COUNCIL meetings to debate the biggest shake-up in Dorset's local government history get underway this week.

Today marks the start of formal debate and scrutiny by all Dorset councils of the proposals for changing structures, which would see new unitary councils replacing the smaller district authorities.

A report, jointly authored by the six Dorset chief executives, recommends that members of each council agree that a submission be made to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government requesting that Dorset’s nine councils should be replaced by two new unitary councils.

Councillors are also recommended to agree that the two new unitary councils should be comprised of the following:

n Unitary A: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, plus the services currently provided by Dorset County Council in this area.

n Unitary B: East Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland, plus the services currently provided by Dorset County Council in this area.

The first of 24 meetings across Dorset’s nine councils – all open to the public – start on Thursday with Borough of Poole’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussing the report.

Matt Prosser, Chief Executive of the Dorset Councils Partnership, and Chairman of the Dorset Chief Executives Group said on behalf of the Dorset councils’ six chief executives: “Members have had the full package of evidence – the financial assessment, the consultation results and the case for change – since December 5, giving them good time to review and digest the content.

"These meetings are an opportunity for all councillors of every council to debate and discuss the evidence, in their sovereign councils, the report and its recommendations in public, with each authority’s Full Council making a final decision later in the month. Only once each Council has reached a decision will we be able to submit a proposal to the Secretary of State.”

Other important dates are January 11 when Dorset County Council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee will consider proposals and then full council on January 26.

In Weymouth and Portland it will go to Scrutiny & Performance Committee on January 12, Management Committee on January 17 and Full Council on January 26.

In West Dorset the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is on January 10, Executive Committee on January 16 and Full Council on January 26.