Residents in Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone will pay a combined £4,175,510 in precepts next year after BCP Council approved the creation of three new town councils.
The elections will take place in May 2026 and are expected to cost nearly £1 million, with a shadow council beginning work from January 2026 to recruit staff and prepare budgets for the new authorities.
Figures show that annual Band D charges are estimated at £29.51 in Bournemouth, £32.59 in Poole and £60.41 in Broadstone, with total annual precepts of £1,981,980, £1,896,970 and £296,560 respectively.
Allotments will transfer to the town councils in April 2026, although BCP Council will continue to manage them until April 2027 because officers say there has not been enough time to fully assess operational requirements.
Budgets published ahead of meetings in December include £1.34 million held in reserves across the three areas to provide a financial buffer for unforeseen costs.
Councillor Millie Earl said the plans will help towns make their own decisions, while Councillor John Beesley said many people “cannot afford another cost which they neither need nor want”, adding that households are already under significant financial pressure.
Share us with your friends on social media, and have a listen to Bournemouth One online and on DAB for all your local news, traffic, jobs, weather, coastal info and more.
Register below for free regular updates via email.