The people of Dorchester made their feelings clear last night over West Dorset District Council’s £15 million scheme to build itself new headquarters on the Charles Street site.
The verdict of the Town Poll was resoundingly in favour of the plan being scrapped. The result was as follows:
‘For’ new offices: 156
‘Against’ new offices: 2046
Stella Jones, Leader of the West Dorset District Council Liberal Democrats, said: “The people of Dorchester have spoken clearly. They are completely opposed to what the district council are proposing to do on which they refuse to consult. We congratulate everyone who organised this historic first ever town poll and look forward to an early response from West Dorset District Council as to what they are now going to do. Clearly they should abandon the project.”
Residents of Dorchester demanded a Town Poll after a public meeting was arranged by Dr Sue Farrant, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for West Dorset, in Dorchester on March 24. It gave the public the opportunity to have their say and ask questions.
A second meeting was held on April 19 in Bridport with the same agenda.
Both meetings, which attracted 320 people in total, concluded with the same unanimous verdict that WDDC’s scheme was not popular and should be stopped immediately.
People of West Dorset can still have their say in a constituency-wide poll.
Go to officespoll.org.uk to vote and leave your comments
