PLANS to change boundaries and the number of councillors in towns and villages in Dorset have been given the go-ahead - and residents are being asked to have their say.

Dorset Council has launched the second round of public consultation after draft recommendations were agreed at a Full Council meeting last month, which have been published on its website.

Recommendations agreed in the 68-page document include controversial boundary change proposals by Bridport Town Council, as well as boundary changes in Chideock, and Broadmayne and West Knighton near Warmwell.

It shows the number of councillors on Chickerell town council will increase from six to 11, as well as changes to town councillor numbers in Weymouth wards.

A controversial request by Blandford town council was rejected, however. The town council wanted to increase its boundary to include neighbouring development land and villages. Parish councils had raised concerns that villages would lose their identity.

In a new consultation that opened yesterday, members of the public are again being called upon to have a say on the plans, which also include changing the names of town and parish councils; dividing parish/town councils into wards and grouping with other town/parish councils.

The second part of the Community Governance Review public consultation is open until May 23 2022.

You can view the initial submissions received from town and parish councils as well as other organisations and members of the public on Dorset Council's website.

Councillor Spencer Flower, Leader of Dorset Council, said: “Town and parish councils provide and maintain many essential services for their local communities, and are at the heart of our towns and villages.

“Following the initial consultation last year, the council has published a draft report of recommendations which was agreed at Full Council on February 15.

“We are now entering the second stage of the consultation, and we want to encourage residents to have their say and give us their views on the draft proposals.”

As well as the online questionnaire, paper copies will be available at Dorset Council’s libraries or by calling 01305 251010 from February 28.

The final recommendations will be published and agreed by full Council in July 2022.