THE CHAIRMAN of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership has told businesses in Dorchester it is open to ideas for funding bids in the west of the county.

Gordon Page was addressing the annual general meeting of the Dorchester BID (Business Improvement District) shortly before the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) announced plans for the next tranch of major transport schemes for the Bournemouth area.

The LEP revealed that more than £20million is set to be invested in a series of highway improvements along the A338 and B3073 to improve access to Bournemouth Airport and the employment area around it.

Mr Page said: "Our priority is to deliver schemes which offer best value and keep driver disruption and impact on business to a minimum.

"Collectively they will alleviate traffic congestion, transform accessibility and drive economic growth in Dorset."

Earlier rounds of LEP bidding prompted concerns, reported in the Echo, that the west of Dorset was being overlooked in favour of the east of the county and the Bournemouth and Poole conurbation.

Addressing the Dorchester BID meeting, Mr Page said that the LEP - which was set up in 2011 to bid for projects that cause and sustain economic growth - had so far secured investment of around £90million and was currently going through the latest phase of bidding.

He conceded that the early stages of bidding had been skewed towards Poole and Bournemouth infrastructure, this was because these projects had been originally included in the conurbation's city bid and when that was scrapped the LEP had been advised to include the projects in its bids.

Mr Page said there had been bids for investment in the west of the county, such as a new agricultural technology building at Kingston Maurward College, support for the Jurassica and MEMO projects on Portland and support for the Weymouth Town Masterplan.

He said other projects in line for support include three traffic easing schemes for the Dorchester area and support for the Western Growth Corridor.

Mr Page added that it was not for the LEP itself to put projects forward but it was incumbent on local councils and organisations to submit schemes, which the LEP can then evaluate and consider for inclusion in its funding bids.

He said: "You have got to ask for them, we don't invent projects.

"We take projects that come to us from various sources and then evaluate them."

Mr Page did warn that under new Prime Minister Theresa May the future of LEPs was not certain, but assured the traders that all funds approved so far would still be delivered.

Dorchester BID project director Phil Gordon asked whether a bid could be made to the LEP to help fund the county town's Tourist Information Centre, which is currently faced with either closure or relocation.

Mr Page said there was no reason why not but stressed it was up to organisations in the town to submit a bid and it would be considered and evaluated along with all other projects put forward.