In May 2005 Dorset's County Councillors were elected into 42 new areas, following an electoral review by the Boundary Committee for England. A review of this kind takes place periodically in order to address electoral inequalities.

Within Dorset there have very large increases in population in towns such as Gillingham and Verwood. As a result the elected members for these areas were representing up to double the number of electors in other parts of the County. The review therefore aimed to ensure that electors were equally represented across the County by creating new areas with almost equal populations.

The review also provided the first opportunity for Dorset to have 'multi-member wards'. These are single areas, represented by two or three County Councillors and therefore have two or three times the average population.  In Dorset the towns of Dorchester, Verwood and Ferndown are each represented by two elected members. This allowed for equality of representation without dividing these communities into two areas.

The profiles contain a range of information about the characteristics of these areas. They include population, housing, employment, health, earnings and crime. The profiles have been updated to include the latest data available in the autumn of 2008.

• Number of electors

  The number of electors for the County Council Electoral Divisions and also a 2006 and 2007 total for Poole and Bournemouth. This gives the Dorset County Council position at June 2006, 2007, 2008 and May 2009 and 2010.