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April 2023 April 2023
Councillors do not need any special or formal qualifications. It is important that

councillors not only represent the communities that they serve, but also have a
wide range of backgrounds, skills and experience.

The council provides a learning and development programme for its councillors.
This includes key pieces of knowledge that councillors will need including
information on how services work, understanding the council’s budget and legal
considerations that the council has to comply with. Some training is compulsory,
for example, if a councillor serves on a regulatory committee such as planning or
licensing.

The way in which councillors conduct themselves in office, particularly over
matters where they have a financial interest, is governed both by the law and by
a code of conduct. Councillors have to sign a declaration stating they will
observe the council’s code of conduct. They have to declare certain financial
and other interests which they may have and can not take part in decisions if
they have any related financial interests.
The first term of office for the new unitary council is five years from May 2019 to
May 2024. At the end of the five years the councillor’s term of office expires and
they may stand for re-election.

Landowners asked to
submit land for
consideration
Dorset Council is asking
landowners to submit land for
consideration as part of the next
stages of preparing the Dorset
Council Local Plan. We have a
statutory duty to maintain an up-to
-date register of available land for
all types of development for the
future of the council area.

Contacting us

We are always available to our residents. Our contact details are below and we
are happy to meet in person, over zoom or to discuss your concern on the phone.
Peter’s email address is peterwharf@hotmail.com telephone 07986 600799 and
Laura’s is cllrlaura.beddow@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk telephone 07814 569563
Peter Wharf & Laura Beddow, Dorset Councillors for West Purbeck

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