CHRISTCHURCH councillors have hit out again at the decision to not harmonise council tax from day one of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Cllr Paul Hilliard, who tabled an amendment for residents to pay the same rates across the new local authority area at last month’s Shadow Authority, said members did not show “courage” to back the plan.

He made the assessment at the final Christchurch Borough Council scrutiny committee meeting.

The approved BCP budget will see residents in Christchurch pay more than those in Bournemouth and Poole for the next six years.

For 2019/20, a Band D household’s bill will be £1,598.30 in Christchurch compared to £1,473.40 in Bournemouth and £1,441.53 in Poole.

Cllr Denise Jones said it “seemed immoral” for Christchurch to be in a situation where residents are “forced into paying so much more than the others”.

“It is not a moral thing, especially, as we are in effect an unwilling bride forced into a marriage,” said Cllr Jones.

“Yes the then leader of the day in the very early stages of exchanging a handshake wanted this union but the council very soon showed by a substantial majority it did not and the people of Christchurch showed by referendum that they did not want this.”

Christchurch had been let down by the government, the communities secretary and Bournemouth and Poole councils, according to Cllr Jones.

She added: “We are in a situation where we are regarded as a cash cow.”

Cllr Hilliard said he attended a BCP seminar where shadow authority leader Janet Walton said the new council would need to show “political courage” in future decisions. He went on to say the courageous decision would have been to harmonise council tax from day one.

Christchurch scrutiny committee members unanimously resolved that they “deeply resent" the action of the shadow authority for setting a budget which will cost band D taxpayers in Christchurch £150 more than taxpayers in Poole in the first year alone for the same services.

In response to Christchurch concerns, Cllr Walton said: “It is very disappointing that some Christchurch members are still failing to accept that the creation of the new council will protect frontline services for their residents, and to acknowledge that the level of council tax being paid by people in Christchurch will be lower when served by BCP Council than it would have been had the existing arrangements continued.

“I would encourage all members to embrace the opportunities that this new council presents to our residents, opportunities to protect services and work together for the benefit of the whole area.”