TODAY, Christchurch Borough Council’s Scrutiny Committee will be examining a report on the intangible costs and benefits of a single council for South East Dorset – the so-called “super council” or “Greater Bournemouth Council” (GBC).

Although a Member of Scrutiny Committee, unfortunately I am in America on business and will not be returning until Friday. I would like to make a few remarks.

Just as we were driven into the European Union without public debate, so our local leaders are trying to drive us into Greater Bournemouth.

These super councils are part of the same agenda as Labour’s failed regional assemblies – it’s all part of the great European projects.

We are told that the new super councils (not just here but all over the country) will find it much easier to apply for European grants – and once you’re hooked on European money you find that he who pays the piper calls the tune. And the tune is not “God Save The Queen.”.

The reduction in councillors, while meaning very little in savings of public money (savings which in any event is usually lost in more bureaucrats) does mean much less supervision of those bureaucrats.

And just in the same way as England’s MEPs are swamped in the European 'parliament' soul in a Greater Bournemouth the 11 councillors (out of roughly 80) for Christchurch would face at least 39 councillors for Bournemouth.

Just as England has lost control of its borders, its criminal justice system, and much else that matters to us, so Christchurch would lose control over the very things that make Christchurch special – in particular, its planning and housing policies.

Christchurch at the moment is debt-free. Bournemouth and Poole most definitely are not debt free.

But if Christchurch is jammed into a super council, we share Bournemouth and Poole’s debts – just like England is paying for the incredible waste in Europe.

It’s fifteen years since the EU’s accounts were approved: if it were a company in England, the Serious Fraud Office would be well interested.

A supposedly independent body, the Local Government Association, is preparing a “business case” for the greater Bournemouth super council.

Not many people think there is the remotest chance that it will say that, financially, a GBC is bad news. So it is very important that the councillors and the public ask about the non-financial factors.

If all local resources are shared, with larger towns having more demands, do shared ‘borders’ mean that more available brownfield and green spaces for larger towns’ building targets can be met from small town stock?

Do one town’s housing demands overflow to small town housing lists, endangering local people’s availability to be housed? Above all, will councillors elected for Christchurch still be able to control what keeps Christchurch special?

There are still many questions to be answered before any ‘treaties’ are signed. Thursday night’s scrutiny committee will start asking those questions.

But it’s vital that Christchurch residents don’t sleepwalk into the bear hug of Bournemouth the same way that England walked into the web of the EU.

Janet Abbott

Councillor for the Grange Ward Christchurch Borough Council

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