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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will meet the Leader of Christchurch Borough Council to discuss that Council's proposals for local government reorganisation in Dorset.

I met the senior representatives of the 9 Dorset councils, including the then deputy leader of Christchurch Borough Council, on 30 November 2016, when the 9 councils discussed with me the proposal which they were intending to submit and which in the event, 6 of the councils have now submitted. I intend now to consider carefully that proposal before announcing how I am minded to proceed, after which there will be an opportunity for the councils and others interested to make representations.