Investment in key care services, road schemes and boosting local jobs are at the centre of Dorset Council’s 2026/27 budget proposals, published on Tuesday.

A record total of £482m will be spent running services in Dorset, with around 60% of that providing care for the elderly, and vulnerable adults and children, the council says.

Major road improvements and safety works will also be funded, and car parking charges frozen for a further year.

Under the propsoed budget council tax will rise by 4.99%, meaning a Band D home will pay an extra £2.02 per week more than last year, or just over £100 annually.

‘We’re 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,’ said Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Simon Clifford.

‘We’re 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’s not getting it,’ he added.

The budget papers show extra investment of:

• £12m spent on adults and housing services

• £5m spent on children’s services

• £1.7m supporting children and young people with complex needs.

Councillor Clifford said that ‘efficiencies and transformation’ at the Council will generate significant savings which which will be ploughed into frontline services. The budget papers also highlight £67m invested in major building or capital schemes, including:

• £8m to complete the new recycling centre in Blandford

• A further £6m to complete major safety works at Dinah’s Hollow on the C13 near Shaftesbury.

• £7.7m for the Bridport reablement centre

• £0.5m 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.

The budget reports go to the People and Health Scrutiny Committee on 21 January  and the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee the following day. The final budget proposals will be considered by Cabinet on 29 January. All papers will be published on the Dorset Council website.