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How is Dorset Council's Budget set?

Before you begin 

We want to start with a reminder that our budget simulator is designed to help you understand the challenges of setting the council’s budget. It is not a formal consultation on the budget.  

Each year, Dorset Council must set a balanced budget. This means making difficult decisions about how money is spent on the services people rely on every day, including adult social care, children's services, highways, housing, waste collection and libraries. 

Real pressures, real services and real financial challenges 

For this simulator exercise, the council is forecasting a budget gap of £34.7 million. This reflects the real financial pressures facing Dorset Council, including increasing demand and rising costs in some of our largest services.  

This simulator gives you the opportunity to explore some of the choices and trade-offs involved in setting a balanced budget. Using the simulator, you can: 

  • increase or decrease spending in different service areas 

  • see examples of the possible impact of your choices 

  • choose a council tax increase 

  • share what matters most to you 

Please note that this is a simulator. While it is designed to reflect some of the real financial challenges facing the council, it does not represent the council's actual budget proposals or decisions. 

The impacts shown are illustrative examples and are intended to help explain the possible consequences of different choices. They are not exact predictions of what would happen in practice. 

Taking part does not mean you are voting for a particular council tax increase or budget option. Find out more about the budget simulator on our website: Dorset Council Budget Simulator

How to use the simulator 

  • Use the left-hand menu to move through the different service areas. 

  • Select a percentage option to increase or decrease spending. 

  • As you make changes, the budget gap will increase or decrease. 

  • Your aim is to close the £34.7 million budget gap and balance the budget. 

  • The information shown alongside each option provides examples of the possible impacts those choices could have. 

Some percentage changes share the same impact description. For example, the description for a 1% change may also be used for a 2% change. These descriptions are intended to show the likely impact of changes within a similar range rather than the exact effect of a specific percentage change. 

You can also change spending on statutory services (services the council is legally required to provide). In practice, there may be legal or practical limits on how much these services can be changed. For the purposes of this exercise, we have included these options to help illustrate the choices involved in balancing the budget. 

Once you have balanced the budget, click Submit. There is one more step before your response is recorded. 

You will then be able to answer a few optional questions before submitting your response. If you have any issues or questions about the simulator, please email comms@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or call 01305 221000.

Dorset Council provides around 450 services to 380,000 residents. 

Such as: 

  • Waste collection 
  • Road maintenance 
  • Planning and housing
  • Libraries 
  • Adult and children’s social care 

  •  

These are just some of the vital services that help our communities run smoothly. 

In 2026/27, Dorset Council’s funding comes mainly from council tax and business rates, which account for 84.4% of total funding, while central government provides only 12.6%. 
 

We do apply for one-off grants. These grants are awarded through competitive bidding processes and have specific uses  

That’s why we rely heavily on council tax and business rates to fund the services we provide.  

This simulator is only looking at the Dorset Council element of your Council Tax bill. 

We have no control over the amounts set by: 

  • Town & Parish Council 
  • Dorset Police
  • Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue  

Create your Budget