This Council Plan 2024-2029 sets out our vision for the future Dorset we want to see. It outlines our vision and strategic priorities, setting the council’s direction for the next 5 years.
Dorset is rich in natural beauty, history, and community spirit, with a stunning and diverse natural environment. 85% of our residents are satisfied with their local area as a place to live, compared to the national average of 75%.
However, we face some significant and complex challenges. The climate and nature emergency, scarcity of affordable housing, poor economic growth, health inequalities, and lack of social mobility.
These are challenges affecting the whole country and require significant investment and support from central government. Dorset Council and its partners have an equally important role to play in addressing them and improving the lives and wellbeing of residents.
Our strategic priorities are designed to address the key issues facing Dorset, while continuing to provide the essential everyday services we know people rely on.
Dorset Council provides around 450 services to over 380,000 residents. As a unitary council, the council has a wide range of statutory duties which are legal obligations set out in various Acts of Parliament. These duties ensure that we provide essential services and support to our communities. While the council will continue to deliver these essential services, the Council Plan is an articulation of our ambitions for the future of Dorset over the next 5, 10 and 20 years.
This Council Plan sets out what we want to achieve in the next 5 years, with an eye to the horizon; ensuring we work together to create a fairer, more prosperous and more sustainable Dorset for current and future generations.
Cllr Nick Ireland
Leader of Dorset Council