Dorset Council councillors have voted to adopt a new Council Plan. The Council Plan 2024-29 sets out the vision for the future Dorset the council wants to see.
Dorset Council currently provides around 450 services to over 380,000 residents. As a unitary council, the council has a wide range of statutory duties which ensure that essential services and support is provided to communities. While the council will continue to deliver these essential services, the Council Plan also sets out the 4 key areas where significant improvement will be made over the next 5 years.
The 4 priorities are:
- provide high quality and affordable housing – increasing the number of affordable homes, to rent and buy, to meet the needs of local people. We will reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation and deliver 450 new affordable homes every year, through the housing association development programme
- grow our economy – supporting businesses to bring productivity up to the UK average, leading to better paid jobs and higher disposable income for people in Dorset and helping younger people to stay in the county throughout their working lives
- communities for all – we want to improve the lives of residents in Dorset, from the youngest to the oldest, helping them to create strong communities where there is something for everyone
- respond to the climate and nature crisis – addressing the climate and nature emergencies is vital for current and future generations. Whilst this is a huge global and national challenge, many solutions are local. Dorset has a role to play in helping tackle climate change and support nature recovery.
Cllr Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council said: “In the run up to the local elections in May this year, we spoke to people about what was important to them as residents, and what they felt their priorities were for the council.
“Our manifesto was created based on what we heard, and during the summer, we held ‘A Big Conversation’, a series of events where we spoke further to residents about our 4 proposed priorities.
“Residents expressed their strong support for what we want to achieve in the next 5 years and the hard work to start delivering these priorities now begins, to create a fairer, more prosperous and more sustainable Dorset for current and future generations.”
Dorchester Chamber for Business President Steve Bulley added: “Our members will be delighted to read that the council has included supporting business in the new plan, I look forward to working with the leader of the council to ensure that the towns and parishes are included.”
For more information on the plans, visit dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/council-plan-2024-to-2029.