Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government has taken to ensure that all Band D council taxpayers in Christchurch make the same financial contribution to the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Unitary Authority in 2019-2020 whether they live in Hurn, Burton or Christchurch; and if he will make a statement.

The statutory framework, including the Local Government (Structural and Boundary Changes) (Amendment) Regulations 2018, will ensure that all Band D council taxpayers in Christchurch make the same contribution to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Unitary Authority in 2019-2020, whether they live in Hurn, Burton, or elsewhere in Christchurch. This is unless the Unitary Authority, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, decides that items in its budget are special expenses not chargeable on the council tax payers of certain parishes on the grounds that in those parishes the service concerned is provided by the parish council and not by the Unitary Authority.