DORSET Council’s ‘sale of the century’ will involve public consultation – although the process might take years to complete.

The authority is looking to sell off, or find new uses for, millions of pounds worth of buildings and land it no longer needs. These range from the massive County Hall in Dorchester to tiny pockets of grass dotted about the county.

This week portfolio holder Cllr Tony Ferrari promised there would be a consultation with local people and town and parish councils before final decisions are made.

But he warned that the massive project might take some time to complete and was unlikely to be dealt with on a town by town basis. The council’s first priority is expected to be easily achievable sales where it can rake in some cash to help boost the finances which have been depleted by the current Covid crisis.

Properties the former councils used to operate from at Princes House in Dorchester and Furzehill on the outskirts of Wimborne have already been divested from the council estate.

Cllr Ferrari has also warned that it might not be just sales that the council is discussing – and may need to buy new land or properties for future services.

He told Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting that the authority has 1,400 assets, many of which the new authority has no use for and is unlikely to need in the future, especially as services are re-designed to cope with new ways of working as a result of the pandemic.

Cllr Ferrari said some would sites would be sold, others re-developed, possibly with housing; others re-purposed to work alongside colleagues from other services; with other uses found for some to benefit the local community.

Among the ideas being considered at South Walks House, Dorchester is the possibility of sharing some of the building with Dorset police.

“What is for certain is that the way the council will work post-Covid will be very different from the way we worked before,” he told Tuesday's meeting.

Cllr Ferrari admitted that some of the decisions were likely to be controversial but he said the council was committed to asking local communities what they might like to see buildings and other sites used for.

“But we will need to ask for forbearance…We want to get on with it, but we won’t be able to do it all at the same time. It’s a real issue but we will work through all the different outcomes.”