Dorset Council is ‘difficult’ to work with, says survey
An overview committee heard from Sam Crowe, public health director, that one of the council’s key objectives is to work more closely with its community
Last updated 13th Feb 2026
DORSET Council is ‘difficult’ to work with and needs to improve its relationship with partner organisations and the public – according to a survey.
An overview committee heard from Sam Crowe, public health director, that one of the council’s key objectives is to work more closely with its community.
He said that it had come about from evidence, gathered over the years, that sometimes the Council was not that easy to work with and does not always effectively join up services in supporting residents.
Mr Crowe said a survey with the voluntary and community in the past year found “very clearly that we can be difficult to work with, partly because sometimes we work in silos (isolation) and it can be difficult to know how to reach out to the council; how to connect to the council and sometimes who is doing what,” he said.
The director said that if it was going to meet local needs it would have to change how it works and become more connected with the community and voluntary and public groups.
He said that lessons might be learnt from the NHS who, in its ten year plan, is moving services closer to where people live with ‘neighbourhood health hubs’.
The director said it could be a lesson for the council in how to join up its services more effectively, listen to what people wanted, and design new services from that, measuring any benefits from changes.
He said the ward councillors could play a key role and become more of a ‘bridge’ in developing new models of working, also looking for further collaboration with town and parish councils.
Dorchester councillor Richard Biggs, the council’s deputy leader, welcomed the report and said he hoped the work would get underway quickly to improve relationships.
Sherborne councillor Jon Andrews, another Cabinet member, also welcome the paper, saying he hoped the council would do what it says as a result of the recommendations.