THE local referendum will at least hopefully get a good response as to what the people of Christchurch think of merging with Bournemouth and Poole.

If the answer is a no vote in substantial numbers, then maybe we could explore going in with the rest of rural Dorset or is that being ruled out solely because the numbers would not match up? I accept that staying as we are may not be sustainable.

Personally my problem is that I do not want to go with Bournemouth because they love to go into crazy schemes that waste millions. The reef, the bank, the building firm Mouchel etc.

Christchurch already has close ties with the county and receives services from them – roads, elderly care etc – as do the other councils in Dorset. Surely it would be easier to work with them than dismantling the present ties, and then there is the other question after all the merging and costs involved – will the saving be as great as we are being led to believe?

MR A SHEFFORD

Nada Road, Christchurch