The 2024 Dorset Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2024 to elect all 82 councillors to Dorset Council in England, the same day as other local elections in the United Kingdom.
Dorset Council was previously controlled by the Conservatives, who won the first election to the Council in 2019. The 2024 election was the last for a five-year term of office; after 2029, elections will take place every four years.
The Liberal Democrats were aiming to gain control of the council from the Conservatives, which they achieved."Dorset Council (all wards) elections on 2 May 2024", Dorset Council, 3 December 2024 The Liberal Democrat group leader, Nick Ireland, was subsequently appointed leader of the council at the annual council meeting on 16 May 2024.
Wards WardCouncillorsBeacon1Beaminster1Blackmore Vale1Blandford2Bridport3Chalk Valleys1Charminster St Mary's1Chesil Bank1Chickerell2Colehill and Wimborne Minster East2Corfe Mullen2Cranborne and Alderholt1Cranborne Chase1Crossways1Dorchester East2Dorchester Poundbury1Dorchester West2Eggardon1Ferndown North2Ferndown South2Gillingham3Hill Forts and Upper Tarrants1Littlemoor and Preston2Lyme and Charmouth1Lytchett Matravers and Upton3Marshwood Vale1Melcombe Regis1Portland3Puddletown and Lower Winterborne1Radipole2Rodwell and Wyke3Shaftesbury Town2Sherborne East1Sherborne Rural1Sherborne West1South East Purbeck1St Leonards and St Ives2Stalbridge and Marnhull1Stour and Allen Vale1Sturminster Newton1Swanage2Upwey and Broadwey1Verwood3Wareham2West Moors and Three Legged Cross2West Parley1West Purbeck2Westham2Wimborne Minster2Winterborne and Broadmayne1Winterborne North1Yetminster1
Overall results ResultsPartySeatsChangeLiberal Democrats4213Conservative Party3013Green4Independents for Dorset4Labour2
Seats changing hands WardParty beforeParty afterBridportGreenLiberal DemocratsChesil BankConservativeLiberal DemocratsChickerellConservativeLiberal DemocratsChickerellIndependentLiberal DemocratsCorfe MullenConservativeLiberal DemocratsEggardonConservativeLiberal DemocratsGillinghamConservativeLiberal DemocratsLyme and CharmouthConservativeGreenLytchett Matravers and UptonConservativeLiberal DemocratsSouth East PurbeckConservativeLiberal DemocratsStour and Allen ValeConservativeLiberal DemocratsWest PurbeckConservativeLiberal DemocratsWinterborne NorthConservativeLiberal DemocratsYetminsterConservativeLiberal Democrats
Ward results Beacon
Beaminster
Blackmore Vale
Blandford
Bridport
Chalk Valleys
Charminster St Mary's
Chesil Bank
Chickerell
Colehill & Wimborne Minster East
Corfe Mullen
Cranborne & Alderholt
Cranborne Chase
Crossways
Dorchester East
Dorchester Poundbury
Dorchester West
Eggardon
Ferndown North
Ferndown South
Gillingham
Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants
Littlemoor & Preston
Lyme & Charmouth
Lytchett Matravers & Upton
Marshwood Vale
Melcombe Regis
Portland
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Radipole
Rodwell & Wyke
Shaftesbury Town
Sherborne East
Sherborne Rural
Sherborne West
South East Purbeck
St Leonards & St Ives
Stalbridge & Marnhull
Stour & Allen Vale
Sturminster Newton
Swanage
Upwey & Broadwey
Verwood
Wareham
West Moors & Three Legged Cross
West Parley
West Purbeck
Westham
Wimborne Minster
Winterborne & Broadmayne
Winterborne North
Yetminster
Changes 2024–2029
By-elections
Swanage
The by-election was triggered by the death of the sitting Local Conservatives councillor, Bill Trite.
Bridport
The by-election was triggered by the death of the sitting Liberal Democrat councillor, Dave Bolwell.
St Leonards and St Ives
The by-election was triggered by the death of the sitting Local Conservatives councillor, Barry Goringe, on 8 April 2026.
References