Dorset, Political | Posted on January 14th, 2026 | return to news

Dorset Council reveals budget plans

Roads, care and jobs funding are included in the council’s budget for the coming year, with a Council Tax rise of 4.99 per cent.

Dorset Council has plans to boost local jobs, invest in road schemes and provide care for the elderly and vulnerable adults and children.

Provided the Cabinet approves its final budget on 29 January, a record total of £482m will be spent running services in the county.

Car parking charges will be frozen for a further year, but Council Tax will rise by 4.99 per cent, meaning a Band D home will pay an extra £2.02 per week more than last year.

Dorset Council’s Cabinet member for Finance, Cllr Simon Clifford said: “We are proud to be investing in services that are highly valued by our residents and highly regarded by independent inspectors – our children’s services are rated as ‘outstanding’, and our recycling is among the best in the country.

“We are very open about the unfair funding we get from government – this means that we have no choice but to raise Council Tax each year. Even though Dorset is a rural county, with the oldest population in the country and poor transport links, this is not recognised by government. Dorset deserves fair funding – but it is not getting it.”

Extra investment will be spent on: £12 million adults and housing services; £5 million children’s services and £1.7 million supporting children and young people with complex needs.

Cllr Clifford said that efficiencies and transformation at the council will generate significant savings – which will be further invested into frontline services. The papers also highlight £67 million invested in major building or capital schemes, including:

£8 million to complete the new recycling centre in Blandford
A further £6m to complete major safety works at Dinah’s Hollow on the C13 in North Dorset.
£7.7 million for the Bridport reablement centre
£0.5 million for Wimborne pedestrian and cycle link works.

Alongside these investments, the proposals focus on simplifying customer services and reducing back-office processes, tightening contract spend, using automation and AI where sensible, and removing long-standing job vacancies.