2019 Dorset Council election
The 2019 Dorset Council election was held on Thursday 2 May 2019 to elect councillors to the new Dorset Council in England. It took place on the same day as other district council elections in the United Kingdom. These were the first elections to the new unitary council, which has come into effect on 1 April 2019. The new unitary authority was created to administer most of the area formerly administered by Dorset County Council, which was previously subdivided into the districts of Weymouth and Portland, West Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, and East Dorset. The previous  elections in for Dorset County Council took place in 2017, and for the former district councils in 2015 and 2016. Future elections will take place 2024 and 2029 and then every 4 years. The 2019 election saw the Conservatives take a majority of seats on the Council. Council composition. Prior to the election the composition of the shadow authority was: After the election the composition of the council was: Ward results. Blackmore Vale. Pauline Batstone was subsequently elected the first chair of the council. Crossways. Ireland was later elected leader for the Liberal Democrat group. Dorchester West. Fry was later  elected leader of the all for Dorset independent group. Littlemoor and Preston. O'Leary was the youngest elected councillor aged 20. Cllr Ferrari became the cabinet member for finance and assets. Portland. Kimber was later elected leader of the labour and co-op group. Rodwell and Wyke. Sutton was elected as leader of the green group on the council. Verwood. Flower was later elected as the first leader of the council. West Purbeck. Wharf was later appointed deputy leader of the council