Consultations extended after online survey problems

Dorset Council said there had been "high levels of public engagement" with its consultations

A council has extended the deadlines for two consultations after residents reported problems giving their views online.

The consultations for Dorset Council's Local Transport Plan and Local Plan will now close on 20 October and 31 October respectively.

The authority said it had received "high levels of public engagement", but there had been complaints its online surveys were very slow to load.

The council apologised and said it had extended the deadline "to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to take part".

Jan Britton, the council's executive director responsible for planning and transport, said the level of interest in both consultations "shows how much people care about the future of Dorset".

"We're sorry that some residents have experienced issues accessing the online platform, and we want to make sure no one is prevented from having their say," she said.

She added that alternative formats were available, such as sending comments by email and using the Easy Read versions of both plans.