Setback for Dorset in the budget as 'freeport' bid fails to win approval DORSET has suffered a blow in the budget after its application for a low-tax “freeport” was left off the list of bids approved by the government. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a boost for Southampton by backing the Solent Freeport application, but did not give the green light to a scheme for Bournemouth Airport and the Port of Poole. The setback came alongside the good news that BCP Council would receive £21.7million from the government’s Towns Fund to regenerate Boscombe. Council leader Drew Mellor said: “We've had some excellent feedback and we qualified against the government criteria which is a great credit to the bid partnership and we made the final ministerial decision so we're economically on the map. We’re ready and waiting for round two.”