Town Councils 2026

The Liberal Democrat led Administration of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP Council) have ignored the results of yet another consultation, and are pushing ahead with the creation of Town Councils in Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone. Despite overwhelming objections from local residents who said ‘No’.

Like most of you, we believe this extra tier of imposed local government is unnecessary, expensive, and entirely unjustified.

You now face spending more of your hard-earned money on extra bureaucracy and services that are already covered by your Council Tax Council Tax is normally restricted to a maximum increase of 4.99% – yet BCP Council has been allowed to push this to 6.74%, more than twice the rate of inflation, with no referendum required.

Town Council taxes are even worse: they can be raised without limit, and experience shows they’re staggeringly inefficient. In Christchurch and Weymouth, over 50% of the additional tax goes on running the councils themselves – offices and staff – rather than being spent on improvements in the community.

Reform BCP will take a different approach. We cannot reverse this costly and undemocratic decision now, but we’re committed to running these new councils as efficiently as possible, keeping your additional tax burden to an absolute minimum. And if we win control of BCP Council in 2027, we will carry out a full review into the viability of continuing with them.

In the meantime, we will stand a full slate of candidates at the May 2026 elections. We will oppose any attempt by BCP Council to hand down services that residents already pay for – ensuring you’re not charged twice.

But this election is about more than budgets and balance sheets. It is about restoring the basic principle that too many people feel has been lost in modern local government – that those elected to office are public servants, answerable to the residents who put them there. Town Halls exist to serve the public, not to lecture them, ignore them, or quietly expand their own power.

Reform candidates will stand for safer streets, higher standards in our public spaces, and a renewed sense of pride in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Local government should work with communities, listen to them, and deliver results that people can actually see in their daily lives.

And looking ahead, Reform has been clear about one more thing. If we win control of BCP Council in 2027, we will carry out a full review into whether these Town Councils are delivering value for residents — and whether they should continue at all.

The election on 7 May is the first step. It is the moment residents can decide what kind of local government they want: more bureaucracy and higher taxes, or a council that remembers who it works for.

If you believe our communities deserve stronger accountability, better value for taxpayers, and leaders who are prepared to speak plainly and act decisively, then join us.

Vote Reform on 7 May.