When Councillors are elected to office, many are representing a political party. Upon election, two or more councillors may form political groups, which may be the same or different to their political party. The calculated allocation of seats on committees is based on the representation of these political groups.
The current political composition of the council is:
Conservative
43 Councillors
Liberal Democrats
27 Councillors
Green
5 Councillors
Alliance for Local Living (Independents Group)
4 Councillors
Unaligned
2 Councillors
Labour
1 Councillor
There are currently four political groups formed within Dorset Council - The Conservative Group, The Liberal Democrat Group, The Green Party Group and The Alliance for Local Living (Independents) Group, and each has appoint a Leader and Deputy Leader.