IT is now that Cllr Beesley the leader of Bournemouth council is showing his true colours in his contempt for the residents of Christchurch and shows those residents just how much their views and concerns will be considered and taken into account should Christchurch be forced into this new Unitary of Christchurch, Poole and Bournemouth.

For him to presume to tell the Secretary of State to ignore the vast majority of Christchurch residents, 84% who said NO to what he wants, shows a total disregard and contempt for the residents. It also shows a total disregard of people’s democratic rights to disagree with him.

This however is what we have come to expect from Bournemouth council.

Is it any wonder that Christchurch is so against being part of a new Unitary council on which Bournemouth will have control?

If Cllr Beesley has his way all Conservative councillors elected to this new Unitary Authority will come under one central Conservative Group based in Bournemouth so even if Conservative councillors from Christchurch or Poole wanted to vote against a Bournemouth proposal their whips will not allow it, so they will have total control. I wonder if the Poole councillors have realised this yet?

Finally to say that residents of Christchurch were misled by the referendum document is again an incorrect statement as much of the content for the referendum document was taken from the original ORS document, which Cllr Beesley has always supported.

Is he now agreeing with Christchurch councillors that it was flawed?

Once again residents should perhaps ask why other authorities across Dorset have not allowed their residents a referendum or held any public meetings?

Is it perhaps they are afraid of the answer they would get?

Residents, ask your councillors and the MPs, who incidentally apart from Chris Chope have been very quiet on this matter, just what is going on.

It is very convenient for authorities to blame government cutbacks, but they were given several years notice of what the government was going to do, they just didn’t prepare for it unlike Christchurch and East Dorset councils.

HON FREEMAN CLLR COLIN BUNGEY

Christchurch Borough Council, Jumpers Ward