instruments in connection with leaving the European Union," he said.

"It doesn't mean nothing else can be done. But the government will be looking at its priorities."