Bridport town councillors have voted to submit proposals to merge four parish councils to create one single council.

As part of the Dorset Council Community Governance Review, Bridport Town Council announced its preferred option for the future governance of the town, including merging the parishes of Bradpole, Bothenhampton and Walditch, Allington and Bridport, with five wards and committees.

It would mean that the large development of more than 750 homes at Vearse Farm, Foundry Lea, would be part of the Bridport parish rather than Symondsbury.

The proposal, along with two other options from the council, was discussed at a recent town council meeting, in which concerns surrounding increased council tax were raised.

It was explained that council tax would become the same for all, within their council tax band, in the new council area. This would mean it decreasing for those in the Bridport parish, who are currently paying more, and an increase for those in the other three parishes, who pay less, to make it equal for all residents.

Councillor Ian Bark, who lives in the Bothenhampton and Walditch parish, said: "The key to this is fairness.

"I have the overarching view that it is fair across the town for the services that everybody accesses and uses, whether they live in the town or outside the town as it is currently defined."

Some felt that the merger would take away the local identities of those communities, were worried that decreasing from around 44 councillors to 20 would not be enough and that the committees would not have the power to influence decision.

However, town clerk Will Austin highlighted that Dorchester, which has a larger population, has 20 town councillors and that committees could be given decision-making powers by the town council.

Jim Basker, chairman of Bothenhampton and Walditch Parish Council, had previously suggested that the merger would create job losses amongst other issues.

Town clerk Will Austin said that it was "both premature and insensitive to council staff".

"The proposal put forward does not indicate any reduction in the services that the council would provide," he said.

"Out of respect to the staff I would ask people not to speculate on that issue."

The proposal also received support from residents.

John West is a resident of the West Cliff estate in West Bay, which is currently in the Symondsbury parish but would come under Bridport if the proposals were to go ahead.

He said: "When I moved here eight years ago, I was staggered to discover that I was actually living within the parish of Symondsbury. That's clearly an anomaly that should be dealt with and I support taking West Cliff into the Bridport town area.

"Some people will be concerned about loss of local identity. What I think is proposed actually enhances that through creating five wards which retain the local identities and I think that will leave people in a stronger position than they are in today. It's important for Bridport in future that we have a strong and unified council, not a fragmented one.

"I think it's clearly the best way forward for the town."

Pymore resident Phyllida Culpin, while supporting the proposal, questioned why Pymore would become part of Symondsbury parish as it is currently part on Allington.

Cllr Dave Rickard explained that it is to make sure the numbers add up as Symondsbury would be losing West Cliff and Watton park and adding Pymore would "go a little way to compensate for the houses". They would both also be retained in a rural parish.

Cllr Kelvin Clayton said: "I want to urge fellow councillors to support this, I feel very strongly about this.

"I think the Covid situation has shown that Bridport has a very strong and active community, a community that… already includes the surrounding villages.

"A single council can much better support that community and fight for it at a higher level, particularly at the level of Dorset Council."

The full report can be found here.

It will be submitted to Dorset Council and the decision lies with the authority.

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