District result maps
2019 results map
2024 results map
Dorset Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Dorset in England. There are 82 councillors, elected every five years until 2029, after which elections will be held every four years.
The council was created on 1 April 2019, when Dorset County Council and five of its six district councils merged to form a unitary authority. A "shadow authority" was created in 2018 to oversee the transition, comprising all the existing district and county councillors representing the area of the new authority. [1] The first election to the new council was held in May 2019. Political control of the council has been held by the following parties: [2]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 2019–2024 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2024–present | |
During the shadow period 2018–2019, Rebecca Knox, Conservative leader of the outgoing Dorset County Council served as leader of the shadow authority. [3] At the first formal meeting of the new Dorset Council after its elections, Spencer Flower was appointed leader of the council. He had been the last leader of the former East Dorset District Council. [4]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Flower | Conservative | 16 May 2019 | 16 May 2024 | |
| Nick Ireland [5] | Liberal Democrats | 16 May 2024 | ||
| Year | Conservative | Liberal Democrats | Green | Independent | Independents for Dorset | Labour | Council control after election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 43 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | Conservative | |
| 2024 | 30 | 42 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Liberal Democrats | |
The next election is due in 2029, five years after the 2024 elections. After the 2029 elections have been held, elections will revert back to being held in every fourth year. [1]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Belinda Bawden | 594 | 43.8 | +27.0 | |
| Conservative | Vicci Stocqueler | 359 | 26.5 | −13.6 | |
| Independent | Cheryl Reynolds | 320 | 23.6 | −6.7 | |
| Labour | David Hart | 82 | 6.1 | −6.6 | |
| Majority | 235 | 17.3 | |||
| Turnout | 1,355 | ||||
| Green gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Crabb | 589 | 50.8 | −2.8 | |
| Conservative | Becky Burns | 489 | 42.2 | +4.2 | |
| Labour | Nick Boothroyd | 81 | 7.0 | +7.0 | |
| Majority | 100 | 8.6 | |||
| Turnout | 1,159 | ||||
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Peter Dickenson | 1,237 | 53.7 | +24.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Simon Clifford | 833 | 36.2 | +19.1 | |
| Labour | Stephen Brown | 232 | 10.1 | −9.5 | |
| Majority | 404 | 17.5 | |||
| Turnout | 2,302 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Chris Tomes | 1,254 | 35.3 | ||
| Reform UK | John Lejeune | 748 | 21.0 | ||
| Liberal Democrats | Poppy Maltby | 737 | 20.7 | ||
| IfD | Philip Eades | 415 | 11.7 | ||
| Labour | Gemma Simmons | 400 | 11.3 | ||
| Majority | 506 | 14.2 | |||
| Turnout | 3,554 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
