THE campaign for a better working relationship with Dorset’s town and parish councils is ‘progressing well’ according to the man in charge of the charm offensive.

A series of meetings and workshops are underway to regain trust after complaints by some smaller councils about being taken advantage of and not listened to at the time of local government change earlier this year and towards the end of 2018.

For some issues still remain – Weymouth town council would like at least some income from the town’s car parks; Dorchester town council would like control over the town’s markets and many parishes are happy to take on jobs, provided they also have the income to go with it.

Cllr Tony Alford, the cabinet brief holder in charge of community links, said meetings held so far with the towns and parishes had gone well.

He said a meeting this week in Bridport saw about 60 councillors take part, another was being held on Thursday evening and another meeting on November 7th.

“They told us what they thought about various things and I’m told it worked very well and was a valuable exercise,” Cllr Alford told this week’s place scrutiny committee.

He said the current round of meetings would be followed by a survey, drafting some firm proposals and then a second round of workshops in the New Year.