A YOUNG typist who started work at County Hall, Dorchester in 1967 is finally leaving the building after more than 31 years as a councillor.

Blackmore Vale councillor Pauline Batstone has decided not to stand again for Dorset Council, although she is fighting a Sturminster Newton town council seat in what she describes as "the unpleasantness" at the beginning of May.

Tributes were paid to her at what was likely to be her last Dorset Council meeting on Monday by Marshwood councillor Simon Christopher and audit and governance chairman Richard Biggs.

Cllr Batstone spent most of her working life with the Probation Service, including around a decade working with families and young offenders.

Among the listed jobs and interests for Cllr Batstone are roles as former council chairman, director of the charity NordCat; chair of the Sturminster Newton Chamber of Commerce, Trustee of the North Dorset Trailway Network, chair of the town's Literary festival and posts with the Friends of the Sturminster Newton Library and Sturminster Newton Community Benefit Society.