Rankings · Unitary council
Dorset
Dorset council ranks 14th of 130 single-tier councils in England (likely range 5th to 30th), in the top quarter. Strongest on service quality (9th of 130), weakest on financial health (79th of 127).
Compare Dorset with another council
Data as of 13 October 2026 · methodology v2.0 (stable) · to cite: "Dorset council, Council Rankings, 13 October 2026, https://councilrankings.com/council/dorset/"
Likely range 5th–30th. Stays in the top quarter in 97% of re-runs. How we work this out
How Dorset scores
Bar length shows the share of the 130 councils that Dorset beats. Overall weights: service quality 60%, value for money 20%, financial health 20%. Select any measure below to see how every council compares on it.
Service quality
Allowing for need, Dorset ranks 16th of 130 (likely range 8th–35th), against 9th unadjusted. That is 7 places lower once need is allowed for, within the likely range.
Adjusted: children's services, adult social care and waste & recycling. Not adjusted, because there is no published measure of need: planning, complaints, special educational needs and homelessness. This view is not part of the overall rank. How we adjust
Planning
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 90.7% | 93.7% | 89 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Non-major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 92.1% | 92.0% | 64 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Planning decisions in the financial year Higher is better · context only | 2,781 | 1,092 | – | 2025-26 |
Source: MHCLG — Planning application statistics (PS2)
Waste & recycling
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household waste sent for reuse recycling or composting Higher is better | 59.9% | 37.4% | =1 / 130 | 2024-25 |
| Residual household waste per household Lower is better | 368 kg | 516 kg | 14 / 130 | 2024-25 |
Source: DEFRA — Local authority collected waste management
Complaints
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ombudsman upheld decisions per 100k residents Lower is better | 8.9 | 4.8 | 112 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman investigations upheld Lower is better | 83.1% | 81.9% | 73 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented on time Higher is better | 86.1% | 75.0% | 41 / 128 | 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented Higher is better · context only | 100.0% | 100.0% | – | 2025-26 |
| Upheld complaints already remedied by the council before reaching the Ombudsman Higher is better · context only | 11.1% | 15.2% | – | 2025-26 |
Source: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman — annual review data
Children's services
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted overall effectiveness (children's services) Higher is better | Outstanding | Good | =1 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
| Ofsted sub-judgements (average) Higher is better | 3.75 / 4 | Good | =15 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
Source: Ofsted — Local authority inspection outcomes
Adult social care
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CQC assessment score for adult social care Higher is better | 66.7%Good assessment published 4 June 2026 | 63.9% | =37 / 126 | latest at 2026-10-13 |
| Quality of life of people who use services (adjusted) Higher is better | 0.404 | 0.417 | =94 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services satisfied with their care and support Higher is better | 68.7% | 65.5% | =19 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| Older people still at home 12 weeks after hospital discharge into reablement Higher is better | 56.4% | 62.5% | 99 / 119 | 2024-25 |
| Adults aged 18 to 64 with a learning disability who live in their own home or with family Higher is better | 90.0% | 83.9% | =16 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services who feel safe Higher is better | 68.7% | 70.7% | =85 / 129 | 2024-25 |
Source: CQC — Local authority assessment reports; DHSC — Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework
Special educational needs
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks Higher is better | 78.2% | 58.3% | 38 / 130 | 2024 to 2025 |
Source: DfE — Education, health and care plans
Homelessness
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homelessness prevented: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 66.1% | 51.7% | 21 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Homelessness relieved: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 34.8% | 33.5% | 64 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1000 households Lower is better | 1.1 | 2.8 | 25 / 126 | 2026-03 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks Lower is better · context only | 2 | 0 | – | 2026-03 |
Value for money
Adult social care value for money
Dorset spends £629 per adult on adult social care, against about £668 expected after allowing for older people's poverty, how many residents are over 65 and whether a council is in London (£38 less). Its adult social care results rank 54th of 125.
Good results, lower cost · value for money rank 31st of 122
Children's services value for money
Dorset spends £1,565 per child on children's services, against about £1,468 expected after allowing for child poverty and whether a council is in London (£96 more). Its children's services results rank 15th of 130.
Good results, higher cost · value for money rank 85th of 127
Waste value for money
Dorset spends £193 per home on waste & recycling, against about £204 expected after allowing for deprivation, whether a council is in London and share of census output areas classed rural (£11 less). Its waste & recycling results rank 4th of 130.
Good results, lower cost · value for money rank 40th of 127
Planning value for money
Dorset spends £1,409 per planning decision on planning, against about £702 expected after allowing for whether a council is in London (£707 more). Its planning results rank 74th of 130.
Weaker results, higher cost · value for money rank 106th of 127
Financial health
Reserves
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usable reserves as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | 38.5% | 33.0% | 50 / 127 | 2025-26 |
| Change in usable reserves over the year as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | 4.0% | 0.4% | 38 / 127 | 2025-26 |
Debt
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt servicing costs as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 6.0% | 9.7% | 28 / 127 | 2025-26 |
| Borrowing need (excluding council housing) as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 99.3% | 184.6% | 17 / 127 | 2024-25 borrowing, 2025-26 spend |
Schools funding deficit
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-needs (DSG) deficit as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 35.5% | 8.8% | =121 / 127 | 2025-26 |
Government bailouts
| Measure | Dorset | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional Financial Support over three years as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 0.0% | 0.0% | =1 / 127 | 2024-25 to 2026-27 |
Context
Background figures. These don't count towards the score.
| Population | 391,036 | median 277,253 | mid-2025 |
| Net service spend per resident | £1,950.06 | median £2,026.28 | 2025-26 |
| Index of Multiple Deprivation average score | 16.268 | median 24.057 | 2025 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks | 2 | median 0 | 2026-03 |
| Who runs the council | No overall control: Liberal Democrat-led administration, with Green | 16 September 2026 | |
| Seats on the council | Liberal Democrat 41, Conservative 29, Independent and other 6, Green 4, Labour 2 (of 82 seats) | 16 September 2026 | |
| Audit opinion on the latest accounts | Opinion signed 27 February 2026. PSAA status: delivered by backstop. | 2024-25 | |
| Years of the last three with no audit opinion signed | 0 | median 0 | 2022-23 to 2024-25 |
| Band D council tax (council element) | £2,205.90 | median £1,969.00 | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax change on previous year | 5.0% | median 5.0% | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax total bill (incl. GLA/police/fire/combined authority) | £2,765.02 | median £2,435.01 | 2026-27 |
Councils nearby
The closest ranked councils by distance between council centres. Nearness says nothing about how similar they are.
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: 84th of 130, lower middle · compare
- Somerset: 118th of 130, bottom quarter · compare
- Wiltshire: 28th of 130, top quarter · compare
- Southampton: 70th of 130, lower middle · compare
- Bath and North East Somerset: 77th of 130, lower middle · compare
ONS code E06000059 · How we score · Report an error · Changelog