WE say no to joining with Bournemouth and Poole.

Bournemouth is a ‘new town’ in comparison with Christchurch.

We have not forgotten how Bournemouth council has wasted vast amounts of money over the years: building the BIC when the Winter Gardens had all that was needed to be a conference venue as well as such a wonderful home for our world famous Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, now having to be in Poole. Then there is the Imax –what a terrible waste of money that was.

Add in the reef which cost a huge amount and then those dreadful blocks of concrete in the Boscombe pedestrian precinct, which had to be removed so more money down the drain.

The pedestrian precinct was also a mistake. Many have been made throughout the country and Boscombe has gone downhill ever since.

If you travel on a bus through Boscombe and Bournemouth, you could think you were in a Third World country with all the boarded up shops.

Westover Road used to be a mecca for discerning shoppers, now there are homeless people sleeping there.

A council who so flagrantly wastes taxpayers’ money on ridiculous schemes is not a good bet for Christchurch.

We don’t want to be a suburb of Bournemouth thank you.

JOHN AND CHRISTINE THACKRAY,

Elm Avenue, Christchurch