Mid Dorset and North Poole

Mid Dorset and North Poole is a constituency in Dorset. It covers some northern suburbs of the large towns of Poole and Bournemouth and the rural areas to their north and west. Settlements in the constituency include the suburbs of Canford Heath, Broadstone and Bearwood, the towns of Wimborne Minster, Corfe Mullen, Upton and Wareham and the villages of Lytchett Matravers and Merley.

Poole and Bournemouth are popular seaside resort towns. The suburbs and nearby settlements of Corfe Mullen and Merley were mostly developed during the late 20th century as residential estates. Wimborne Minster and Wareham are historic market towns. The constituency is generally affluent with low levels of deprivation, especially so in Broadstone, Corfe Mullen and Merley which fall within the top 10% least-deprived areas in England.^[2] The average house price in the constituency is higher than the national and South West England averages.^[3]

Residents of Mid Dorset and North Poole are generally older with a large retiree population.^[4] They have high rates of household income and the child poverty rate is low. Residents have average levels of education and are likely to be homeowners.^[3] A high proportion work in the manufacturing and construction industries and the percentage of residents claiming unemployment benefits is low.^[4][5] White people made up 97% of the population at the 2021 census.^[6]

At the local council level, all of the constituency's wards are represented by Liberal Democrat councillors. An estimated 56% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 52%.^[3]

1997–2010:

• The District of Purbeck wards of Bere Regis, Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster, St Martin, and Wareham;
• The District of East Dorset wards of Corfe Mullen Central, Corfe Mullen North, and Corfe Mullen South; and
• The Borough of Poole wards of Alderney, Broadstone, Canford Heath, Canford Magna, and Creekmoor.

The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the seats of North Dorset (Corfe Mullen Central, Corfe Mullen North, Corfe Mullen South, Lytchett Matravers, and Lytchett Minster wards), Poole (Broadstone, Canford Heath, Canford Magna, and Creekmoor wards), South Dorset (Bere Regis, St Martin, and Wareham wards), and Bournemouth West (Alderney ward).

2010–2024:

• The District of Purbeck wards of Bere Regis, Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster and Upton East, Lytchett Minster and Upton West, St Martin, and Wareham;
• The District of East Dorset wards of Colehill East, Colehill West, Corfe Mullen Central, Corfe Mullen North, Corfe Mullen South, and Wimborne Minster; and
• The Borough of Poole wards of Broadstone, Canford Heath East, Canford Heath West, and Merley and Bearwood.

In 2010, Colehill and Wimborne Minster were added to the seat from North Dorset, Alderney was moved back to Bournemouth West, and Creekmoor back to Poole.

2024–present:

• The District of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole wards of: Bearwood & Merley; Broadstone; Canford Heath.
• The District of Dorset wards of: Colehill & Wimborne Minster East; Corfe Mullen; Lytchett Matravers & Upton; Stour & Allen Vale; Wareham; West Purbeck (polling districts WPU2 and WPU3); Wimborne Minster.^[7]

Boundaries expanded following re-organisation of local authorities and wards in Dorset, bringing the electorate within the permitted range.

• Parliamentary constituencies in Dorset