Politics - Dorset West

Growing interest in Dorset’s fledgling grass-roots political independent movement, All for Dorset, has prompted the group to stage its first public meeting later this month. The event will take place at the Colliton Club, Dorchester on Thursday 24 January, opening at 7.30pm, and will enable people to find out more...

Fed up with your local community’s concerns not being addressed? Frustrated by the services provided by Dorset County Council? Angry about the lack of social mobility in the area? Independent councillor, Dorchester’s renowned town crier Alistair Chisholm is keen to hear from people who feel they could do better than the current administration. Alistair...

On Tuesday 25th September I received a letter from the Chairman of the Conservatives expelling me from the Party.    I believe that this is an extreme and disproportionate measure which illustrates an increasing level of intolerance within the Party particularly on the issue of Brexit.    It is no secret that I disagree...

Thousands of constituents of local MPs Richard Drax and Oliver Letwin are struggling to get by on poverty wages. Yet both have declined an invitation from campaigners to discuss the problem. In May, Weymouth & Portland Action on Wages (WeyPAW) wrote to the MPs with a polite invitation to join...

Earlier this year Bridport Town Council asked West Dorset District Council to carry out a review of its parish boundaries. This is known as a Community Governance Review. Over the summer local people were asked to give their views on the governance arrangements for their area, in particular the shared boundary with...

The case against First Past The Post is well-established. It provides the bare minimum of democracy, is unrepresentative for the majority, and distorts the allocation of power. But how many people are aware of its costs in wasted public expenditure and excess taxes, its maintenance of spent ideologies and...

You may have seen West Dorset 4 EU in Dorchester, Bridport and Weymouth (next stop Blandford) running a street survey using their ‘Brexitometer’, with people queuing up to answer some simple Yes/No/Don’t know questions:   Is Brexit going well? Brexit will be good for jobs? Brexit will be good for the NHS? We need...

For anyone hearing about the latest Times Poll that says Labour are 7 points behind the Conservatives… 1. As we said when polls were in our favour, if there is one thing the last 3 years has taught us, it is that polling, in general, is not currently that accurate...

Legislation now passed in both Houses of Parliament means that Dorset residents will be served by two brand new unitary councils from April 2019 – Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council, and Dorset Council.  The county’s nine current councils will cease to exist on 31st March 2019. The Leaders of the eight...

We want to hear your views on whether the parish boundary of Bridport, particularly the part with Symondsbury Parish Council, should change. This includes the land where the Vearse Farm development is proposed. Review underway West Dorset District Council is carrying out a Community Governance Review  to decide whether any changes should be made to the boundaries...