Dear Sir,

I am sure many of your readers will already know that it’s now very likely that there will be two new councils in the Christchurch area – Christchurch Town Council and Highcliffe Community Council.

These will be the “third level” councils that will be close to their communities and will be, in some small way, an answer to the remoteness and the democratic deficit which the new greater Bournemouth council will create.

But it’s an extremely important that people – whether or not they agree with the reorganisation; whether keep Christchurch special or Christchurch Yes; or who took no part on either side in the referendum – offer themselves for election next May. The new councils will need a strong public mandate – just remember there are those who said 84% wasn’t enough – and the best way to make sure that the new councils are able to speak their areas is for people put their views before the electorate.

If you don’t vote, you shouldn’t grumble. But if you don’t put yourself forward, you definitely can’t grumble.

D C Jones

Co-Ordinator, Keep Christchurch Special.