Proposals for a national park for Dorset has won the backing of several Dorchester groups – but has yet to convince the town council or Dorset Council.

Neither authority has decided yet whether it is for or against the proposal.

The county town's Civic Society and the Thomas Hardy Society added their voices for the national park idea at a meeting of the town council policy committee on Monday evening.

Both believe it would be good for the area's economy, offer a tourism boost and help protect the town, villages and countryside made famous by Hardy.

But concerns about democracy and more bureaucracy have led many local councillors to question whether National Park status will bring the benefits promoters of the idea claim.

The question of whether Dorchester would be better off in or out of any National Park is also yet to be put to the test.

A majority vote of councillors at Monday evening's town council policy committee decided not to take a stand on the issue until further consultations are carried out with local people and more information is available.

Cllr Molly Rennie said the position was a sensible one to adopt – given that the Government had more pressing issues and was not likely to even start looking at new National Park proposals for some time to come.

Chairman of the Thomas Hardy Society, Tony Fincham, argued that the National Park, with Dorchester in it, would be the best way of protecting and preserving the area, including protecting the division between town and country which Hardy wrote about.

He said that to live in the area was a privilege which brought with it a duty to protect and preserve the area for future generations. He said that Hardy brought tourism to the area and people came to see unspoilt town and countryside which he believed National Park status would enhance.

Similar support came from Tess James from the town's Civic Society who said that Dorchester should be at the heart of it.

Resident Julian Hancock said he had reservations about some of the arguments and said that if income was related to natural beauty and tourism Cornwall ought to be wealthy – but it was one of the poorest places in the country.

He also warned against comparisons between Dorset and the South Downs national park which he said was surrounded by large towns and cities, including universities, offering plenty of job opportunities, something Dorchester could not boast.

Mayor Richard Biggs was also wary. He said that while everyone would welcome protection for area more than 70 per cent of existing National Park spending went on wages, building and capital costs – leaving very little for any enhancement work.

The issue will be debated again at next week's full council meeting.