A ROW has erupted over plans to hold a referendum on the future of Portland Town Council.

Campaigners who want the authority abolished claim they did not even know a date had been set for the poll.

They say that plans for the controversial vote have been kept under wraps and that few people on the island knew it was to take place this Monday.

In the parish poll Portlanders will be asked: 'Do you wish to have a town council funded by precept?'

The precept - which funds the council - currently costs just over £6 on top of the normal council tax bill for a band C property.

The decision to hold the vote followed a stormy annual Portland parish meeting when anti-council campaigners managed to win the right for an island-wide vote on the council's future.

Peter Gwillim, of Mallams, who put forward the motion calling for a referendum to be held said: "I have just learned that this will take place in less than a week's time.

"It seems that few people are aware of this as there is only a notice displayed at Tophill library and one at the council offices in Fortuneswell.

"This should be given the widest possible range of advertising to encourage the greatest possible number of electors to vote."

Former town and borough councillor Alan Martindale said: "I am only aware of two notices which suddenly appeared and this could be detrimental to the amount of votes cast both for and against the motion.

"It seems to me that the council is trying to hide the fact that the referendum is taking place."

But the staging of the poll was defended by town council clerk, Derek Wolfe.

He said: "Everything has been done according to the law governing parish polls.

"Notices have been placed in libraries and post offices and that is as much as can be done."

The vote is being organised by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council but no polling cards are being issued and no postal or proxy voting will be allowed because of the nature of the poll.

It will take place on Monday, May 27, with voting at the usual polling stations on the island from 4pm-9pm.