RISING fuel and other energy costs will add significantly to Dorset Council’s budget for this year.
Additional fuel costs for the council’s vehicle fleet will add around £650,000 above the budgeted amount.
Other projections include £121,015 for gas and £324,400 for electricity - increases of around 4.0 per cent for gas and 4.8 per cent for electricity compared with actual costs in 2025/26.
Other changes include an increase, from April 2026, of 10p per mile when staff use their own vehicles, up from the previous rate of 45p – although there is no sliding scale for increased payments if and when fuel prices rise, or fall, in the future.
The authority says that, so far, it has seen no change in the amount of vehicles on the county’s roads, or using the authority car parks. Car park income is said to be very close to budget expectations.
Said a council spokesman on traffic levels: “We do not currently have any evidence to suggest traffic levels are declining.
“While a full picture for 2026 is not yet available, September data from long-term traffic counters on the A37 and A354 shows traffic flows were similar to those recorded in both 2025 and 2024.”
The spokesman confirmed that it has received requests from suppliers for cost increases, including where operating costs have risen, and says that it has “a robust corporate process for assessing such requests,” making adjustments to contracts where justified.
“Any increases are considered on a case-by-case basis and are only agreed where supported by contractual provisions and appropriate evidence.”
Asked what measures has the authority taken, or is planning to take, to mitigate rising fuel costs the spokesperson said: “Dorset Council has recently launched a project to review organisational travel demand across the authority. The work, which is currently in its discovery phase, will explore opportunities to reduce vehicle mileage, helping to lower both carbon emissions and operating costs.
“The council has also transitioned eligible larger waste vehicles to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel and continues to increase the proportion of lower-emission vehicles within its fleet. Currently, 55 per cent of the council's small vehicles are fully electric, and the authority remains on track to replace the remaining fossil fuel-powered vehicles of this size with electric alternatives by 2030.”
Cllr Simon Clifford, Dorset Council's Cabinet Member for Resources and Finance, said:
"Like households and businesses, councils are feeling the impact of higher fuel and energy costs.
"Despite these pressures, we've planned carefully and continue to monitor costs closely so we can protect the services residents rely on every day. We're challenging ourselves to find savings where we can, while making sure frontline services remain our priority.
"We're also taking practical steps to reduce our exposure to rising fuel prices in the future...
"The reality is that energy and fuel markets remain unpredictable, but Dorset Council is actively managing these risks while continuing to invest in a more efficient and sustainable future."
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