A COUNTY councillor has strongly criticised a decision by the BBC not to go ahead with launching a new radio station for Dorset.

Ron Coatsworth is now calling on colleagues to support his notice of motion that the council "deplores" the BBC's action and supports the Dorset Broadcasting Action Group's efforts to secure county coverage of news and activities on radio and terrestrial television in Dorset with improved reception coverage.

Mr Coatsworth said: "We are the only county as far as I know that doesn't have its own BBC radio station.

"We have no real media identity as a county, so to lose this chance of a radio station is really quite distressing.

"Other counties have such facilities and we don't. We need a radio station.

"I think anybody who doesn't support my notice of motion must not understand what this locality is about."

The BBC currently provides a part-time radio news service for Dorset from its Radio Solent studio in Southampton, but there has never been a dedicated service covering Dorset.

The BBC had planned to increase local news coverage by introducing four new local radio stations including one in Dorset.

But cutbacks and a budget shortfall of £2 million has seen the BBC look to run a leaner operation with up to 1,800 staff likely to be made redundant, mostly in news, programme making and regional centres with trimming including scrapping plans for a new radio station in Dorset and the three other sites.

A report to the county council's Cabinet committee says that Dorset is actually at the meeting point for three television channels and has a variety of other coverage through small commercial radio stations, newspapers and weekly publications.

The report adds: "This situation makes it more complicated for the county to communicate its messages via the media to all the residents it serves.

"As there is no one outlet which is guaranteed to reach everyone, we have to ensure we communicate to a very wide range of media to inform as many local people as possible."

The report adds that public comment shows that the people of Dorset "feel short-changed" by the coverage they receive.

The report says: "The BBC is a public service broadcaster and, as such, is a partner in helping us to communicate messages in emergency situations.

"As the BBC does not provide a dedicated service for Dorset there could be concerns that, in our warning and informing role, we might not be able to reach people with vital information."