Puddletown

  • BEAUTY and the Beast from Mars was a huge success at St Mary’s Middle School, with the talented actors of the Miracle Theatre Company performing to a packed audience of all ages.

School association vice-chairman Andrew Carney welcomed everyone to the evening which made a total of £325 for the school.

Bere Regis

  • AT THE parish council’s January meeting, the council was joined by our community policeman PC Jonathan Stuart for part of the meeting.

Extracts of chairman Ian Ventham’s report include: Having now received a full and clear response from Synergy, including a comparison of the costs of demolishing the Egdon Close garages and creating parking areas, or demolishing and rebuilding, or refurbishing the garages, the council has reluctantly concluded that Synergy is taking the most cost effective option in demolishing and creating parking areas.

There was a very lively debate by the council about the impact of the snow and ice during the cold spell in December.

We were joined later in the meeting by Mr John Munslow who is the winter services manager at Dorset county council.

What we agreed was: • DCC (and the highways agency) did very well indeed in keeping the main road network open. This included the C6, and the A35 and A31.

• There was a misunderstanding between the parish council and DCC over the definition of one of DCC’s stated priorities, to keep centres of population of over 500 residents (i.e. Bere Regis) connected to the gritted network. DCC meant this to mean keeping the C6 open; we interpreted it as keeping West St clear to link with the C6.

• DCC failed to refill grit bins after the first snow fall at the beginning of December as the severity of the weather took all their resources

• DCC’s call centre gave out very mixed and contradictory messages and promises.

For the future the Council understands that: • Pavements will not be cleared by anyone unless this is undertaken by residents on a voluntary basis, and we need to develop a plan to do this.

• We need more grit bins and a readier supply of grit and salt. DCC undertook to look into this.

• We need to liaise more closely with DCC and local farmers to use their snow ploughs.

• We need to persuade DCC that West Street, at least, as the main connecting road and a bus route should have a higher priority in their plans

• The Parish Council needs a single point of contact within DCC

A planning application has been received to install a wind turbine on the hill to the East of Rogers Hill Farm.

After a good discussion the council offered no objection to this application which will now go for approval to the Planning Board at Purbeck district council.

We hope by February to have appointed our own village lengthsman to carry out routine maintenance tasks around the village, to make our village environment really neat and tidy.

The council is still anxious to hear from anyone willing to be a street or area coordinator for neighbourhood watch.

Pc Jon Stewart reported that there had been a couple of recent burglaries in the village, when the method of entry involved forcing a rear window.

We should all be vigilant, and Jon would be happy to take any reports of suspicious behaviour, including car numbers if appropriate, either by email to Jonathan.Stuart@dorset.pnn.police.uk, or on the Dorset Police numbers 01929 552222 or 01305 222222.