NORTH Dorset could be among the county’s most closely fought constituencies at the General Election.

The majority held by Conservative candidate Robert Walter was reduced to 2,244 votes in the 2005 poll, with only South Dorset member Jim Knight winning by a slimmer margin in Dorset.

But changes implemented by the Boundary Commission could have a major impact on the 2010 poll, with the transfer of Wimborne and Colehill to the North Poole and Mid Dorset constituency, and Verwood and Three Legged Cross moving to the North Dorset seat from Christchurch.

The North Dorset constituency also includes the market towns of Blandford, Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton.

Much of the district is rural. It has a mixed electorate of affluent commuters, second home owners and wealthy retired people, as well as a sizeable population of low paid agricultural, factory and shop workers.

Unemployment has risen by nearly a third in the last year and jumped by more than 10 per cent in January alone.

Only Blandford has a job centre, following the closure of the Shaftesbury labour exchange.

Housing is unaffordable to almost all young families in North Dorset, despite large housing developments in Blandford and Shaftesbury, each with affordable housing quotients.

The district’s appeal as a retirement destination has kept property prices out of reach for the majority.

The National Housing Federation has predicted a 45 per cent rise in the number of over-65s living in the district by 2020 – an estimated 20,500 pensioners.

The key health issue has been a u-turn on health trust pledges to replace the Westminster Memorial Hospital in Shaftesbury.

A lack of government funding to replace the ageing community hospital has drawn criticism from both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Threats to the district’s leisure centres have largely been alleviated by action from the consituency’s award-winning community partnerships after funding for leisure centres in Blandford, Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton was withdrawn by the Conservative-controlled district council, which blamed the government’s capping regime for budgetary pressures.

Education issues have centred on school provision and funding, with the Conservatives calling for a fairer funding settlement for rural schools, and Liberal Democrats campaigning for a senior school for Verwood – the newest addition to the constituency and its largest town.

Private transport dominates in this rural constituency.

Only Gillingham has a station.

Bus services are provided by a mix of private and community operators, both heavily subsidised by the county council.

Cross-party support for a “dualing” of a section of the A303 trunk road close to Shaftesbury and Gillingham failed to persuade transport ministers.

A joint campaign from the district’s local and national politicians won government funding for safety measures needed to cope with traffic diverted by road works into the market towns.