Most of Dorset's town and parish councils appear to be voting with their feet over discussion about climate and environmental change in the county.

Only about 10% of town and parish councils attended the latest meeting with Dorset Council to discuss environmental issues, according to the senior councillor leading on the subject.

Portfolio holder for climate and the environment, Cllr Ray Bryan, said he hoped for a better attendance for future meetings, after what he had estimated at a 10 per cent turn out for a meeting arranged via the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils (DAPTC).

"I would really like to see at least 90%… this is a partnership and we need town and parish councils to work with us, it's very important," he said at a meeting last week.

Cllr Bryan said that climate and environmental work was now central to everything Dorset Council does, during a discussion on a 'refresh' of the council's main strategy document on the natural environment, climate and ecology.

Cllr Nocturin Lacey-Clarke (Blandford) said Cllr Bryan's estimate of 10% attendance had probably been an exaggeration, following "extensive work" with town and parish councils in the early days of drawing up the strategy, one of the first key decisions taken by the unitary council when it came into being almost four years ago.

He rejected a request from committee chair Cllr Carole Jones (Sturminster Newton) that Dorset Council should organise its own meetings or workshops with the parish and town councils.

"It doesn't seem to be the best use of Dorset Council time when town and parish councils don't want to participate," said Cllr Lacey-Clarke.

"The DATPC is in the best position to persuade them to do so."

But not all councillors shared the view that town and parish councils were not interested.

Cllr Roland Tarr (Winterborne and Broadmayne) said that many of the smaller councils were keen to engage and had been positive, while Cllr Toni Coombs (Verwood) said that her local town council always read the newsletter with interest.

The Mayor of Bridport, Cllr Ian Bark, recently outlined what Bridport Town Council was doing to achieve a sustainable future and encouraged all residents to "play their part".

Cllr Sherry Jespersen (Hill Forts and Upper Tarrants) said that an approach which seemed to work was ward councillors attending town and parish council meetings and spreading the word about Dorset Council's climate and environmental work.

Lyme Regis and Charmouth councillor Belinda Bawden called on Dorset Council to widen any consultations to include other community groups and bodies, such as the Dorset Climate Action Network which she co-founded.

The council's climate and ecology strategy was adopted in July 2021 and is considered to be "a living document" which will evolve over time.

Among the council's aims is for the authority itself to become carbon neutral by 2040 and to help the wider county become carbon neutral by 2050.

A report to councillors concedes that there are still big challenges to be overcome: "The council's emissions have declined by over a quarter since 2019, meaning we are well on track for a Carbon Neutral Council by 2040.

"Dorset's have declined by just under a fifth since 2018, but the inclusion of newly available data for waste and agriculture means emissions need cutting faster to reach net zero by 2050."

By Local Democracy Reporter Trevor Bevins