WASTE collections in Christchurch will be carried out by Dorset council for the first year after local government reorganisation due to concerns about a lack of time to have a new service in place.

Members of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) shadow authority’s executive committee gave permission for a legal agreement to be created for the rural council to run the service after being warned that there would be “a high degree of risk” to the service without a deal.

Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP), which runs waste services for all of Dorset’s councils, excluding Bournemouth and Poole, will cease to exist from the beginning of April with a portion of its work becoming the responsibility of the new authorities.

However, a report to the executive committee warned that there was not enough time for BCP to be able to take over its share.

“Alternative arrangements for the delivery of waste have been considered and rejected on the basis of the limited time available to put deliverable changes in place, including any complex contract management arrangements,” it said.

“This includes direct delivery of service from April 1, 2019 by BCP council or a contractual arrangement with Dorset council.”

The recommendation approved by the committee will see the service for waste collections in Christchurch delegated to Dorset council for one year from April 1.

Staff will be contracted to Dorset council for the same period before some, deemed to be “relevant to Christchurch” are transferred.

However, DWP facilities, including Hurn and Christchurch recycling centres, will still be transferred to the BCP council from the first day of its existence.

The report warned that without the agreement there would be “a high degree of risk” to the “seamless delivery” of waste-related services to Christchurch residents.

“There is insufficient time remaining to carry out the necessary planning and procurement of services to enable BCP to direct deliver [waste services] from April 1, 2019,” it said.

Following the shadow executive’s support, a legal agreement will be drawn-up between the two new authorities.