PLANS are being drawn up to create a ‘super council’ across South East Dorset.

The Echo can exclusively reveal the proposal to merge Bournemouth, Christchurch, East Dorset and Poole to make one authority for the conurbation.

The move would mean the end of plans for a Dorset-wide combined authority, which has been under consideration since last year.

Talks have been underway between the four Conservative leaders for the past few weeks and the new council could be in place by the next round of elections in 2019.

If approved would be the eighth biggest council in the UK.

Other politicians in the west of the county say a single unitary council across the whole of Dorset would be a better option and they are likely to push for that.

But Bournemouth council leader John Beesley told the BBC this morning that the super-council was a better option for retaining the "economic vibrancy" of the connurbation, saying it was where all the growth was and that the links with rural areas like Purbeck and West Dorset were "slender".

There are no details as yet as where the proposed new council would be based, how many staff it would employ and indeed what it would be called.

Currently the four authorities have over 9,000 staff between them.

Bournemouth employs 4,571, Poole 4,105, East Dorset 373 and Christchurch 302.

The behind the scenes negotiations have been conducted by leaders John Beesley of Bournemouth, Ray Nottage of Christchurch, Janet Walton of Poole and Ian Monks of East Dorset.

The government’s devolution agenda is one of the reasons for the proposal alongside with driving economic growth in the conurbation.

But the bleak financial prospects at both Bournemouth and Poole after huge cuts in government grants and rising demands for services, particularly adult social care, is also a big factor with politicians being forced to look at radical solutions or face years of making savage cuts and councils becoming unviable.

Councillor John Beesley, leader at Bournemouth, said: “One council for south east Dorset is a significant opportunity for residents and businesses.

“We are keen to utilise new devolution powers being created by central government to benefit the economic prosperity and quality of life for residents, to achieve more joint-working on service delivery and management, to drive down costs further and allow us to plan wider than traditional local government boundaries. It is important that we consider all options in detail, and we must get this right. I believe that, given the significant economic concentration in south east Dorset, this geographical combination makes the most sense for local residents.”

Cllr Ray Nottage, leader at Christchurch, added: “We all agree the principle that, if the new council goes ahead, existing mayoralties should be maintained. There will be a need for a meticulous evaluation of existing civic identities and traditions, seeking to preserve those things that our communities value the most, that help to shape our respective senses of identity. Each community’s interests and views will be sought as we seek to ensure that all residents can identify with and have confidence in any new council that is formed.”

Cllr Ian Monks, Leader of East Dorset District Council, said: “The shape of local government will inevitably change as a direct result of the ongoing reduction in central government financial support and rising service demands. Failure to change will result in fewer and poorer services to the public and so this is not an option we can afford to ignore.” Cllr Janet Walton, leader at Poole, said councils needed to save tens of millions of pounds over the next three years and it is difficult to see how this will be achieved without a fundamental solution.

“This proposal would provide the prospect of transforming the provision of frontline services though integration, through economies of scales, and through consistency in service quality.”

Bournemouth has already proposed putting up car park charges and introducing charges for green waste collection. It has said it is facing “severe financial challenges”.

Borough of Poole’s former leader Cllr Elaine Atkinson warned as long ago as 2013 that the council was on the edge of a financial “abyss”.

Robert Gould, leader of Dorset County Council, said: "There are so many public services which operate on a pan-Dorset basis that a more ambitious devolution plan should look towards one unitary authority for the whole county.

"Our priority is to identify the most cost-effective public service model for Dorset and all its communities. We need to develop a business case which is based on sound evidence and puts the people of Dorset at the heart of any decision.

"We will work closely with all partners – in the public sector as well as businesses and voluntary and community organisations – to develop the best model for Dorset.

"There is a great deal more work to be done but I believe evidence is likely to show that a new single unitary council for the whole county will deliver the best outcomes for local people and make the best use of limited public money."