Councillor Simon Christopher’s Report – Feb & Mar 2021

Submitted before the discussion on Planning applications took place at last night’s Parish Council meeting, it was hoped that Cllr. Simon Christopher would give clarification on what he meant by saying that the Local Authority not having “to slavishly follow the Local Plan” – the Parish Clerk having emailed him for clarification*.

FEBRUARY REPORT:

“Please remember that the local plan should be seen as a guide.
Thus it is an established fact in planning case law that the Local Authority does not have to slavishly follow the local plan and I am the first to remind officers of that when I hear concerns from those in the Ward”

MARCH REPORT:

“Councillors
During the month since I sent a report prior to the intended February meeting.
I have had considerable correspondence concerning the following items which has involved corresponding with officers and portfolio holders and lead members as well as residents and parish councillors.
  1. Broadband and mobile phone coverage difficulties.
    This makes life even more difficult for those working at home whether employees the self employed or for education purposes . Broadband is the most quoted problem of local residents and I repeatedly challenge officers portfolio holders and our MP for improvement.
  2. Speeding motorists , particularly in and around Broadwindsor.
  3. Planning development matters and delays in validating and consideration of planning application.
  4. Processing grant applications including those related to village halls in the Ward.
  5. Common Water Lane. With respect to this matter I am indebted to Parish Councillor David Leader for his support and advice. This is a continuing matter involving legal issues and where we are dependent on receiving legal advice . It has been suggested that one solution might involve a traffic regulation order and gates. I appreciate that Dorset Council officers and Broadwindsor Parish Council may have different opinions as to should pay any costs. As Parish Councillor David Leader is aware I am ready to further support the Parish Council in all respects and await further comment following your March 2021 meeting.
  6. Highways particularly with road surfaces and drainage and signage around Drimpton.
  7. Buses. You will be pleased to know that Councillor Ray Bryan has stated that he recognises the importance of buses and that the provision of good bus services encourages people to make less journeys by car and to fight climate change in accordance with Dorset Council recognising there is a climate emergency.

A few further points:

  • Latest advice as of 5 March 2021 is that Household recycling centres are once again straining under increased visitor numbers Dorset Council is encouraging residents not to use Housing recycling centres right now unless waste can not safely be stored at home.
  • A few weeks ago the Government outlined that some Covid restrictions will be lifted starting with the announcement of changes on coincidentally 8 March 2021.  Further pupils and students in all schools and further education can return to face to face education with testing measures in place.  People are able to spend time in outdoor public space with one other person for recreation purposes or of course your household or support bubble.  Wraparound childcare can reopen such as breakfast and after school clubs. Indoor visits to care homes start again for a single named visitor.

Public Health Update:

Latest information for the 7 day period to 5 March showed a DorsetCase rate of 51.3 per 100,000 a reduction from the previous week figure of 77.7.
There were 13 Covid related deaths in the County of Dorset in the week to 5 March 2021.
The message from Public Health Dorset is that though there has been a continued fall in local COVID case rates, hospitalisation and deaths over the past week thanks to the hard work of local people following the rules the situation can change quickly. We should remain vigilant and look to drive transmission rates down either further by following advice.
The Dorset Local Plan consultation continues.
*Finally, a point about my February 2021 report when I was writing about Local Plans – my comment about the fact that a Local Authority does not have to slavishly follow its Local Development Plan was taken from a high profile planning case known as the City of Edinburgh case. Please contact me if you have difficulties accessing transcripts of this case, wish to discuss the implications of this case, or indeed if you have any other concerns”
Best regards,
Simon
Councillor Simon Christopher
Dorset Councillor Marshwood Vale
077988 33715
Cllr. Christopher received no other questions on his report and left the meeting soon afterwards.

Scroll#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#Village,#BWGPC,#SimonChristopher,#DorsetCouncil,#NationalLockdown,#Covid19,#2021,#WearYourMask,#StayAtHome,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

C G Fry’s Planner Paul Hoffman Responds To Fuller Residents’ Concerns

Over half of last evening’s Group Parish Council meeting was taken up with Planner for C G Fry & Son, Paul Hoffman listening to the many comments and objections from residents re: Planning Application: WD/D/21/000123, the Land South of Fullers, Bridport Road, Broadwindsor.

Chairman, Rowland Hibbard brought item 9a on the agenda ahead of it’s proposed time as councillors, Leader and Rowe delivered the many comments and objections as well as the findings from their canvassing of residents. Village residents, Sandra Burrows, Jess Burns & Julie Steele delivered their objections to Paul Hoffman directly.

Cllr. Leader began, requesting additional trees on the north east border and the western boundary and other soft landscaping issues – none of which were expected to cause any problems. Unfortunately, the straight layout of the road cannot be altered. Paul Hoffman said that Dorset Council Highways had looked at the proposal and were satisfied with it as were they. “It is what it is in terms of the road.”

Cllr. Leader continued to then enquire about affordable housing – would they to be to buy or to rent?  Paul Hoffman replied that they were in discussion with various Housing Associations and that once they had consent, all of the affordale housing decisions will go to the Housing Association. As far as the tenures are – there is part ownership (up to 60%) and there are affordable rented homes.  These houses will never appear on the open market.  The Housing Association would always retain ownership of these affordable homes.

Cllr. Rowe began by addressing the 110m of hedgerow proposed to be planted at the western edge of the site and this was part of the mitigation for the loss of wildlife habitats. This hedgerow was the boundary of five properties and Cllr. Rowe sought reassurance from Paul Hoffman that that this hedge not be the reponsibility of householders and that a separate boundary was established on the western edge of the site with a mitigation hedge at least 2m away to ensure maximum protection for the displaced wildlife.  Paul responded by saying that this should not be a problem and proposed the fairly easy solution of building a timber fence with some trees.  When questioned further about maintenance, he added that either the landowner or the Management company would have the stewardship to maintain the area.

Five of the 22 houses proposed are four bedroomed houses and Councillor Rowe and Redlands resident Sandra Burrows stated that this did not go along with the village’s Neighbourhood Plan. Paul Hoffman defended their actions and stated that the vast majority of the scheme was in line with the village’s Neighbourhood planning policy and that four bedroomed houses were an obvious need and in keeping with similar properties in the village.

  • Fullers resident Jess Burns questioned the impact on amenity due to the closeness of one of the properties.  The 110m of hedgerow would not suffice and she was concerned that the elevation of one of the new four bedroomed properties was too close to the back of her property. The new occupied property would generate a considerable amount of noise creating a huge negative impact on amenity. Jess also compared the ridgelines of the properties at Fullers and Redlands to the proposed development.
  • Of the eight properties on the road, three were slightly above the height of those nearby and Redlands resident, Julie Steele expressed her concern about people being able to see into her property.
  • Cllr. Sewell expressed concern and sought reassurance from Paul Hoffman that the properties would not be sold as second homes and that the properties would provide affordable housing.  Chairman Cllr. Hibbard advised to wait to see which Housing Association had the contract and negate any difficulties with them rather than Fry’s.

As the Clerk has to submit the Council’s corporate decision by this Wednesday 10th March, Cllr. Fraser Hughes addressed the urgency to vote.

Cllr. Rowe commented that she was impressed by how many residents had taken the time to discuss their issues with herself and Cllr. Leader.  They had carefully considered their objections and stated that “We (the Parish Council) must give them (the Parishoners) the very best that we can.” Cllr. Rowe added that there are many more issues such as street lighting and conservation.  Cllr. David Leader staed they must be clear on what and how they wanted the layout. Cllr. Steve Chubb reiterated the need to listen to the parishoners and to make sure it was all forwarded to Dorset Council.  Cllr. Simon Christopher had left the meeting by this time, having received no questions on his report.

All the Councillors agreed that C G Fry & Son had a positive and long standing history of development in the area being sensitive to both the area and the environment.

The Clerk suggested she collate the information, communicate with all on Tuesday and once there was clarity, submit the Corporate decision from the Parish Council on Wednesday. Cllr. Jacqui Sewell was clearly against the development.  Cllr. Peter Hardwill clearly supported the development. However, a decision had to be made by all.

It was agreed that subject to meeting the concerns and considerations of the Broadwindsor Parish residents, they would approve plan WD/D/21/000123.

Who are your Councillors? Click HERE.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#BWGPC,#BGPCLT,#SocialDistancing,#CGFry,#Development,#PaulHoffman,#Community,#PlanningApplication,#ParishCouncil,#Coronavirus,#ClimateChange,#Zoom,#AffordableHousing,#Highways,#NationalLockdown,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

 

Plant A Tree For Mothers Day – Sunday, 14th March

With just a week until Mother’s Day, some may have consumed enough chocolate throughout Lockdown so why not consider something a bit different?  The National Trust are giving you the opportunity to dedicate a single sapling or up to half a hectare of woodland to your Mum this Mother’s Day and you’ll be helping to support their aim to plant 20 million trees by 2030:

  • £5 will buy a tree sapling.
  • £50 will buy 10 tree saplings.
  • £250 will plant 50 square metres.
  • £500 will plant 100 sq.m.
  • £2,500 will plant one fottball pitch (half a hectare!).

You can choose your amount and choose if it is in memory of someone or a celebration. At the moment, you are unable to ‘tag’ a specific tree, or choose a location for a tree to be planted. However, they have the ambition to plant 20 million trees by 2030, and your donation today can directly help create a living memorial that benefits nature for everyone, for ever. 🙂

Donate & Dedicate Your Tree HERE.

National Trust LogoWith care, attention and natural progression, small saplings grow into happy, healthy woodlands full of wonder. A lot goes into nurturing new life – and Mum’s know it!

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#MothersDay,#PlantATree,#NationalTrust,#InMemorium,#Celebrate,#LoveYou,#MissYou,#Mother,#Mummy,#Mum,#Ma,#Mammy,Mom,#Morm,#Respect,#Treat,#Surprise,#NationalLockdown,#2021,##SocialDistancing,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Local Employment: Cook/Kitchen Hand At Symondsbury

The Symondsbury Kitchen, part of the Symondsbury Estate are a growing local business and they are looking for cooks and kitchen hands to join their busy kitchen team.
If you have a passion for food and take pride in serving delicious home cooked food using home grown ingredients then they would love to hear from you!
  • Past experience is preferred but not essential as full training will be given.
  • Full time or part time positions are available.
  • Please apply by sending your CV and a cover letter to Sarah – sarah@symondsburyestate.co.uk.
If you would like more information, please contact Sarah.
The Symondsbury Estate is located at Bridport, Dorset, DT6 6HG.
#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#Jobs,#Employment,#Permanent,#PartTime,#FullTime,#Cook,#TheSymondsburyKitchen,#LocalEmployment,#NationalLockdown,#2021,#SocialDistancing,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Midweek Motivator Quiz – Wednesday 10th March

This week, Margery presents 3 rounds of 5 questions and one picture round of 10 questions. Time is limited as Margery is using the free version of Zoom.

Zoom is Free for everyone! – Sign Up and get it HERE.

To Join the Zoom Meeting (the Quiz) – Click HERE.
Meeting ID: 727 9493 6686
Passcode: 4sfgV8

No prizes! it’s simply a bit of time out, seeing familiar faces and breaking the monotony of Lockdown. 🙂

  • Put it in your diary!
  • Set an alarm to remind yourself 15 mins beforehand!
  • Wednesday, 10th at 8pm.
  • Have fun!

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#Village,#MidweekMotivatorQuiz,#Lockdown,#2021,#Zoom,#StayAtHome,#Fun,#Laugh,#SaveYourSanity,#TestYourBrain,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

International Women’s Day, Monday 8th March

The theme of International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose To Challenge’.  Their statement is: “This states that the women are responsible for their own thoughts and actions everyday and they challenge the world everyday. The theme further signifies that women can choose to challenge gender bias and inequality in the world. People need to celebrate women’s achievements and also make world a better place to live in with equality.”

 

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th.

27 countries (mainly former Soviet republics) have adopted International Women’s Day as a national holiday, and it is widely observed in several others.

For most of the countries who observe this holiday, if the 8th falls on a weekend, it will be moved to the following Monday. If it falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, several countries will bridge the holiday to the weekend by declaring an additional public holiday on the Monday or Friday – though often this is compensated for by making a Saturday a working day.

In China since 2014, women are entitled to a half-day holiday for Women’s Day. In Madagascar and Nepal, the day is also an official women-only holiday.

International Women’s Day was first established at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen. German women’s rights activist and Marxist theorist Clara Zetkin was the one who tabled the idea.

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark celebrated the holiday for the first time on March 19th 1911, with the Soviet Union the first to make it a public holiday in 1917.  The date of 8th March was adopted internationally in 1921.

In 1977, the United Nations declared 8th March as International Women’s Day, a day each year when the world should celebrate, recognize and remember women and the accomplishments they have made to society. Each year has a different theme.

Purple, green and white are the colours of International Women’s Day.

  • Purple signifies justice and dignity.
  • Green symbolizes hope.
  • White represents purity, albeit a controversial concept.

The colours originated from the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908.

International Men’s Day…

is on November and their objectives include a focus on mens’ and boys’ health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality and highlighting positive male role models.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#InternationalWomensDay,#Celebrate,#ChooseToChallenge,#GirlPower,#Respect,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

North Allington Roadworks Ends Early

Anticipated to be completed by 12th March, Wessex Water have completed their roadworks at the top of the Salway Ash Road to Bridport and traffic can now flow through 🙂

It has been almost a month since works began and this will be very welcome news for many, particularly ahead of more children returning to schools and colleges on Monday 8th March.

Well done Wessex Water.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#BWGPC,#Bridport#WestDorset,#Drimpton,#DorsetCouncil,#RoadworksEnd,#DorsetHighways,#WessexWater,#Diversion,#NationalLockdown,#2021,#BeSafe,#DriveSafe,#StaySafe

Broadwindsor Group Parish Council – Online Meeting Monday 8th March 2021

Broadwindsor Group Parish Council are meeting online for the first time since January, using the Zoom platform at 7.30pm on Monday 8th March 2021.  All are welcome to attend.

The full agenda is available to download HERE.

The meeting can be accessed HERE.
The Meeting ID: 849 1591 6794
Zoom is Free! – Sign Up and get it HERE.

After the minutes of the last meeting have been approved, the only matter arising is the Clarification of the VAT Refund Rules.

Residents are then invited to give their views and ask questions of the Parish Council on issues on this Agenda. This will be followed by:
a. Report from Councillor Christopher, Dorset Council
b. Report from Dorset Police
c. The co-option to BWGPC, Seaborough Ward.

Folowing Correspondance & Notices, the PC’s response to Covid-19, the Finance Report & Accounts to be approved, there are 4 Planning Applications to be considered:

  • WD/D/20/002888, London House, Broadwindsor, DT8 3QD
  • WD/D/20/003017, Castlewood Farm, Marshwood, DT8 5QQ
  • WD/D/20/003296, Broadwindsor Cricket Club
  • WD/D/21/000123, Land South Of Fullers, Bridport Road, Broadwindsor

Planning Application WD/D/20/001135, Land at Oathill Farm Holiday & Touring Park has been Refused.

Other items on the agenda include Census 2021; Mobile Phone Coverage; Broadwindsor Cricket Club; Climate Change and Allotments.

The Highways item addresses:

  • Report fom Footpaths Officer
  • Verge Management
  • Common Water Lane
  • Hursey Common Sports Field – Grass cutting contract
  • Highways Reporting Protocol
  • Scoop the Poop poster

Following a report from the Broadwindsor Group Parish Community Land Trust on Affordable Housing and any items of interest for the next agenda, Residents are invited to give their views and ask questions of the Parish Council on any outstanding issues on this Agenda or raise issues for future consideration.

The date of the next meeting will then be arranged.

To read the agenda in full – please download it HERE.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#BWGPC,#BGPCLT,#SocialDistancing,#Community,#DorsetPolice,#Farmers,#PlanningApplication,#BroadwindsorCC,#ParishCouncil,#Coronavirus,#ClimateChange,#Zoom,#AffordableHousing,#ComradesHall,#VillageHall,#Highways,#NationalLockdown,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Broadwindsor’s Telephone Box Book Exchange

The photograph, taken today shows that the telephone from the telephone box in Broadwindsor’s square has now been removed.  This indicates that the legalities of the Parish Council adopting it may have concluded. Consequently, many books  which were on top of the telephonehave now been piled on the floor which is not suitable due to the damp conditions.

The number of books has increased too.  It is meant to be serving as a Book Exchange and not a place for a carrier bag or bundle of books to be left, particularly if there is clearly no room to accommodate them at this time.  Once the legalities are final, the Parish Council do intend to renovate the telephone box – which may involve putting up shelves for books as the book exchange does seem to be working well.  It is not an item on the Parish Council’s agenda this Monday – which is extensive already – but please help keep it tidy 🙂

World Book Day 4.3.21

To celebrate World Book Day, and the incredulous date which will never occur again, Broadwindsor.org produced over three dozen memorable bookmarks for the children who use or accompany their parents to the telephone box.
Apologies as they were a day late due to technical problems!

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#BWGPC,#Dorset,#village,#BookExchange,#Community,#TelephoneBox,#SocialDistancing,#Read,#Bookmark,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Volunteer Ride-on Mower Driver Needed

There is a shortage of volunteers to cut the sports field at Hursey Common.  Some volunteers have moved away and they need to be replaced.
It takes about an hour and a quarter to cut the field, the mower is a ride on and easy to use for men or women.
It is a delightful short period of time admiring the view from what must be one of the most scenic sports fields around whilst doing a huge public service.
The sports field is very well used by residents and requires mowing once a week. One person is NOT expected to do this every week.

Please contact David Leader:

. #Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#village,#Volunteer,#Community,#EnjoyTheSun,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe