New Dorset Council logo unveiled

The new logo was produced by in-house graphic designers

The logo for the new Dorset Council has begun appearing at public meetings, two months before its official launch.

The design was produced at no cost to the shadow authority by in-house graphic designers, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The logo for Dorset's other shadow authority was unveiled earlier this week.

The design for the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch (BCP) unitary council had an £8,000 budget.

Both authorities are due to come into existence in April when the county's nine existing councils are abolished.

The BCP shadow authority said its new emblem represented the area and coastline with 113 dots for the 76 councillors, 33 wards, three towns, and one council.

The new Dorset design, which was agreed in November, appears to reflect the county's undulating countryside and coastline.

The shadow authority said it was "modern and distinctive to represent the new 21st-century council".

A number of designs were shown to nearly 1,000 councillors, staff and residents who voted on their preferred logo.

The BCP emblem has 113 dots for the 76 councillors, 33 wards, three towns, and one council.