New town councils agreed for Bournemouth and Poole

The Lib Dems said it would give communities more "identity" and power

New town councils for Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone have been approved.

The controversial plans were passed at a full council meeting of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council.

Three MPs in the area criticised the plans as undemocratic while opposition councillors, including Conservative, Labour, Green, Reform UK and Independents, claimed the new councils were not needed.

But the Lib Dems, which helps runs the council under the Three Towns Alliance coalition, said it would give communities more "identity" and power.

Less than half of 1% of the people in the affected areas responded in writing to a consultation, of which about three quarters were opposed.

Before the debate started, a petition signed by almost 4,000 people calling for a delay in the decision until the 2027 local elections was presented.

Resident Jo Keeling told councillors there was a lot of anger among those who felt their views were being ignored.

But it was ruled the petition would fail as it did not have a substantive motion attached to it, but it was discussed my members alongside the proposals.

Labour councillor Sharon Carr-Brown told the meeting "not a single resident in my ward has written to me in support of a new parish council".

"Don't foist something on people that they don't want," she said.

Independent Karen Rampton warned councillors who supported the move "would be remembered by residents at the next elections" and lose their seats.

Conservative councillor Hazel Allen said: "Why do we ask people a question if we're going to ignore them? That's not democracy."

But Lib Dem Sandra Moore said the new councils would "restore civic pride and identity".

Fellow Lib Dem Mike Cox said "the cost (of the new councils) will be very small".

Summing up in favour of the proposals, leader Millie Earl said she was "proud to put power back in communities' hands" and enable them "to act to save the services they want to save".

The Task and Finish group will set the level of public contributions for the new authorities, as well as work to transfer community assets from BCP Council.

The town councils will come into being in April, with elections in May.