CHRISTCHURCH council's Acting Leader has met with the Local Government Secretary to discuss his concerns about the future of the borough.

Cllr David Flagg met with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon Sajid Javid and talked about Christchurch's views of local government reorganisation and the Future Dorset submission made by six of the nine councils in Dorset.

Christchurch council is one of three which is not supporting a proposal to replace Dorset's nine local councils with two unitary authorities.

Cllr Flagg said: "I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Sajid Javid and discuss alternative options we will be looking to explore in Christchurch.

"Should he be minded to support the Future Dorset submission then we will have the opportunity to make representations which the Secretary of State would duly consider. I look forward to further discussions with my colleagues about the best way forward for the borough."

Since deciding not to be part of the Future Dorset submission, Christchurch Borough Council have written to the Secretary of State outlining their reasons for not supporting the submission. They have also established a task and finish group to look at alternative options for sharing services with other authorities.