IT IS interesting to learn from the Bridport News that the new Dorset Council is thinking of moving out of its South Walks Headquarters as it no longer needs the space the building offers.

Many will recall the protests against the building of this HQ. It caused a great deal of protest against the expenditure and even resulted in a protest march to the council offices, something unheard of in Dorset.

The march made the national press. The project was essentially a vanity project of the Conservative group on the West Dorset District Council. Protests were ignored and treated with contempt.

Opposition was widespread including from shops in Dorchester as the development reduced the available parking spaces for shoppers - it was built in the main car park.

At the time opponents quoted the example of Salisbury which had built large council offices at a time when local government reorganisation was a serious possibility and eventually the offices in Salisbury were rendered superfluous.

Even though the serious likelihood of reorganisation of the local councils in Dorset was known about at the time, and which has now been carried through contributing to this redundant space, this argument was ignored.

Dorset Council taxpayers now have a debt to pay off and probably a white elephant of a building. It was all foreseen but ignored by the Conservative councillors at the time.

I wonder if, to use an very overused phrase, ‘lessons will be learned’?

Ian Johnson

Pymore Road

Bridport