This summer, Dorset Council is trialling a new way to engage with communities.
Face to face engagement and conversation between communities and the council has changed in recent years, following the pandemic. It has never been more important for Dorset Council to listen and work with residents, to understand their needs and ensure that the services are being designed and delivered in a way that best meets them.
Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Communities and Customer Services, said: “I am really excited to trial “sofa sessions”. We want to get back out there and talk with our communities, to have open and informal conversations about what it is they need, and what would make Dorset a great place to live, work and visit.
The world around us continues to change and we must adapt to the challenges that our communities face as a result. Your input really can make a difference, but we first need to hear from you. We want to invite you to talk freely with us, to let us know what you need and what you think we could do differently”.
Joined by elected members and officers, Cllr Laura Beddow will lead five “sofa sessions” in high streets in Dorset this summer, with a view to visiting more locations next year.
Join the conversation:
- Blandford (Market Place) – Saturday 23 July, 10am-1pm
- Bridport (Bucky Doo Square) – Thursday 28 July, 10am-1pm
- Wareham (The Quay) – Saturday 6 August, 9am-12pm
- Ferndown (Pedestrian Precinct) – Saturday 20 August, 10am-1pm
- Weymouth (In the Square – Outside the White Hart Tavern) – Saturday 10 September, 10am-1pm
Forget the sofas, get Council Officers back at their desks answering their phones would be more beneficial
Everyone working from home has the same access to the Council’s telephony system as those working in the office – James
That is good to hear James, but have you attempted to get in touch with Officers by phone; unreturned voicemail appears to be the norm these days.
Totally agree, Pete. Perhaps if the offices were full of people working & popping into Dorchester at lunchtime then the businesses in Dorchester may stand more chance of survival.
I’ve just filled out the Dorset Council’s Bus Improvement survey. Wareham’s sofa session (nearest available) is almost 10 miles away from home and I live over 1 mile away from my nearest bus stop. There is no other public transport alternative for me. How do I (or any of my neighbours) get to attend this sofa face to face engagement session as you clearly want me to meet you so I can speak freely?