Parish Council Meetings 2021

Elder Road Footpath
The work to the path has now been completed.
This is the largest, most expensive project the Parish Council has undertaken for several years.
Residents and visitors will now be able to use the circular walk and children will be able to get to school without getting muddy or with wheelchairs and pushchairs getting stuck in puddles.
It will take a while to completely bed in, but it is hoped that everyone will get many years of enjoyment out of it.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
This is going to be a major event for the whole country and Bere Regis will be marking the celebrations with the following events:

Thursday 2nd June - Lighting the beacon as part of the national beacon lighting ceremony.
Friday 3rd June – Annual duck race.
Saturday 4th June – Street party with live music.
Sunday 5th June – Church service in the morning and an afternoon picnic at the Sports Club with an old-fashioned sports day for all the family.
Preparations are still in the very early stages, but everything will be advertised and residents kept fully informed as time goes along.
Our sincere thanks are extended to Judy Newton who has taken on the task of co-ordinating the weekend.

North Street Gate
The area either side of the gate is looking very neglected, and complaints have been received about motorcycles using the pedestrian access as a short cut to the roundabout.
The Parish Council will be contacting Highways with a view to replacing the gate and preventing motorbikes from using North Street.
At the same time, the signage will upgraded.
Cllr Bates has kindly offered the services of the Wildlife Group to clear back the vegetation.

Village Calendars
The sale of the calendars made a profit of £180. This money will be donated to the Firefighters Charity.

Speed Watch Report
Monday 1st December; Court Green 11am to 12pm
Total number of vehicles 340; of which 2 were travelling in excess of 38 mph and 20 were travelling in excess of 30 mph.
Monday 6th December; Green Close 1pm to 2pm
This was monitored by DST.
As it was raining our team did not join DST for this session.
20 vehicles were recorded travelling in excess of 36 mph and will receive a speeding fine.
13th of December was cancelled due to the weather.
The next session will be on 10th January 2022.

Parish Lengthsman
Most residents are aware that we are in the very fortunate position that we have a Lengthsman but perhaps not many actually know what he does.
So here is a breakdown of the work he undertook for the parish during December.
23 hours at the Cemetery keeping the grass and hedges neatly cut at all times, clearing litter, and maintaining the graves and marking plots for new burials.
14 hours at the play area – undertaking maintenance of all the play equipment and carrying out all necessary repairs.
Litter picking the area and carrying out weekly inspections.
37.5 hours clearing litter and fly tipping from around the parish, emptying litter bins and taking it to the tip.

39 hours clearing fallen trees and branches and removing the debris from the Elder Road area, Rye Hill and West Street.
Other duties included repairing benches, collecting and delivering Christmas trees, opening and closing the cemetery every day, keeping the Cross and central car park tidy and litter free, and collecting recycling from around the village.
His duties vary depending on the time of year and what events or issues arise.
Had we not got a Lengthsman, much of the work he does would have to be done by Dorset Council or volunteers.
This means, rather than have someone who can respond instantly, any defect would have to be logged with Dorset Council and then could take over a month before anything was done.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 10th February 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of January.

February 2022

The Parish Council met on Thursday 10th February 2022 in the Drax Hall. One member of the public was present. The next meeting will be on Thursday 10th March 2022.
Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

North Street Gate
A proposal regarding the gate and surrounding area had been submitted to Highways.
Unfortunately, they do not have the budget to undertake any such work and, should we wish to proceed, Parish Council will have to pay for it.
This will be put forward to the next meeting but, in the meantime, a group of volunteers, led by Cllr Bates, have offered to tidy the vegetation and hedge around the area.

Post Office
The Parish Council is pleased to see that work has started on converting the building next door to the Nisa shop to facilitate the reopening of the Post Office as part of the shop.
We extend our thanks to everyone involved and look forward to having a Post Office in the village again.

Village Walks Leaflet
Mike Gee has kindly offered to undertake a project to complement the existing walks leaflets, using a combination of way marking, notice boards and modern technology to make the walks as available to all as possible.
This led to discussion on whether a village information board should be located opposite the play park as many visitors start their walks from this point.
However, this could be seen as encouraging parking in an area that can be congested.
Further discussion will be held, and consideration given to an additional board on Souls Moor.

Wild Woodbury
At this point, the management of the allotments has not yet been passed to the Parish Council and we await a copy of the proposed licence for review. Dorset Wildlife Trust are setting up a Community Liaison Group and Cllr Robin Pitcher will act as the Parish Council’s representative.
It is understood that the Group will meet every three months on the Court Green site.
One barn has been cleared and will have the electrics sorted to enable meetings to be held there.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
To facilitate the village street party on Saturday 4th June, an application is being submitted to close the section of West Street from Manor Farm Road to North Street from mid-day until early evening.
Residents affected by this closure have been notified. Dorset Wildlife Trust have very kindly agreed to allow parking on their site during the various events over the weekend.
Those residents who do not have off road parking in the area of the street party will be asked to move their vehicles to Court Farm for the afternoon.

It is hoped that Commemorative Mugs will be purchased for all children under the age of 16 living in the parish.
If you live in the parish and have children that fit this category, please contact the Clerk by email in order to reserve a mug.
There may also be some mugs available to purchase.

Community Speed Watch
Wednesday 19th January; Old School 11am -12pm: Total number of vehicles 350; of which 46 were travelling in excess of 30mph and 10 exceeded 36 mph.
Friday 28th January; Court Green 2pm-3pm: Total number of vehicles 473; of which 63 were travelling in excess of 30mph and 6 exceeded 36 mph.
Wednesday 2nd February; Old School 11am -12pm: Total number of vehicles338; of which 44 were travelling in excess of 30mph and 3 exceeded 36mph.

Angie and Ian Wright, who have done such a wonderful job setting up the Speed Watch and undertaking the co-ordination, have sadly informed us that they will be moving.
This means, in order to keep this incredibly valuable initiative going, we need a new co-ordinator.
The effect the CSW team have on the speed of traffic is noticeable and it would be a great shame to lose them.
As well as acting as a deterrent to speeding, the CSW enables the Parish Council to collect data to support future traffic calming requests, as well as enabling the Dorset Police Mobile Speed Camera Team to attend the area more frequently.
Our grateful thanks are extended to Angie and Ian for all they have done.
They will be sadly missed but we wish them well for the future.

Parish Lengthsman
Most residents are aware that we are in the very fortunate position that we have a Lengthsman but perhaps not many know what he actually does. Here is a breakdown of the work he undertook for the parish during January.
43 hours at the Cemetery keeping the grass and hedges neatly cut at all times, clearing litter, and maintaining the graves and marking plots for new burials as well as installing the new bench.
54 hours at the play area undertaking maintenance of all the play equipment and carrying out necessary repairs, litter picking the area and carrying out weekly inspections.
11 hours clearing litter and fly tipping from around the parish, emptying litter bins and taking it to the tip.
26 hours repairing and installing four benches around the village, including preparing their concrete bases, and starting repairs on the bench at Southbrook.
12 hours clearing paths, including along Rye Hill, removing the leaves and clearing the gutter.
Other duties include opening and closing the cemetery every day, keeping the Cross and central car park tidy and litter free, maintaining the verges around the village and collecting recycling from around the village.
His duties vary depending on the time of year and what events or issues arise.
Had we not got a Lengthsman, much of the work he does would have to be done by Dorset Council or volunteers.
This means, rather than have someone who can respond instantly, any defect would have to be logged with Dorset Council and then could take over a month before anything was done.

Wildlife Group
The Wildlife Group have continued their winter tasks which have been mainly clearing scrub between the newly surfaced streamside walk and the stream.
We are very pleased with the help we are getting from a number of new volunteers and a big thank you to them.
As well as scrub clearance a disconcerting number of empty wine bottles were found on the last working party session.
We understand that there are other sites where discarded bottles have been found.
We would ask everyone to take their litter home and safeguard our beautiful nature reserve and the environment for which many residents work so hard.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 10th March 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.

Annual Parish Meeting
The next Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Thursday 12th May, prior to the start of the Parish Council AGM.
This meeting enables anyone from within the parish to come together and raise any points of interest or concern that they would like the Parish Council to take forward.
It is not a Parish Council meeting.
A Village Forum will then be held later in the year, on Saturday 16th July.
The location and times will be published nearer the date, and it is intended that local community organisations will be invited as in the past.

Rye Hill Kiosk
The Parish Council purchased the kiosk two years ago under the BT kiosk sale scheme. It is now in need of refurbishment ready for the installation of a defibrillator.
The Parish Council will provide the appropriate paint and one of the Councillors has volunteered to undertake the work.
However, if anyone would like to assist with the cleaning and repainting, this would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact the Clerk in the first instance.

Fingerposts
A detailed survey has been undertaken of the fingerposts within the parish and a list of works drawn up.
This involves painting, replacing fingers and lettering and installing missing fingerposts.
The work should be underway during the next few months.

Allotments
A license agreement has now been finalised between Dorset Wildlife Trust and the Parish Council for us to formally take over the management of the Court Farm allotments from 1st April 2022.
All existing allotment holders will be contacted during March asking them to confirm if they wish to continue with their allotment and to agree the new Tenancy Agreement which has been drawn up by Dorset Wildlife Trust. Cllr Robin Pitcher will take on the responsibility of dealing with the day-to-day running issues of the allotments.

North Street Gate
It was agreed that the Parish Council will take on the cost of purchasing a new gate and will deal with Highways regarding installing it and getting the area tidied.
In addition, we will be looking at the installation of a motorbike inhibitor in an effort to discourage the current habit of motorbikes using North Street as a short cut to the Shell Garage roundabout.
In the meantime, the Wildlife Group have kindly volunteered to cut back and tidy up the vegetation in the area.

Community Speed Watch
It is with considerable regret that it looks as though this valuable resource will have to fold as no-one has come forward to take on the role of co-ordinator.
Angie and Ian Wright have done a wonderful job over the last year and our thanks are extended to them and their team of volunteers.
If anyone is able to act as co-ordinator, please contact the Clerk.
In the meantime, we wish Angie and Ian good luck and happiness in their new home
.
Parish Lengthsman
Most residents are aware that we are in the very fortunate position that we have a Lengthsman but perhaps not many actually know what he does.
So here is a breakdown of the work he undertook for the parish during February.
21 hours at the Cemetery keeping the grass and hedges neatly cut at all times, clearing litter, and maintaining the graves and marking plots for new burials.
5 hours clearing rights of way around the village.
31 hours at the play area – undertaking maintenance of all the play equipment and repairing the fence in the under 5s play area. Litter picking the area and carrying out weekly inspections.
20 hours clearing litter and fly tipping from around the parish, emptying litter bins and taking it to the tip.
18 hours clearing fallen trees and branches and removing the debris from the Elder Road area, Rye Hill and West Street.
In particular, we would like to extend our thanks to him, the several volunteers and the workmen from Dorset Council, for the considerable amount of time spent clearing up after storms Dudley and Eunice.
His duties vary depending on the time of year and what events or issues arise.
Had we not got a Lengthsman, much of the work he does would have to be done by Dorset Council or volunteers.
This means, rather than have someone who can respond instantly, any defect would have to be logged with Dorset Council and then could take over a month before anything was done.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th April 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of March.

April 2022

The Parish Council met on Thursday 14th April 2022 in the Drax Hall.
Seven members of the public were present.
The next meeting will be the AGM and will be held on Thursday 12th May 2022.
Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

Platinum Jubilee events
Our grateful thanks are extended to Judy Newton for all the time and effort she has put into co-ordinating the various community groups getting involved in the events over the four days of Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5thJune and all the volunteers who are going to make the events happen.
These are:

Thursday 2nd June – ‘Wild Woodbury’ Walks organised by Dorset Wildlife Trust will take place at 10.30am and 1.30pm. Hog Roast, bar and ice creams at the Scout Hut from 7.30pm to 9.15pm with entertainment from Adams Axemen.
The beacon will be lit on Souls Moor as part of the National Beacon Lighting by Deputy Lord Lieutenant Sally Cadec at 9.45pm, accompanied by a Scout Colour Party.

Friday 3rd June – ‘Wild Woodbury’ Walks organised by Dorset Wildlife Trust will again take place at 10.30am and 1.30pm. At 6pm there will be the Bere Regis Duck Race, organised by the Scouts, with a BBQ and bar at the Scout Hut.

Saturday 4th June – The Jubilee Street Party will be held in West Street from 3pm.
Please bring your own tables and chairs and a picnic.
The pubs and shop have agreed to stay open should you run out of anything and there will be free entertainment throughout the day.

Sunday 5th June – A Songs of Praise Service will be held at St John the Baptist Church at 10.30am.
From 2.30pm until 7.30pm there will be a 1950s Sports Day for children of all ages at the Sports Club.
Bring along a picnic and the Sports Club bar will be open throughout the event.

Throughout the whole of the four days, there will be a Festival Exhibition in St John the Baptist Church of flowers, photography, quilts, crafts, art and poetry.
Light refreshments will be available every day from 11am until 3pm.

Allotments update
As from the 1st April, the Parish Council took over management of the allotments.
There will be no changes for the first year, whilst all the various agreements are put in place.
Invoices will be going out shortly to all those allotment holders who have expressed an interest in keeping their allotments.
There are currently three vacant allotments, two of which will be divided to make smaller plots.
By dividing them, we hope to be able to accommodate as many of those on the reservation list as possible.
We will be contacting those who have been allocated one of the new allotments very shortly, once they have been measured out.
Should you wish to put your name on the list for a future allotment, please contact either the Clerk or Cllr Robin Pitcher.

Councillor responsibilities
Bere Regis Parish Council is an extremely active council and there are several areas for which it is responsible.
In order to ensure all the areas are properly covered, every year each councillor is given a particular responsibility.
This enables residents to know who they can contact should they have a particular issue.

The roles and the councillors responsible are listed below:

Parish Amenities and Rights of Way – Robin Pitcher with Jon Park and Laurie Fairhurst
Environment and Conservation – Tony Bates and Mike Gee
Planning and Housing – Laurie Fairhurst with Simon Munnings and Tony Bates
Neighbourhood Plan Review – Ian Ventham with Laurie Fairhurst, Simon Munnings, Robin Pitcher
Community Liaison & Children & Youth – Brenda House with Phil Morgan and Glo Curtis
Finance – Moira Mathers with Bryan Benjafield
Public Relations Officer – Bryan Benjafield
Thomas Williams Educational Foundation - Simon Munnings
Dorset Association of Parish & Town Councils - Moira Mathers
Community Hall Project Team - Simon Munnings, Ian Ventham, Robin Pitcher
Wild Woodbury Community Liaison– Robin Pitcher
Community Volunteer Liaison – Brenda House
Aster Liaison – Glo Curtis

A full breakdown of the areas covered by each function is available on the Parish Council website, from the Clerk and as an appendix to the April 2022 minutes.
It should be noted that non-parish councillors can be invited to sit on certain committees when they are able to bring specific specialisation to the group.

Commemorative Mugs
These are now available to order and forms are available in the magazine, on the Parish Council website and will also be available from the shop and pubs.
Every child under the age of 16 is eligible for a free mug but we will need you to complete a form to nominate them.
The forms can either be emailed to the Clerk or posted into the Parish Council post box on the wall by the shop.
Additional mugs area available at a minimum donation of £5.
Please complete the relevant section of the form to order your mugs.

Parish Council notice board and bench
We would like to thank Jagtar Singh Dhesi at the Nisa shop for extending their refurbishment to include the Parish Council notice board and bench outside the shop.

Parish Lengthsman
Most residents are aware that we are in the very fortunate position that we have a Lengthsman but perhaps not many actually know what he does.
So here is a breakdown of the work he undertook for the parish during March.
29 hours at the Cemetery keeping the grass and hedges neatly cut at all times, clearing litter, and maintaining the graves and marking plots for new burials.
2.5 hours clearing rights of way around the village.
1.5 hours starting repairs to the various finger posts around the parish.
49 hours at the play area – undertaking maintenance of all the play equipment and repairing the fence in the under 5s play area. Litter picking the area and carrying out weekly inspections.
18 hours clearing litter and fly tipping from around the parish, emptying litter bins and taking it to the tip.
52 hours clearing fallen trees and branches and removing the debris from around the parish.
4 hours completing bench repairs.
8 hours assisting the Wild Life Group after their volunteer work parties.

His duties vary depending on the time of year and what events or issues arise.
Had we not got a Lengthsman, much of the work he does would have to be done by Dorset Council or volunteers.
This means, rather than have someone who can respond instantly, any defect would have to be logged with Dorset Council and then could take over a month before anything was done.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 12th May 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.
It will be the AGM so will mean the Chairman and Vice Chairman will be voted in for the coming year.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of March.

May 2022

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396073 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk and www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met on Thursday 12h May 2022 in the Drax Hall for our Annual Parish Meeting and AGM.
One member of the public was present.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 9th June 2022.
Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

A copy of the Chairman’s Annual Report is available on the Parish Council website.

Our thanks to Ian Ventham

Having stepped down in his role as Chairman 12 months ago, and agreed to stay on the council for a further year to assist with the transition to a new Chairman and the continuation of certain projects, Councillor Ian Ventham has now stood down in his role as a Parish Councillor.
We are incredibly grateful to Ian for all of his hard work, tireless dedication and unwavering service over the last 17 years in his role as both a Councillor and Chairman, with many hugely important projects for the Village happening during his tenure, such as the purchase of both the land for the new school and Souls’ Moor, the new play park, the completion of our Neighbourhood Plan, the improvements made to the boardwalk, Elder Road Open Space and footpaths, and the introduction of the Lengthsman Scheme, to name just a few.
Chairman Moira Mathers presented a handmade wooden plaque to Ian as a small gesture of our appreciation, and we all hope he enjoys some newly discovered spare time!

Re-Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

Councillor Mathers agreed to stand as Chairman for another year and Councillor Benjafield agreed to stand as Vice-Chairman for another year and both were unanimously approved by the Council.

New Councillor Vacancy

We now have a vacancy for a new Parish Councillor, if you are interested in joining, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com for an application form.

Platinum Jubilee events

Here is a reminder of the events we have on over the 4-day celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Thursday 2nd June – ‘Wild Woodbury’ Walks organised by Dorset Wildlife Trust will take place at 10.30am and 1.30pm.
Hog Roast, bar and ice creams at the Scout Hut from 7.30pm to 9.15pm, with entertainment from Adams Axemen.
The beacon will be lit on Souls Moor as part of the National Beacon Lighting by Deputy Lord Lieutenant Sally Cadec at 9.45pm, accompanied by a Scout Colour Party.

Friday 3rd June – ‘Wild Woodbury’ Walks organised by Dorset Wildlife Trust will again take place at 10.30am and 1.30pm.
At 6pm there will be the Bere Regis Duck Race, organised by the Scouts, with a BBQ and bar at the Scout Hut.

Saturday 4th June – The Jubilee Street Party will be held in West Street from 3pm.
Please bring your own tables and chairs and a picnic.
The pubs and shop have agreed to stay open should you run out of anything and there will be free entertainment throughout the day.

Sunday 5th June – A Songs of Praise Service will be held at St John the Baptist Church at 10.30am. From 2.30pm until 7.30pm there will be a 1950s Sports Day for children of all ages at the Sports Club. Bring along a picnic and the Sports Club bar will be open throughout the event.

Throughout the whole of the four days, there will be a Festival Exhibition in St John the Baptist Church of flowers, photography, quilts, crafts, art and poetry.
Light refreshments will be available every day from 11am until 3pm.

Commemorative Mugs

These are now available to order and forms are available in the magazine, on the Parish Council website, in the Nisa Shop, the Royal Oak and the Drax Arms and, by the time you read this, should have also been distributed to every house in the parish.

Every child under the age of 16 is eligible for a free mug but we will need you to complete a form to nominate them. The forms can either be emailed to the Clerk or posted into the Parish Council post box on the wall by the shop.
Additional mugs are available at a minimum donation of £5.
Please complete the relevant section of the form to order your mugs.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 9th June 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of May.

Bryan Benjafield

June 2022

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396073 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk and www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met on Thursday 9th June 2022 in the Drax Hall.
One member of the public was present, together with Judy Newton, the Jubilee Celebrations planning co-ordinator.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th July 2022. Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

Jim Parsons
The meeting began on a sad note with a minute’s quiet reflection to mark the passing of Jim Parsons. Jim had sat on the Parish Council for many years as both a Councillor and Chairman. He will be sadly missed, and our thoughts are with his family.

Platinum Jubilee events
Judy Newton gave a report of the weekend, a full copy of which can be found on the Parish Council web site, attached to the June minutes.
We would like to reiterate our grateful thanks to Judy Newton for all the time and effort she put into co-ordinating the various community groups who were involved in the events over the four days of Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5th June, and also to everyone who made the events happen.

Parish Council Vacancy
We currently have a vacancy on the Parish Council for a new councillor. Bere Regis is an extremely active council, and each councillor is given an area of responsibility that best suits them.
A full list was included in last month’s magazine and is also available on the web site.
If you live in the parish, are over 18 and would like to get involved in helping your community, perhaps you would like to consider putting your name forward.
Please email the Clerk with your expression of interest.

Parish Forum
The Annual Parish Forum will be held on Saturday 16th July at the Scout Hut, commencing 10am.
We hope to have a presentation from Dorset Wildlife Trust, with updates on the employment site, Drax Estate development sites and the Neighbourhood Plan Review. Refreshments will be available.
There will also be an opportunity for residents to put questions to the Parish Council and raise any issues or suggestions they may have that are relevant to the parish.

Commemorative Mugs
To mark the Jubilee, Bere Regis Parish Council are providing a free commemorative mug for all children aged 16 or under in the Parish.
There are still quite a few who have not collected, or ordered, one.
Additional mugs area also available at a minimum donation of £5.
To order mugs, please complete a form which is available on the Parish Council website or contact the Clerk.

Village Stones
We would like to thank Jon Cleave for cleaning the large Portland stones at each entrance to the village.
They now look as good as new thanks to his efforts.

Parish Lengthsman
Most residents are aware that we are in the very fortunate position that we have a Lengthsman but perhaps not many actually know what he does.
So here is a breakdown of the work he undertook for the parish during May.

39 hours at the Cemetery keeping the grass and hedges neatly cut at all times, clearing litter, and maintaining the graves and marking plots for new burials.
5.5 hours clearing rights of way around the village.
17.5 hours starting repairs to the various finger posts around the parish.
50 hours at the play area – undertaking maintenance of all the play equipment and repairing the boundary fence.
Litter picking the area and carrying out weekly inspections.
9.5 hours clearing litter and fly tipping from around the parish, emptying litter bins and taking it to the tip.
43 hours maintaining the grass verges around the village, the Elder Road open space and Souls Moor.
11 hours clearing fallen trees and branches and removing the debris from around the parish.
2 hours completing bench repairs.
4 hours helping with all aspects of the Jubilee weekend, from putting out bunting, setting up tables and chairs, to clearing everything away and tidying up.
His duties vary depending on the time of year and what events or issues arise.
Had we not got a Lengthsman, much of the work he does would have to be done by Dorset Council or volunteers.
This means, rather than have someone who can respond instantly, any defect would have to be logged with Dorset Council and then could take over a month before anything was done.
Souls Moor 10 years on.

It is now nearly 10 years since Bere Regis Parish Council acquired an area of Souls Moor as a village nature reserve and the reserve is progressing well.
Regular grazing by ponies is essential to encourage the return of rare plants such as the Southern Marsh Orchid which was once common within the flood plain alongside the Bere Stream and it takes some years under the right management to bring them back again.
This year we are pleased with the number of these plants.
Other plants, such as Yellow Iris and Stitchwort are also now doing well.

During 2020, we created a small pond which serves as both a water source for the ponies and a wildlife area which has attracted frog spawn, water beetles and dragonflies.
We plan to have a ‘bioblitz’ next year with experts to catalogue the range of species of plant and insects that now inhabit the site.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th July 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of June.

July 2022

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396073 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met on Thursday 14h July 2022 in the Drax Hall for our July Meeting. 28 members of the public were present.
Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

North Street Development

The meeting began with a lively discussion on the proposed commercial development on the land at the end of North Street.
This raised many valued and important points relating to the planning process and the application by Godwin Developments.
This was then followed on Saturday 16th July by a presentation from Godwin Developments during the Parish Forum, giving further insight and information on the proposed development.

Given the short timescale for responding to the planning application and the number of concerns raised, the council voted unanimously at this stage to neither support nor object to the application but to register the following comment:

The site has been shown as available for commercial development since the Purbeck Local Plan was adopted in November 2012 and in the Bere Regis Neighbourhood Plan (BRNP) which was adopted in June 2019 after receiving public support in a referendum.

Page 19 of BRNP states “Any large-scale developments (in excess of one hectare) must be supported by suitable transport assessments and mitigation measures in line with the requirements of the Department of Transport Circular 02/2013 ‘The Strategic Road Network & the Delivery of Sustainable Development’.
Subject to meeting other planning requirements this commercial site could be suitable for provision of facilities falling under the following use classes; A3 (restaurants & cafes), A5 (hot food takeaway), B1 (business), B1a (offices), B8 (storage & distribution) and C1 (hotels).”

Therefore, the proposed use as set out in the application is not in dispute.
However, there are a number of issues that need to be considered.

    • The capacity of the roundabout is cause for concern.
      The exit slip road from the garage can become congested at peak times and during holiday periods.
      Although published data states that only five accidents have been reported on the roundabout in the last five years, local knowledge suggests that this does not take into account a number of unreported accidents and near misses.
      National Highways need to provide guidance regarding the adequacy of the highway junction, and any required improvements.

    • The proposal might be considered to be over-development of the site and we need to be guided by Dorset Council.

    • Site sections are required to show existing and proposed ground levels and how the proposed development would fit with the Shell Garage and existing road layout.

    • A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) has not yet been submitted, which would assist in assessing the impact of the proposed development.

    • Concern has been raised about the number of parking bays and we need to be guided by Dorset Council whether adequate   provision has been made.

    • With the proximity to residential properties, would a restriction on hours of opening be appropriate?

    • A litter control plan should be included as a planning condition.

    • Is the environmental assessment thorough enough to ensure acceptable levels of noise, light and smell pollution.
      Have fumes from idling cars been taken into consideration?

    • National planning policy guidance states local planning authorities should consider undertaking health impact assessments to help improve health.
As this application is within 100 metres of the village sports club and recreation ground, Dorset Council needs to confirm whether a health impact assessment would be appropriate.

    • Concerns have been raised about whether adequate collection and disposal of foul and clean water can be provided.
The parish council seeks confirmation from Wessex Water and the Environment Agency that the proposals will not increase flood risk elsewhere.

    • The design is very similar to all the other ‘motorway’ style outlets.
Being in such a rural location, we would have preferred to see a greater use of natural materials and more attention being given to making the area carbon-neutral, such as the use of solar panels.

Our thanks to Brenda House

The Council received the resignation this month from Brenda House.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Brenda for her fantastic commitment and dedication during her time as a councillor.
Not least for the incredible amount of work she put into setting up and running the NeighbourCar community transport scheme, Salt & Pepper Lunch Club and the Communibus.
Without Brenda, along with her partner Barry, it is possible that these schemes wouldn’t exist and the fact that these can all continue to run independently now is testament to how well they were set up and run in the first place.
We are aware of many members of the community who are incredibly grateful to have these outlets to get involved in.
Thank you Brenda!

New Councillor

Two candidates submitted their interest in the current vacancy for a Councillor.
Following a vote, we were delighted to co-opt Richard Bendon onto the Council and look forward to Richard’s involvement in various upcoming projects.

Another Vacancy

We also now have a vacancy for another new Parish Councillor, if you are interested in joining, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com to register your interest.

Dogs in the Play Park

The Parish Council has received complaints from members of the public regarding dogs in the play park.
We would like to reiterate that no dogs should be taken into the park at any time.
Hooks have been provided by the gate to tie your dog to if necessary.
Whilst mess can be an issue, a number of children, who have a fear of dogs, find them intimidating and are prevented from using the facilities if a dog is in there.
We would very much appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Tour of Britain Race

Cycling’s Tour of Britain Race, the UK’s most prestigious race, is due to pass through Bere Regis on Saturday 10th September. Whilst we’re unsure of specific times, the route sees riders come down Rye Hill, turning up into West Street and heading out through Roke Road. We aim to break out our Jubilee bunting again along West Street and would encourage residents along the route to put out their Union Jacks for the occasion.
We will publicise timings nearer to the event if people wish to line the roads and support the riders on their way through!

Wild Woodbury

At our recent Village Forum Tony Bates gave a presentation ‘Wild Woodbury one year in’.

Architects have been surveying the site and it is hoped that, by the Autumn, proposed plans for the site will be available.

One year in, there have already been significant changes in the vegetation across the fields and naturalists have been recording important wildlife now visible on the site, including some rare bird sightings.
The fields, which were previously arable, now have many large clumps of spear thistle, which are a very good nectar source for insects.
Important surveys have been carried on both the soil types and the hydrology of the farmland.
Working with a neighbouring farmer, low key grazing will be started on some of the fields.
The DWT community liaison officer, Seb Hagget, has led volunteer working parties to help with management issues and also particularly good work with the school to show the children the exciting development of this rewilding project.

Play Park Inspection

We have had our annual play park inspection carried out and there are some further repair works that will be undertaken as soon as possible.
Councillor Curtis also visited the school recently and spoke with children from the School Council who gave constructive feedback on what they think could be improved on in the park, and we will look to incorporate as many of their ideas as possible!

Tree Inspection

We have also had many of the trees in and around the Elder Road open space area surveyed and were advised of some work that would need doing to keep them safe and healthy.
We will commission this in the coming months.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 8th September 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of August.

Bryan Benjafield

October 2022

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396073 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk

The Parish Council met on Thursday 13h October 2022 in the Drax Hall for our October Meeting.
Three members of the public were present.
Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

Allotments

We are pleased to remind parishioners that following the purchase of the land at Court Farm by Dorset Wildlife Trust, the allotments have now been placed under the management of the Parish Council.
We have recently measured and mapped all of the plots and will be ensuring that moving forward all charges are apportioned fairly based on allotment size.
Although there are currently no available plots, if you wish to be placed on the waiting list should one come available, please email the Clerk, Amanda Crocker, on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Christmas Trees

As in previous years, the Parish Council have ordered a number of 4ft Christmas Trees which can be ordered by residents at the cost of just £10.
To order your tree simply email the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com and she will send you payment details.
All trees that have been ordered will then be delivered to the Lengthsman in early December.

Village Calendars

This year’s calendar is now on sale from the Nisa Local shop in the village.
Still priced at just £5, it features 15 stunning photographs from local photographers and is a great stocking filler for Christmas!
All profits from the sales of the calendar will be going to the newly established Tea & Toast group who meet on Thursday mornings in the Church

Parish Council Vacancy

We still have a vacancy for a new Parish Councillor.
If you are interested in joining the Council, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com to register your interest.

Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday is on 13th November and there will be the annual parade leaving the Scout Hut at 10.30, followed by the Remembrance Service at the Memorial, then in Church.
All are welcome to join the parade and service.

As in previous years, we will be fitting the large lamppost poppies around the village, marked with names of Bere Regis residents lost in the War.

Tree Surveys

We have recently had a survey carried out on all of the trees which are on Parish Council land and were unfortunately informed that many of them along Elder Road and in the Cemetery are unhealthy and need to be felled during the coming months and years, predominantly due to widespread Ash Dieback disease.
We are getting second opinions on some of the more noticeable trees to ensure we do all we can for them, and are also drawing up a management plan to plant a variety of trees to replace those being removed.

Fingerposts

Following a recent inspection of the fingerposts around the Parish, we are very fortunate that our lengthsman Tony has carried out a number of repairs to restore them all to their former glory, as can be seen in the photograph below.
We remind ourselves how lucky we are to have such a service that many larger villages and towns do not have access to.

Country Watch Dorset

This is a scheme launched by Dorset Police to bring together multiple partnership agencies to help combat rural crime. As well as links to reporting fly tipping, there are a range of other resources available through their website at https://www.countrywatchdorset.co.uk.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 10h November 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax Hall.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of October.

Bryan Benjafield

November 2022

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396073 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk

The Parish Council met on Thursday 10th November 2022 in the Village Hall.
Twelve members of the public were present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 8th December 2022.
Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

North Street Gate
A proposal regarding the gate and surrounding area had been submitted to the Parish Council.
Peter Wharf reported that further investigation with Dorset Council has identified an issue regarding the status of the road in front of the industrial units.
This needs to be resolved before the matter can be taken any further forward.

New Parish Councillor
We are very pleased to welcome Jackie Percy to the Parish Council.
She has lived in the village for over 30 years and is involved in a number of the village groups.
She has also had previous local government experience as a parish councillor for Lower Winterborne.
Her knowledge of the area will prove invaluable to the Parish Council, and we look forward to working with her.

The Coronation of King Charles III
This is due to take place on the 6th May 2023.
If anyone would like to organise or get involved with organising events, please contact the Parish Council.
Alternatively, if you have any suggestions for events, please let us know.

Drains and flooding
Recent heavy rain continues to prove that the drainage system in the village is inadequate and often struggles to disperse large quantities of water. If you spot a blocked drain, please report it via the Dorset Council website (at https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/.../report-a-problem-on...) and inform the Parish Council so we can also report it. It is important that individuals report problems in parallel with the Parish Council as this adds weight to the issue and may encourage Dorset Council to act with greater speed.

Bryan Benjafield

December 2022

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396073 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met on Thursday 8th December 2022 in the Village Hall for our December Meeting.
Three members of the public were present.
Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start.
If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

Allotments

It has now been nearly a year since the Parish Council took over the management of the allotments and an amended allotment agreement and schedule of fees has been drawn up to ensure that all allotment holders pay the same rate per square metre of land they rent.
All existing allotment holders will shortly receive a copy of the new agreement and amended rate for the 2023 season.
We would like to stress that all allotment fees collected are put back into the maintenance and management of the allotment area and will not be used for any other purpose.
Whilst there are currently no spare plots, if you wish to be added to the waiting list, please contact the clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com

Communibus & NeighbourCar

Following the purchase of a minibus four years ago, we have continued to run regular trips for residents at subsidised costs to local areas and attractions and had hoped to offer the bus to be hired by local community groups.
Whilst we are happy to continue to run this service, there is a lack of interest in hiring the minibus and it is currently running at a loss.
It was agreed that the Parish Council will continue to promote this service for the next 6 months but, unless interest in the trips and hiring increases, rising costs of fuel and repairs to the bus may mean we will be forced to end this facility.
In addition, there are currently only two volunteer drivers, and more are needed if we are to continue.
If you are licensed to drive a 16 seat minibus and would like to volunteer your help, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

We are also desperately in need of community volunteer drivers for our NeighbourCar scheme, offering transportation to local residents for appointments and other such needs when they have no other way of getting there.
This is another service which is in danger of being unable to continue if we do not get additional help.
We currently have over 150 clients on the books and only six regular drivers.
Sadly, this means we are going to have to start turning people away when they need our help.
Again, if you would be interested in giving up some of your time occasionally, and have your own vehicle, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com for more details.

20mph Speed Limits & Traffic Management

Following on from recent information publicised by Dorset Council about the possibility of Town and Parish Councils applying for 20mph speed limits, together with concern over speeding in certain areas of the parish, it was agreed that we would put together a working party to review the Dorset Council 20mph application criteria and consider additional traffic management requirements around the village.
Once all the information gathered is collated, Cllr Wharf has offered to arrange for the relevant Officer to address residents, and a public consultation will be undertaken.
If you would be interested in joining this group and helping to establish a plan to put forward to Dorset Council, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Playpark Working Party

Following the annual inspection, a number of issues have been highlighted requiring work to the equipment.
Many of these are minor in nature and Cllr Brendon is setting up a working party to remedy these in January and February.
If you are interested in helping out with this, please contact the Clerk on bererregispc@gmail.com.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 12h January 2023 commencing 7pm at the Village Hall.
If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council by the end of December.

Bryan Benjafield

Bere Regis Parish Council Monthly Report Archive

2022