DORSET Council has set out plans to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in care services, transport and infrastructure as part of its proposed budget for 2026/27.

The draft budget outlines total spending of £482 million to run services across the county.

Around 60% of that figure will go towards care for older residents, vulnerable adults and children, reflecting growing demand and rising costs in social care.

Alongside care spending, the proposals include funding for major road improvement and safety schemes, while car parking charges would be frozen for a further year.

To help fund the plans, council tax is set to rise by 4.99%, meaning a Band D household would pay an extra £2.02 a week compared with last year.

Cabinet member for finance Cllr Simon Clifford said the council was prioritising services that matter most to residents.

He highlighted that Dorset’s children’s services are rated “outstanding” by inspectors and that recycling performance is among the best in the country.

He also renewed calls for fairer national funding, arguing that Dorset’s rural nature, ageing population and limited transport links are not properly recognised by government funding formulas.

The budget includes additional investment of £12 million in adults’ services and housing, £5 million for children’s services, and £1.7 million to support children and young people with complex needs.

Capital investment of £67 million is also planned, including £8 million to complete a new recycling centre in Blandford, £6 million for major safety works at Dinah’s Hollow and £7.7 million for the Bridport reablement centre.

The proposals also aim to generate savings through efficiencies, including simplifying customer services, reducing back-office processes, tightening contract spending and using automation and AI where appropriate.

The budget will be scrutinised by council committees later this month, before final proposals are considered by cabinet on 29 January.