Bournemouth, Christchurch, Political, Poole | Posted on September 23rd, 2025 | return to news
New town councils proposed for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
This would align BCP Council with Dorset Council which has town and parish councils in towns and villages.
Towns and villages in the Dorset Council area have town or parish councils, but that isn’t the case in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council area — however, that could be about to change.
In the future, there could be a Broadstone Town Council, a Bournemouth Town Council and a Poole Town Council.
A specially appointed group of councillors is examining proposals to change how people are represented locally, and they have recommended the establishment of those three new town councils.
The Task and Finish group — a politically balanced, cross-party group of 10 councillors appointed by BCP Council — has now published its recommendations following a Community Governance Review and consultation that took place earlier in the year. A Community Governance Review is a legal process which provides an opportunity to review, create and make changes to governance arrangements for town and parish councils and parish areas.
The three proposed authorities would replace the existing Charter Trustees as a separate tier under BCP Council and have responsibility for their own budgets.
There are more than 10,000 parish and town councils in England. Parish and town councils may run numerous services, depending on their size, such as allotments, car parks, celebrations and festivals.
The services a parish or town council decides to create depends on the needs of their areas; the bodies do not manage statutory services such as Children’s and Adult’s Services.
The recommendations will now be subject to the normal democratic process and will be considered before the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board, Cabinet, and hearing of full Council in October.
Cllr Oliver Walters, chairman of the Task and Finish group, said: “The Task and Finish Group was appointed by council to oversee the review and to make draft and then final recommendations.
“As part of our work, we analysed all comments submitted by residents and organisations through the consultation.”
“The group considered various options in developing these final recommendations. Ward councillors and representatives of the existing parish and town councils were invited to submit written representations and to attend and address the group.
“The final recommendations bring Poole, Bournemouth and Broadstone back in line with the rest of Dorset; allows for the removal of the Charter Trustees, replacing them with the town councils, and delivers further decision-making power back into the hands of the people living in these areas.”
Cllr Millie Earl, leader of BCP Council, said: “Council made a commitment to look at ways in which we could give our communities more say over the decisions that affect their local area, and this review reflects that.
“I would like to thank the Task and Finish group who were commissioned by the council to oversee the review and make draft and final recommendations.
“A wide variety of views have been expressed through the consultation, and I would like to thank all of those who took the time to take part and provide us with vital information that have helped shape and inform the group’s recommendations.
“I now look forward to the recommendations going through the normal democratic scrutiny process which will provide all councillors with an opportunity for healthy and meaningful debate on this important matter.”
The report will be present to BCP Council’s Cabinet on 1 October and then discussed at Full Council on 14 October.
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