THE press and public have been barred from tonight's Christchurch referendum count.

The count, due begin at around 6pm at the town’s Civic Offices, is being held behind closed doors in a clear affront to the democratic process.

Chief Executive David McIntosh, the counting officer, has personally refused to allow the media access to the count, as is normal in a local election, claiming there is not enough room in the main council chamber, despite representations from the Echo.

Counts in the borough are usually held at the nearby Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre’s sports hall.

This is despite the fact that only yesterday Mr McIntosh told the Echo that “the local poll is being run in the same way as an election”.

The local advisory poll is asking residents whether or not they wish to go ahead with the Future Dorset plan to merge the borough with Bournemouth and Poole under a single new unitary council.

Echo editor, Andy Martin, said: "Local authorities should be open, transparent and accountable in all they do and this arbitrary decision is disgraceful. The election process must be open to scrutiny, not conducted in secret. Mr McIntosh knows this to be the case so his decision is baffling.

"This ballot is about the future of Christchurch, making this issue even more important."

Christchurch councillor David Jones, a prominent critic of the Future Dorset campaign who has pushed for a ‘No’ vote in the poll, said he was “very unhappy” that the press and public were being excluded.

“It is essential that things are done in the open and are seen to be done in the open,” he said.

“To be fair it would not be easy to put a public gallery in there.

“But the press and I think also the public ought to be able to watch the count on TV in the committee room.”

David McIntosh, Chief Executive, Christchurch and East Dorset Councils, said: “The Council appointed me as the Counting Officer for the Local Poll.  

"To ensure best practice I am running it along the lines that I would use in elections although it isn’t covered by the same laws. The 24 borough councillors are very experienced in election type processes and so they have been acting as scrutineers to ensure they are satisfied that the poll is being run properly.

“Members have been present at all postal vote opening sessions and have been satisfied with the way that has been done. The result of the local poll will be declared to the press immediately after it is announced to members.”

Although the poll, conducted by post, is advisory, the council will consider the results while deciding its response to the merger plan, which is due to be sent to the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid by January 8.