AN ONLINE video about Dorchester’s town centre development sparked an outcry.

West Dorset District Council uploaded the six-minute film to the YouTube website to explain its reasons for a £10.7million move to the Charles Street site in Dorchester.

But some councillors were angry that they didn’t know about the video and called for better consultation over the Charles Street site and the council’s proposed move.

Councillor Molly Rennie said: “It is obvious that the public perception of consultation is very different to the council’s perception.

“All the consultation being done has been by the developer and not the council.

“That has been about the site and not about the move of the offices.”

Coun Rennie, speaking at a full meeting of the district council, added: “Why don’t we listen as a council?

“Consultation is not about leaflets and it is certainly not about You Tube. How many of you look at YouTube to find out what is happening?

“It should be about talking directly to the public and listening to what they have to say.”

Council chief executive David Clarke features in the YouTube video to explain the rationale behind the council’s move to £10.7million offices.

He says that the council will save £150,000 a year from the switch and be able to move into modern, efficient offices.

The video also features staff explaining how difficult the present offices are to work in and a section explaining how employees will use the town’s park and ride instead of council car parks.

Coun Stella Jones said: “How much did this video cost and why do we have to go to YouTube to see it?”

She added that the member of staff in the video using the car park should be using the park and ride already.

The video cost £250 to make. It was produced and edited by the Dorset Centre for Educational Technology, which has produced a number of films for the Dorset For You website – which is the umbrella site for such councils as West Dorset and Dorset County Council.

Council leader Robert Gould said: “The video cost £250. “It is an extremely effective way of communicating. An awful lot of people do see things on YouTube and the internet.”