Cllr Mike Baker

24/06/2026

24/06/2026

EXTREME HEAT | Dorset Police is issuing advice to residents and visitors to ensure they can stay safe and have a good safe summer as temperatures soar in the county.

A red heat-health warning has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency covering Dorset, which means the severe heatwave could have impacts beyond health and social care.

The Force is working with partners to ensure you stay safe and is issuing the following advice:

🐶 Dogs can die in hot cars. Even at just 22 degrees Celsius outside, the inside of the car could reach an unbearable 47 degrees within an hour. If you’ve got concerns for a hot dog in a car that is showing signs of distress, call 999. Be mindful of walking dogs on hot surfaces such as tarmac and sand as paws can burn easily.

🚘 Remember to carry extra water in your vehicle in case of breakdowns and be aware that road conditions may be different in extreme heat. Take extra care to avoid being involved in a road traffic collision and putting additional pressure on emergency services.

🏊‍♀️ Cold water shock can affect even the strongest of swimmers and our coastal waters have not warmed up in line with the air temperature. Only swim at designated, supervised locations and keep a close eye on children near open water. If you get into trouble, remember RNLI advice – float to live.

👦 Children or vulnerable people often get separated from their loved ones on our beaches and are reported missing. Agree a designated meeting point with loved ones and take a photo on a phone of what people are wearing that day to help them be identified faster if you’re separated.

🔥 Don’t have barbecues or campfires on heaths or in open spaces – the risk of a fire starting is too great. Barbecues and campfires are actually banned in many country parks, campsites and open spaces, so make sure you check you’re following the rules.

🪟 While it is important to keep windows and doors open to circulate air and keep cool, remember not to make your property or vehicle vulnerable to theft or burglary. Around one in three burglaries and thefts from vehicles are caused by a criminal spotting an open door or window.

📞 Calls to emergency services increase significantly during warm weather. Over the late May bank holiday weekend, Dorset Police saw a 69 per cent increase in calls to 999 versus the previous year. Please make sensible choices and only call 999 if a crime is in progress or there is danger to life. Use the Force website for anything else or call 101.

Chief Superintendent Gavin Dudfield, of Dorset Police, said: “As we welcome residents and visitors to Dorset to enjoy our open spaces and coastline, we see a significant increase in demand on our services and it is vital that we do all we can to ensure everyone can have a good safe summer.

“Our teams are working tirelessly around the clock, having answered over 3,000 calls to 999 and attending over 1,000 incidents in the past seven days alone, ensuring we can protect vulnerable people and bring offenders to justice.

“We’re asking members of the public to play their part and reduce pressure on emergency services by making sensible choices and follow official advice.”

24/06/2026

Did you know we don't just use our gritters in cold weather?

Hot weather can cause some road surfaces to soften and break up. We’re responding by spreading sand using our gritters to help stabilise the surface and limit damage. In some cases, short-term road closures may be needed while conditions improve.

Please take extra care when travelling and report any issues through our website so we can act quickly.

24/06/2026

Many of us in the UK don't have air conditioning but instead, rely on fans and desk fans.

When the temperatures soar people can often be found resorting to fanning themselves with documents from desks or magazines to keep cool.

But there is one mistake many of us make, which could actually be making us hotter. According to consumer champions, Which?, you should never turn your shower dial to zero.

It explains: "Don’t be tempted to turn the dial right round to freezing when having a shower. If your body is subjected to extreme cold, it will try to regulate its core temperature by retaining heat.

"This will increase blood flow to your skin to warm it up, making you feel even hotter. Taking a cold shower might make you feel better for a short time, but your best option is using cool or lukewarm water, and then letting yourself air dry rather than towel-drying yourself.

"The action of water evaporating off your skin will create a cooling effect on the surface of your skin." This is not the only handy piece of cooling advice from the consumer champion.

There is also a surprising mistake you could be making before heading to bed. It advises people against sleeping naked and recommends wearing one type of clothing instead.

It explains: "Trying to sleep in a heatwave can be torture, and you may think the easiest way to keep cool at night is to completely strip off. In fact, it’s best to wear some clothes, provided they are thin, loose and cotton-based.

"They will act as a wick for sweat, increasing the surface area for sweat to evaporate from and helping you feel cooler. If you're a hot sleeper, it may also be worth investing in a cooling mattress."

What are the signs of heat exhaustion?
The NHS notes that symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

tiredness
dizziness
headache
feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy (a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown or black skin)
cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
a high temperature
being very thirsty
feeling irritable

It adds: "The symptoms of heat exhaustion are often the same in adults and children. If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion they need to be cooled down and given fluids."

What are the signs of heatstroke?

The symptoms of heatstroke, according to the NHS, include:

a very high temperature
hot skin without sweating
fast breathing and a fast heartbeat
confusion and restlessness
seizure (fit)
loss of consciousness

It adds: "Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Get immediate medical help if someone has the symptoms of heatstroke."

✍Sophie Buchan

24/06/2026

Due to the Red Weather Warning for heat, all of our Household Recycling Centres will be closed from 1pm tomorrow (Thursday 25 June). If you have made a booking at one of our four sites with a booking system - Dorchester, Wimborne, Sherborne and Shaftsbury - during the time of closure, you will receive an email asking you to reschedule. We apologise for any inconvenience.

24/06/2026

We’re taking action to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping across Dorset.

Over the past 15 months, we’ve opened new homes and support services to help people rebuild their lives.

Now we want to go further by identifying people at risk earlier and offering support before crisis happens.

Cabinet has just approved our approach to a new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy which means we will publish a revised and updated action plan in the Autumn.

And later this year we will be asking people in our rural areas and towns to help shape support that works for everyone.

Find out more in the first comment.

24/06/2026

With a Red Heat-Health Alert in place across the South of England, there are various things you can do to stay safe in hot weather. In the heat, please keep an eye on elderly and vulnerable neighbours, friends and family.

23/06/2026

23/06/2026

We have delivered our first ever budget underspend since becoming a unitary authority, marking a major step forward in managing our finances with tighter control over spending.

We ended the 2025/26 financial year broadly on budget, with a very small underspend of £169,000 from a total budget of £417 million. This means we spent slightly less than planned overall – the first time this has happened since Dorset Council was formed in 2019.

Read more below.

23/06/2026

When the temperatures rise, it is very tempting to take a dip but rivers, lakes and the sea can be especially dangerous due to the risk of cold water shock.

Even on a warm day, the temperature in open water can remain very cold, causing a physical reaction which can make it difficult to control breathing, cause panic and make it difficult to swim.

If you do find yourself in difficulty in the water, don’t panic – fight your instinct to thrash around, lean back in the water, and float on your back until the effects of cold water shock pass. Then you can call for help or swim to safety.

If someone is in trouble in water, call 999. At the coast, ask for the coastguard. If you are inland, ask for the fire service. You should never enter the water to attempt a rescue.