WEST Dorset set to get referendum on governance style in May.

After months of campaigning, and following a hand in of a petition totalling more than 6,000 signatures, Public First Group and West Dorset District Council have now confirmed a referendum will take place next May 5.

Public First said they want to see the council change from a cabinet- style system to a committee style and is using powers under the Localism Act 2011, that require such matters to go out to referendum once a petition is backed by more than five per cent of the electorate.

They had aimed to get 4,069 signatures to reach the five per cent benchmark but once that was reached they carried on to create a ‘buffer,’ in case any of the signatures are questioned in the validating process.

It has been confirmed that the referendum will take place on Thursday, May 5, 2016.

Petition manager John Grantham said: “We’re absolutely delighted. We’re very grateful to all who have so keenly supported this campaign and we are also grateful to the Electoral Services team for completion prior to Christmas.

“When the referendum comes people of all parties and political persuasions will have the opportunity to vote for a more democratic committee system of governance.

“We believe West Dorset is second only to Fylde Borough Council in achieving a referendum, which they won, under the Localism Act, to revert to a committee system.

“Although at Canterbury, as the city council saw a public petition making strong headway, their council decided voluntarily to convert back to the committee system and avoided the cost to the community of running a referendum.”

Mr Grantham said the group would campaign over the coming months examining the strengths of the committee over the cabinet system.

He added: “It’s not about party politics. It’s about a fairer, more democratic, more proportionate and open, system of governance being re-introduced, and one that uses better the skills of all the councillors elected into council.’”