Dorset Council’s Budget for the financial year 2022-2023 has been carefully designed to prioritise the continued delivery of vital frontline services for residents.
This means more money:
- to meet the rising need and costs of social care for adults with significant or complex needs
- for improvements to support children in care and children with special educational needs and disabilities
- for the council’s response to the climate and ecological emergency
- to support more affordable housing.
We have set the budget against extreme national pressures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside increased prices and demand for services.
Did you know?
- Social care services make up nearly two thirds of our budget
- Dorset Council has the highest proportion of older residents aged 65+ in England
- We have around 2,300 miles of roads to maintain, whereas BCP Council has 658 miles
- As we no longer receive funding from Government, other than grants for specific services, we now have to rely on council tax for 84% of our income and retained business rates for 14%
Your council tax
An increase of just under 3% in council tax has been agreed. This is made up of a 1.99% increase in general council tax and a 0.996% increase for the adult social care precept. For a band D property, this equates to £1.02 extra a week for Dorset Council’s share.
Financial support
If you feel you are struggling to pay your council tax, please get in touch.
Citizens Advice Dorset also offers advice and support if you are struggling with household bills.
Call freephone 0800 144 8848 or visit their website.
I have to admit to being massively underwhelmed by the Dorset news for residents, I see little real valuable news for residents – we live in an area where our public transport is minimal and yet no explanation is provided on how my services will be improved, what is being done to help elderly residents get out and about given the increase in transport costs or help with high energy costs. Traffic on major routes such as the A31 has increased significantly but given the road works at Ringwood we feel isolated by a reduced winter bus service.
We are relying ever more on the internet and mobile phones and yet our service here in St Ives has not improved at all since 2015 what is Dorset council doing about this?
hear about other councils providing grants to communities to help them celebrate the Queens jubilee what is Dorset council doing ro help residents with running local community celebrations.
Thank you for this feedback and letting us know about the issues in your area – we are sharing your comments with Cabinet members with responsibility for transport, adult social care, digital connectivity and communities for them to look into.
With regards to the Platinum Jubilee, this web page has all the information about community celebrations and the support available, both locally and nationally: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/your-community/queens-platinum-jubilee-dorset?p_l_back_url=%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DJubilee
Thanks, Paul