The whole point of the local government reorganisation was to get rid rid of tiers of government, but last night a debate on the topic ended in tears… those of the Conservative Leader, who expressed the shock we all feel that Government decided that the New Forest should be split into two for governance purposes.

I attended a large gathering outside the offices at Appletree Court beforehand, organised by New Forest Together who have done a brilliant job, making people aware of what’s happening and stoking up support for protesting against it, including over 14,000 signatures on a petition in a little over a week.

The Council meeting itself debated the issue of the petition which called for the best legal opinion on whether it was worthwhile pursuing a challenge, perhaps by way of a Judicial Appeal.

Very few people, this side of the River Test, believe that the residents here would be better off under the new proposed arrangements. I strongly agree with that view. It is why I am supporting the campaign.

Everyone in the Chamber was of the same view last night. There was no sense at all of any party politics playing a part in reaching the decision to support what New Forest Together were asking for.

So now, we await a legal opinion. I really don’t know what it will be. Perhaps there are some technical grounds for challenging the decision, or possibly some fundamental reason why government cannot split the district in the way it is proposing (having told everyone that it recognises the importance of existing communities).

It is one of those occasions when almost everyone in the community is united on a topic.