Parish Council Meetings 2023

January 2023

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 Bere Regis. 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 12th January 2023 in the Village Hall for our January Meeting.
Two 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.

King Charles III Coronation

With the Coronation of King Charles III happening on Saturday 6th May, it has been agreed to hold a community picnic at the Sports Club on the Bank Holiday, Monday 8th May from 2pm.
Further details will follow in due course, but there will be live music on the day, with a BBQ and the bar will be open.

Budget

Every year, the Parish Council must set a budget for submission to Dorset Council. The budget, like any business budget, consists of projected income and projected expenditure.
The difference between the income and expenditure is the amount the Parish Council is allowed to request from Dorset Council.
This is known as the Precept and is added to parishionners’ Council Tax bill. Each year, the Parish Council tries to keep this as low as possible whilst still covering all the projected costs.
The Parish Council is responsible for maintaining all its assets, such as benches, litter bins and dog bins, as well as covering the costs of the Lengthsman and staff wages.
It also owns and maintains the cemetery at Southbrook and the play area on Elder Road, together with the central car park and various verges around the village and, of course, Souls Moor and the streamside pathway. In 2022, the Parish Council also took over the management of the allotments at Court Farm.

This year, as in previous years, the Parish Council decided to take money from the reserves held and offset them against some of the costs in order to keep our Precept request as low as possible.
This meant, the Precept request was increased by £1,270 to £75,000 – an increase of 1.72%.
When added to your Council Tax bill, this will mean a Band D property charge will be increased by 13p for the year.

A full breakdown of the budget and Precept request is available on the Parish Council website.

20mph Speed Limits & Traffic Management

Following on from recent information publicised by Dorset Council about the possibility of Town and Parish Councils applying for 20 mph speed limits, together with concern over speeding in certain areas of the parish, it was agreed that we would investigate the level of interest within the Parish in putting together a working party to review the Dorset Council 20 mph application criteria and consider additional traffic management requirements around the village.
Although we envisage that there will be a Parish Council representative on the working party, it will only be possible for the working group to go ahead if there are sufficient volunteers from the parish to take part.
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.

Play Park 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 Bendon has set up a working party to remedy these on Sunday 12th February.
If you are interested in helping out with this, please contact Cllr Bendon on richardbendon80@gmail.com

Dog Mess

We have noticed, and been made aware of, increasing amounts of dog mess just being left on paths around the village.
Whilst we recognise that most dog owners are responsible and clear up after their pets, we would just like to remind everyone that the bins are always emptied regularly and are located in convenient places around most of the dog walking areas.
Please do consider others when out with your dog!

Souls Moor
It is 10 years since the Parish Council acquired our Parish nature reserve which includes Souls Moor field, the adjacent part of Bere Stream and the streamside woodland walk area.
The area had been designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest by the Dorset Environmental Record Centre.
The area had been surveyed on acquisition and over 90 interesting plants were recorded, nine of which were ‘Dorset notables’ (rare plants).
A management plan was set up which included the grazing by ponies during the summer months.
10 years on we plan to carry out another survey in the summer with the help of experts to see how well the plan has worked.
We will have a workshop in the Scout Hut to show examples of interesting plants and insects now found on Souls Moor.

Inside Out Festival

The Council heard from Dom Kippin producer of Inside Out Festival who are planning to hold the 2023 edition of their bi-annual event at Wild Woodbury (Court Green) in September of this year.
Inside Out festival is an event which brings together a high-quality selection of local, national and international outdoor performance arts with the idea being to engage the audience with the community project at at Wild Woodbury, using the areas character and history, along with involvement from local groups, to produce a week long programme of spectacular, captivating and engaging performances across the arts genres.
More details will follow in due course.

Waste Collections

Cllrs Wharf and Park recently met with Dorset Council employees responsible for the management of the waste and recycling collections to discuss issues with collections being unable to be met in certain areas of the village.
Specific issues were identified as making it difficult for the large vehicles to manouvre around parts of the route, including parked cars and overgrown vegetation.
The council have undertaken to speak to residents in affected areas as well as Aster Housing to see if we can help make the collection routes as easy to navigate as possible and minimise the risk of further non-collections.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 9h February 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

·

February 2023

The Parish Council met on Thursday 9th February 2023 in the Village Hall for our February Meeting.
Two 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.

King Charles III Coronation

The Coronation of King Charles III is on Saturday 6th May.

To celebrate it has been agreed to hold a community picnic at the Sports Club on the Bank Holiday, Monday 8th May from 2pm.
Music has been confirmed, with a BBQ and the bar will be open.

Communibus

Despite rising running, fuel and repair costs, the Parish Council have committed to continuing to run the Communibus for another six months.
At the end of this period, the viability of the bus will be assessed.
If it is continuing to run at a loss, it may mean that we will be forced to end the service.

The following trips have been confirmed.

March 15th Purbeck Village Tour - £10 leaving 10am
March 28th Donkey Sanctuary & lunch at Ottery St Mary - £12 leaving 9.30am*
April 11th Christchurch - £10 leaving 10am.
April 25th Bluebell Mystery Tour - £10 leaving 10am
May 9th New Forest & Lyndhurst - £12 leaving 9.30am
May 24th Mystery Tour - £10 leaving 10am.
May 30th Moreton Gardens for afternoon tea - £6 leaving 2pm*
June 6th Sidmouth - £12 leaving 9.30am
*lunch and afternoon tea at additional cost.
To book onto any of these trips, please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170.
Collection will be from outside of Bere Regis Dental Surgery on Manor Farm Road.
The bus is also available for local groups and organisations to hire at a low cost.
For more details on this please contact the clerk, on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Calendars

We would like to extend our thanks to Jagtar and his staff at the Nisa Local for their efforts in promoting sales of the 2023 Village Calendar, which raised £235 for the Tea & Toast meeting at the Church on Thursday mornings.
If you would like to submit any photos for consideration for inclusion in the 2024 edition, please email them to bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk.

Play Park 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 Bendon has set up a working party to remedy these on Saturday 18th March.
If you are interested in helping out with this, please contact Cllr Bendon on richardbendon80@gmail.com.

Allotments

Further to the Parish Council taking over the management role of the allotments, we are currently rolling out a programme of improvements in order to tidy up the current area and hopefully offer a few more plots, and communal areas.

May’s Wood 10 years on

This year it is 10 years since Sir Brian May bought the land between the village and Black Hill from a development company and Mays Wood was created, preventing the possibility of future development on this land.
The wood that has been created is carefully managed and is greatly enjoyed by many, including the school and also it is a fantastic wildlife resource.
To mark the occasion, residents are organising a celebration which will include an exhibition in the Drax Hall during September.

March 2023

The Parish Council met on Thursday 9th March 2023 in the Village Hall for our March 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.

King Charles III Coronation

The Coronation of King Charles III is on Saturday 6th May. To celebrate it has been agreed to hold a community picnic at the Sports Club on the Bank Holiday, Monday 8thMay from 2pm.
Music has been confirmed, with a BBQ and the bar will be open.
We do ask if anybody wishes to park near the site, that they are mindful of access for North Street residents, and leave access for emergency vehicles down the lane alongside Long House.
Ongoing thanks to Judy Newton for organising the day and co-ordinating all the various groups.

Parking at Cemetery Lane

We have had a number of complaints about vehicles parked badly at the entrance to Cemetery Lane, blocking access to the bridleway which hinders users on horses and bikes who want to access the lane.
We agreed that we would look into anything we can do to improve the situation and will contact Dorset Highways, who have responsibility for the bridleway, as well.
We always urge everybody to park respectfully around the village and be mindful of other road and path users.

Lengthsman

We continue to benefit from the variety of work carried out each month by our Lengthsman.
During February the Lengthsman spent 16 hours tidying the cemetery, cutting back ivy and picking up litter.
9 hours were spent at the play park undertaking the weekly equipment checks and clearing litter from around the park.
A further 5 hours were spent clearing litter from around the village and removing fly tipping.
He has cut the hedges around the Cross and on Souls Moor and in the central car park.
He has assisted with the village Wildlife Group and has spent a great deal of time at the allotments, clearing overgrown plots ready for letting, removing large quantities of rubbish and carpeting from the allotments and installing a new water pipe.
He is also responsible for moving the Speed Indicator Device from Rye Hill to West Street as and when required.
You may have noticed that clearing litter comes up regularly.
His time could be better spent doing many other jobs around the village rather than picking up litter.
This is your village – look after it and take your litter home or use one of the litter bins available.

Annual Parish Forum

We will be holding our Annual Parish Forum on 15th July in the Scout hut from 11am.
Local groups will be invited to attend and explain their activities over the last 12 months and the Forum provides an opportunity to find out more about what else happens around the parish.
More specific details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Allotments

Further to the Parish Council taking over the management role of the allotments, we are currently rolling out a programme of improvements in order to tidy up the current area, including the creation of a number of smaller “starter” plots, and some communal areas.
There will be some plots coming available in the coming weeks. To register for the waiting list please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Defibrillator

A defibrillator is now available in the old phone box on Rye Hill adjacent to Green Close, which can be accessed by anyone who is need of it, with the code available by phoning 999.

Wildlife Group

Part of Souls Moor and the adjoining Bere Stream has been a village nature reserve for 10 years from when it was acquired by the Parish Council.
Ponies have grazed part of the area but scrub has developed along the course of a footpath along the edge of the stream.
This month the wildlife group have worked with the lengthsman to clear and move the arisings and maintain a good pathway.
Also this month the wildlife group have planted a bank of tree saplings along the bank near the school entrance.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 13th April 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 March.

April 2023

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 13th April 2023 in the Village Hall for our April Meeting.
Two 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.

King Charles III Coronation

The Coronation of King Charles III is on Saturday 6th May. To celebrate it has been agreed to hold a community picnic at the Sports Club Recreation Ground on the Bank Holiday, Monday 8th May from 2pm.
Music has been confirmed, with a BBQ and the bar will be open.
We do ask if anybody wishes to park near the site, that they are mindful of access for North Street residents, and leave access for emergency vehicles down the lane alongside Long House.
Ongoing thanks to Judy Newton for organising the day and co-ordinating all the various groups.

Parish Council Vacancy

Following a period of four years on the Council, including the last two as Chair, we regrettably received the resignation of Councillor Moira Mathers at the meeting.
We would like to thank Moira for her constant hard work and devotion to the role, always making sure items were discussed properly and fairly, whilst ensuring meetings run smoothly and without distractions.

This does mean we have a vacancy arising for a Parish Councillor.
If you would be interested in this, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Neighbourhood Plan

We have finally received some communication from the representatives for the Drax Estate, regarding potential developments on the land at Back Lane and North Street.
They have informed us that Wyatt Homes have been confirmed as the preferred developer for both but the legal arrangements are still being finalised.

Annual Parish Forum

We will be holding our Annual Parish Forum on 15th July in the Scout hut from 10am.
The Forum provides an opportunity to find out more about what else happens around the parish and local groups will be invited to attend and give an outline of their activities over the last 12 months.
The Forum is not a Parish Council meeting but provides an opportunity for residents of the parish to find out more about what happens around the parish and to raise any issues they may have.
More specific details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Bench outside of Nisa

With removal ofthe bench outside of shop in West Street due to deterioration, the Parish Council has agreed to purchase a new bench. If you wish to make a donation in memory of a loved one, in return for a plaque on the bench, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.
In the meantime, we would like to thank Jagtar Singh Dhesi at the Nisa shop for providing a temporary replacement until the new bench arrives.

Dog Mess

We still receive constant complaints of dog mess being left around the village, particularly on the paths around Souls Moor and Elder Road, which are heavily used by parents and school children, but more recently on the pavements on West Street.
Whilst there is little we can do to stop this, we would always urge dog owners to be responsible and think of the consequences for others who encounter this.

Wildlife Group

The wildlife group planted a row of native trees grown from seeds by Mike Gee which we hope will make an attractive edge to the nature reserve fence next to the pathway beside the school grounds.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be the Parish Council AGM which will held on Thursday 11h May 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 April.

Bryan Benjafield

May 2023

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Jon Park 07970 727792 jonparkparish@btinternet.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 11th May 2023 in the Village Hall for our Annual Parish Meeting and AGM.
20 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.

New Chairman

Following the resignation at the previous meeting of our Chairman, Moira Mathers, the council unanimously voted this month to appoint Councillor Jon Park as the new Chairman.
We would like to again thank Moira for all of her hard work and effort during her term in the chair, and look forward to working with Jon for many years to come.

Parish Council Vacancy

We do still have a vacancy for a Parish Councillor.
If you would be interested in becoming a Parish Councillor, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com

Traffic Calming

During the Annual Parish Meeting, the council heard from many residents concerned about speeding and dangerously driven vehicles around the Parish, particularly following the accident on Rye Hill a few weeks ago.
All concerns were heard and agreed with and, whilst the Parish Council itself has very little power to affect any meaningful change on the roads, we did agree to form a working party made up of members of the public alongside Councillors, to try and put together some serious proposals to Dorset Council and Dorset Highways to try and bring about some form of improvements and traffic calming measures.

Allotments

Following a recent meeting of allotment holders, a plan of ongoing maintenance was agreed, including the provision of extra water storage for holders to use, replacing broken and missing gates and general tidying up and improvements of the area by the lengthsman, which will be covered by the fees paid by allotment holders.

Communibus Trips

Link to page

Following the popularity of recent trips, a programme for the remainder of the year has recently been put together.

June 6th Sidmouth - £12 Depart 9.30am
June 21st New Forest & Lyndhurst - £12 Depart 9.30am
July 5th Sidmouth - £12 Depart 9.30am
July 18th Weymouth - £10 Depart 10am
July 26th Afternoon Teas - £6* Depart 2pm
Aug 8th Taunton - £15 Depart 9am
Aug 23rd Mystery Tour - £10 Depart 10am
Sept 6th Upton Country Park & Poole Quay - £10 Depart 10am
Sept 20th Bournemouth Gardens - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 3rd Weymouth Home Bargains, B&M & Goulds - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 16th Sherborne - £12 Depart 9am
Oct 31st Salisbury Market - £12 Depart 10am
Nov 8th Ottery St Mary - £12 Depart 9.30am
Nov 21st Tower Park, B&M & The Range - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 6th Palmer’s Nursery - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 18th Xmas Lunch & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm

*Lunch & Afternoon Tea at additional cost

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170

Departure from Bere Regis Dental Surgery, Manor Farm Road

The bus is available to hire for local groups & organisations, for more details please contact Amanda Crocker on bereregispc@gmail.com

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be the held on Thursday 8th June 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 May.

Bryan Benjafield

June 2023

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Jon Park 07970 727792 jonparkparish@btinternet.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 9th June 2023 in the Village Hall.
4 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.

Parish Council Vacancy

We still have a vacancy for a Parish Councillor.
If you would be interested in getting more involved with the future of the community in which you live, perhaps you might like to consider becoming a Parish Councillor.
If so, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Village Meeting – July 15th

This will be held at the Scout Hut, commencing 10am. Guest speakers include Dorset Wildlife Trust, Dom Kippin of Inside Out Dorset, and Wyatt Homes – the developers for the Back Lane and North Street sites.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available and there will be plenty of time for asking questions.

Rogers Hill wind turbine

Many residents may not realise that this is part of the Parish of Bere Regis and, as such, Distgen, the company responsible for the windturbine, donates a percentage of the profits made each quarter to the Parish Council.
This usually equates to between £1,000 and £2,000 a quarter and the money has been used to upgrade paths, subsidise the Christmas meal for the Lunch Club and, last year, to keep the Lunch Club, NeighbourCar and Communibus operating.

Road Safety Review Group

The meeting was very positive and a number of people expressed an interest in the Community Speed Watch and the Traffic Review Focus Group.
Unfortunately, only four people have subsequently put their names forward for the Speed Watch and one person for the Traffic Review Group.
If you would like to be involved in either, please contact the Clerk.

Allotments

All the available larger allotments have now been let and interest has been expressed in two of the starter plots.
The reservations list is now clear so, if you would like to put your name down for an allotment, please contact the Clerk.

Communibus Trips

These are proving incredibly popular and the bus is now out almost every week.
The programme for the remainder of the year is as follows:

July 18th Weymouth - £10 Depart 10am
July 26th Afternoon Teas - £6* Depart 2pm
Aug 8th Taunton - £15 Depart 9am
Aug 23rd Mystery Tour - £10 Depart 10am
Sept 6th Upton Country Park & Poole Quay - £10 Depart 10am
Sept 20th Bournemouth Gardens - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 3rd Weymouth Home Bargains, B&M & Goulds - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 16th Sherborne - £12 Depart 9am
Oct 31st Salisbury Market - £12 Depart 10am
Nov 8th Ottery St Mary - £12 Depart 9.30am
Nov 21st Tower Park, B&M & The Range - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 6th Palmer’s Nursery - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 18th Xmas Lunch & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm

*Lunch & Afternoon Tea at additional cost

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170

Departure from Bere Regis Dental Surgery, Manor Farm Road

We are indebted to Kim Benjafield for all the work she puts in to cleaning the bus and getting it ready for each trip and to our volunteer drivers, without whom the communibus would not operate.
We do need more drivers though.
If you are able to offer your services, please contact the Clerk.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be the held on Thursday 14th July 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 June.

Amanda Crocker
Clerk

July 2023

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

The Parish Council met on Thursday 13th July 2023 in the Village Hall.
8 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.

Parish Council Vacancy

We are delighted to welcome Rachel Payne to the Parish Council.
She has very kindly offered to act as Community Speed Watch Co-ordinator and assist with the Traffic Focus Group.

Village Meeting – July 15th

This was very well attended and each of the four presentations were well received and will be available on the Parish Council website.
Over 100 residents attended the Wyatt Homes event in the afternoon and the link to their consultation website is also available on the Parish Council website.
It is hoped that another meeting will be held towards the end of this year, or very early next year, to bring everyone up to date with the progress of the various sites and the Neighbourhood Plan Review.

Mays Wood path

The issue of the closed path has been raised on a number of occasions.
Tilhill, the company that manages the site, have confirmed that the fenced area will not be reopened to the public for the time being.
It is their intention to review the situation at the end of September and decide whether or not to reopen it.
However, should they decide to reopen, it will be necessary to keep dogs under control at all times and clear up after them or the site will be closed on a permanent basis.

Road Safety Review Group

Since the last newsletter, six people have put their names forward to assist with the Community Speed Watch and this will now be going ahead.
The volunteers are currently being DBS checked by the Police and will then undertake the necessary training.
To have six volunteers is great but more would mean additional Speed Watches could be undertaken.
If you are able to assist with this incredibly effective speeding deterrent, please contact the Clerk.

Communibus Trips

These are proving incredibly popular and the bus is now out almost every week.
The programme for the remainder of the year is as follows:

Aug 23rd Mystery Tour - £10 Depart 10am
Sept 6th Upton Country Park & Poole Quay - £10 Depart 10am
Sept 20th Bournemouth Gardens - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 3rd Weymouth Home Bargains, B&M & Goulds - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 16th Sherborne - £12 Depart 9am
Oct 31st Salisbury Market - £12 Depart 10am
Nov 8th Ottery St Mary - £12 Depart 9.30am
Nov 21st Tower Park, B&M & The Range - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 6th Palmer’s Nursery - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 18th Xmas Lunch & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170
Departure from Bere Regis Dental Surgery, Manor Farm Road
We are indebted to Kim Benjafield for all the work she puts in to cleaning the bus and getting it ready for each trip and to our volunteer drivers, without whom the communibus would not operate.
We do need more drivers though. If you are able to offer your services, please contact the Clerk.

NeighbourCar

Like the Communibus, this is an invaluable parish initiative, but it is desperately in need of volunteer drivers.
We have somewhere in the region of 160 clients but only 6 drivers at the moment.
Please, please, if you can give a couple of hours a month or whenever you are able, please put your name forward as a driver.
You will not be committing to any regular drives.
You will only be committing to receiving an email when people need assistance and, if you are able to help, then respond to the email.
It’s as simple as that.
Without you, this initiative will most definitely close and that would be such a shame.
Please contact the Clerk if you can help.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be the held on Thursday 10th August 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 June.

August 2023

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Jon Park 07970 727792   jonparkparish@btinternet.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 10th August 2023 in the Village Hall.
5 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.

Parish Council Vacancy

We are delighted to welcome Simon Walker to the Parish Council, following Rachael Payne’s decision to step down for family reason.
Rachael will be continuing to act as Community Speed Watch Co-ordinator and assist with the Traffic Focus Group.

Richard Bendon has now had to step down from the Parish Council for personal reasons which means we have another vacancy. We wish Richard well for the future and thank him for all the work he did whilst on the Parish Council.

Renewable Energy

The Parish Council were approached by a resident asking if it would be possible for the proposed employment site at the top of North Street to be used for renewable energy – whether it be a solar farm or wind turbine.
This was discussed with the Drax Estate who reported that they had considered the possibility but found it to be unviable; the site was too low for a turbine and too small for a feasible solar panel site.

Community Speed Watch

A team of volunteers is now set up and training was undertaken on the 14th August.
The first session will have taken place by the time you read this.
It is widely agreed that the previous team, headed by Angie and Ian Wright, was very successful in slowing down the traffic and this team will be no different.
As ever, the more volunteers, the more sessions can be held.
So, please, if you are able to give a few hours a month to this important initiative, please contact the Clerk or email Rachael Payne on rach.lonergan@gmail.com.

Inside Out Festival

The Inside Out Festival, which is a mix of contemporary art, music and performance is taking place at Wild Woodbury between the 20th – 24th September, for more information please see: https://activateperformingarts.org.uk/whats-on/inside-out-dorset/

Wildlife

Souls Moor village nature reserve
It is is now 10 years since the parish council were able to purchase the village nature reserve which was originally bought by a developer who had plans for housing development there.
This year we were rather late in having the ponies back again to do their work in grazing as the owner of the ponies had to get the mare reshod with new horseshoes.
Then the foal was slightly injured on a rogue piece of barbed wire.
The ponies tend to prefer the vegetation in the damper and open areas.
This provides a good mixture of differing growth levels which is good for different wildlife, such as grasshoppers in the long grass and meadowsweet while the smaller plants such as orchids and cuckoo flower occur where they graze.
There have been some good wildlife sightings this year and these have been reported in the wildlife and environment group section in this magazine

Play Park Inspection

The annual inspection of the play park has now been completed and there is some work that will need to be carried out.
This will be undertaken by the Lengthsman over the next few months.
It may be necessary to close down pieces of equipment whilst the work is being done so please be patient.

Christmas Trees

Now that August is here in all its blazing glory, it’s time to think about Christmas.
We are hoping to keep them at £10 for a 4’ tree again this year.
If you would like to order a tree, please contact the Clerk as soon as possible.
Payment will have to be made by bank transfer as usual.

Village Calendar

The Village Calendar will be on sale at Nisa from September.
The chosen charity this year will be Dorset Mind.
This is a self-funded local charity that helps people in Dorset experiencing mental health problems access the vital support they need. Calendars will cost £5 each still.

Communibus Trips

These are proving incredibly popular and the bus is now out almost every week.
The programme for the remainder of the year is as follows:

Sept 6th Upton Country Park & Poole Quay - £10 Depart 10am
Sept 20th Bournemouth Gardens - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 3rd Weymouth Home Bargains, B&M & Goulds - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 16th Sherborne - £12 Depart 9am
Oct 31st Salisbury Market - £12 Depart 10am
Nov 8th Ottery St Mary - £12 Depart 9.30am
Nov 21st Tower Park, B&M & The Range - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 6th Palmer’s Nursery - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 18th Xmas Lunch & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170

Departure from Bere Regis Dental Surgery, Manor Farm Road

We are indebted to Kim Benjafield for all the work she puts in to cleaning the bus and getting it ready for each trip and to our volunteer drivers, without whom the communibus would not operate.
We do need more drivers though. If you are able to offer your services, please contact the Clerk.

NeighbourCar

Like the Communibus, this is an invaluable parish initiative, but it is desperately in need of volunteer drivers.
We have somewhere in the region of 160 clients but only 6 drivers at the moment.
Please, please, if you can give a couple of hours a month or whenever you are able, please put your name forward as a driver.
You will not be committing to any regular drives.
You will only be committing to receiving an email when people need assistance and, if you are able to help, then respond to the email.
It’s as simple as that.
Without you, this initiative will most definitely close and that would be such a shame.
Please contact the Clerk if you can help.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be the held on Thursday 14th September 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.

Fly Tipping

This is becoming more and more of a problem with residents dumping their grass cuttings and hedge trimmings on land that does not belong to them.
This leads to the Lengthsman spending unnecessary time clearing the areas and disposing of the rubbish.
Since the start of this financial year, the Lengthsman has spent over 40 hours picking up litter and disposing of fly tipping – that’s over £700 in just five months.
If you are unable to dispose of your garden waste at the local recycling centre, sign up for the Dorset Council Garden Waste Collection service here: https://dorset-self.achieveservice.com/service/DWP_Garden_waste_Application.

September 2023

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman:    Jon Park 07970 727792 jonparkparish@btinternet.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 14th September 2023 in the Village Hall.
1 member of the public was 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.

Neighbourhood Plan Draft Review

The Neighbourhood Plan team have over the past few months been undertaking a review of the Neighbourhood Plan which was overwhelmingly agreed by referendum in May 2019, in accordance with the Local Plan guidelines which specify we should review the content regularly to ensure it continues to comply with legislation and maintains it’s integrity.
Our aim is to hold a public forum in the coming months to show any changes we are proposing to make and give people an opportunity to provide feedback on them.

Traffic Working Group

We heard proposals from the newly formed Traffic Working Group who have been meeting regularly to discuss what can be done to help manage traffic better in the area and make the roads in and around the Parish as safe as possible.
Many suggestions were made, such as residents surveys, traffic surveys, increased signage and a visit from Dorset Highways.
The residents survey will be drawn up and circulated shortly and then further measures will be decided based on the results of the survey.

Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday is on 12th 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.

Christmas Trees

We do again have a supply of Christmas Trees available for purchase.
Due to our previous supplier no longer providing Christmas Trees, we have had to increase the price slightly to £12.
To order your tree please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.
All trees will be delivered in the first week of December.

Village Calendar

The Village Calendar will be on sale shortly at Nisa.
The chosen charity this year will be Dorset Mind.
This is a self-funded local charity that helps people in Dorset experiencing mental health problems access the vital support they need.
Calendars will cost £5 each still.

Communibus Trips

These are proving incredibly popular and the bus is now out almost every week.
The programme for the remainder of the year is as follows:

Oct 3rd Weymouth Home Bargains, B&M & Goulds - £10 Depart 10am
Oct 16th Sherborne - £12 Depart 9am
Oct 31st Salisbury Market - £12 Depart 10am
Nov 8th Ottery St Mary - £12 Depart 9.30am
Nov 21st Tower Park, B&M & The Range - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 6th Palmer’s Nursery - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 18th Xmas Lunch & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170

Departure from Bere Regis Dental Surgery, Manor Farm Road

We are indebted to Kim Benjafield for all the work she puts in to cleaning the bus and getting it ready for each trip and to our volunteer drivers, without whom the communibus would not operate.
We do need more drivers though.
If you are able to offer your services, please contact the Clerk.

Councillor Training

The Council were grateful to Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils who recently facilitated a whole council training session at the Village Hall, to ensure councillors and the clerk are kept up to date with best practices, new legislations and can continue to provide the best level of service to help the Parish.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be the held on Thursday 12th October 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.

October 2023

Chairman: Jon Park 07970 727792 jonparkparish@btinternet.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 12th October 2023 in the Village Hall.
There were no members of the public 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.

Communication

How to reach as many parishioners as possible has always been a major issue, not only for the Parish Council but also for other groups in the parish.
A survey will be going out to every household in the near future, and, amongst other questions, you will be asked how you would like to receive updates on local events and issues.
Please look out for the survey paper and be sure to complete it – whether manually or on-line.
In the meantime, if you wish to be kept up to date with events and issues, you can submit your email address to the Clerk and you will be added to the ‘Information’ address currently being set up.

Elections

2024 is an election year which means all members of the Parish Council will be up for re-election.
Election packs will be available from November 2023 if you would like to put your name forward as a Parish Councillor.
These will be available from Dorset Council or from the Clerk.

May’s Wood

The Parish Council continues to liaise with the SaveMe Trust regarding a way forward in respect of access to the land but, for the time being, the fenced areas will remain closed to the public.
If this situation should change, we will be sure to inform everyone.

Christmas Trees

Following the loss of our previous contractor, a new supplier has been located and we are able to offer 4’ trees at £12 each.
If you would like to order a tree, please contact the Clerk as soon as possible.
Payment will have to be made by bank transfer as usual.
The trees will be collected at the beginning of December and delivered to your door.

Village Calendar

The Village Calendar is now on sale at Nisa.
The chosen charity this year will be Dorset Mind.
This is a self-funded local charity that helps people in Dorset experiencing mental health problems access the vital support they need.

Communibus Trips

These are proving incredibly popular and the bus is now out almost every week.
The programme for the remainder of the year is as follows:

Nov 8th Ottery St Mary - £12 Depart 9.30am
Nov 21st Tower Park, B&M & The Range - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 6th Palmer’s Nursery - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 18th Xmas Lunch & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170

Departure from Bere Regis Dental Surgery, Manor Farm Road

We are indebted to Kim Benjafield for all the work she puts in to cleaning the bus and getting it ready for each trip and to our volunteer drivers, without whom the communibus would not operate.
We do need more drivers though.
If you are able to offer your services, please contact the Clerk.

NeighbourCar

Like the Communibus, this is an invaluable parish initiative, but it is desperately in need of volunteer drivers.
We have somewhere in the region of 160 clients but only 6 drivers at the moment.
Please, please, if you can give a couple of hours a month or whenever you are able, please put your name forward as a driver.
You will not be committing to any regular drives.
You will only be committing to receiving an email when people need assistance and, if you are able to help, then respond to the email.
It’s as simple as that.
Without you, this initiative will most definitely close and that would be such a shame.
Please contact the Clerk if you can help.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be the held on Thursday 9th November 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.

November 2023

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Jon Park 07970 727792 jonparkparish@btinternet.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 9th November 2023 in the Village Hall.
There were no 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.

New Councillor

Following our recent vacancy, the Council were delighted to Co-Opt Sam Bardwell to fill the role.
We look forward to Sam’s input and contribution.

Grants Available

Each year the Council budgets for an amount of money to be given to local community groups through grant applications.
If you would like to apply for one of these grants, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.
There are also individual grants for young people available through The Thomas Williams Trust, further details of which can be found at www.williamstrust.org.uk.

Sandbags

Last year, the Council were able to secure a number of filled sandbags.
These are available for any parishioners to borrow if it looks like they might be affected by flooding.
If you need to borrow any sandbags, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Fencing at Egdon Close

Having been asked by multiple residents for an explanation of why the path through the residents car park at Egdon Close had been fenced off recently, we have reached out to Aster Housing for an explanation and will give an update when we get more information..

Wildlife Group

The Wildlife Group meet on the first Saturday of every month, but are in urgent need of more volunteers in order to continue.
If you could spare a couple of hours once a month, to help with a variety of tasks in relation to improving the areas around the Nature Reserve, stream and footpaths in particular, then contact Mike Gee on mike.n.g@outlook.com.

Communibus Trips

These are proving incredibly popular and the bus is now out almost every week.
The programme for the remainder of the year is as follows:

Dec 6th Palmer’s Nursery - £10 Depart 10am
Dec 12th Xmas Lunch* & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm
Dec 18th Xmas Lunch* & Lights - £10 Depart 1pm

Lunch at additional cost

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170

Trips for 2024 will be announced in due course, and any queries relating to the Communibus can be directed to the clerk or a Parish Councillor.

Salt and Pepper Lunch Club

The Lunch Club meets on the third Thursday of the month and is open to all parishioners.
A three-course meal will cost £6 and vegetarian, and gluten free options are available if ordered in advance.
In order to book a meal and find out menu information, please contact Brenda House on 01929 471255.

Wild Woodbury Drop In

Dorset Wildlife Trust will be holding a drop in open morning at Wild Woodbury between 10-12 on Sunday 3rd December where they hope to show off their revamped barn and display plans for their further improvements in the area.
There will be an opportunity to meet some of the team and ask any questions.

New SID Location

We have recently received permission from Dorset Highways that we can add a further SID location at the bottom of Rye Hill, and we will include this in our rotation of locations.

Budget

Every year, the Parish Council must set a budget for submission to Dorset Council. The budget, like any business budget, consists of projected income and projected expenditure.
The difference between the income and expenditure is the amount the Parish Council is allowed to request from Dorset Council.
This is known as the Precept and is added to parishioners’ Council Tax bill.
Each year, the Parish Council tries to keep this as low as possible whilst still covering all the projected costs.
The Parish Council is responsible for maintaining all its assets, such as benches, litter bins and dog bins, as well as covering the costs of the Lengthsman and staff wages.
It also owns and maintains the cemetery at Southbrook and the play area on Elder Road, together with the central car park and various verges around the village, allotments and, of course, Souls Moor and the streamside pathway.

This year, as in previous years, the Parish Council decided to take money from the reserves held and offset them against some of the costs in order to keep our Precept request as low as possible.
This meant, the Precept request was increased by £1,400 to £76,400 – an increase of 1.87%.

A full breakdown of the budget and Precept request is available on the Parish Council website.

Christmas Trees

There are still some Christmas Trees available to order from the Clerk if you would like one.
They are priced at £12 each for a 4 foot tree and will be delivered in the first week of December.
To order one simply email the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

New Facebook Page

In order to improve communications, the Parish Council has now created its own Facebook page.
To follow the updates simply search for Bere Regis Parish Council on Facebook and click on “like”.
We aim to post more information on there about Parish Council initiatives and events as well as it being an additional way for people to reach out and contact the Parish Council with any queries they may have.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th December 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 before the 7th December.

December 2023

The Parish Council met on Thursday 14th December 2023 in the Village Hall.
There were no 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.
Electrical Vehicle Charging Points (EVcPs)

The Parish Council has been approached by Dorset Council with a view to installing two EVcPs in the central car park. There would be one rapid charge and two trickle chargers. It is envisaged that the four bays closest to the Aster car park would be the most suitable as they are located close to the electrical cables required for the installation.

Once the EVcPs are installed, we will be looking to renew the white lines and include a motorbike bay. It is anticipated that the work will be undertaken during the early months of 2024.

D-Day Commemorations
The 6th June 2024 will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and national commemorations are in the process of being organised. It was agreed that the Parish Council will arrange for the beacon to be lit at 9.15pm, as part of the Nation’s Tribute.

Band D charge for 2024/25
The details of the banding for 2024/25 have been received from Dorset Council. With the precept set at £76,400 as agreed at the November meeting, the Band D charge will be £114.30 – an increase of £1.33.

Allotments
It was agreed that the charge for the year commencing 1st April 2024 will be held at 20p/sqm. Although all the allotments are currently occupied, we continue to take expressions of interest and building up a waiting list. If you would like to put your name forward for an allotment, please contact the Clerk.

NeighbourCar
This is an invaluable parish initiative, but it is desperately in need of volunteer drivers. We have somewhere in the region of 160 clients but only 6 drivers at the moment. Please, please, if you can give a couple of hours a month or whenever you are able, please put your name forward as a driver. You will not be committing to any regular drives. You will only be committing to receiving an email when people need assistance and, if you are able to help, then respond to the email. It’s as simple as that. Without you, this initiative will most definitely close and that would be such a shame. Please contact the Clerk if you can help.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be the held on Thursday 11th January 2024 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.
All that remains is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.

Bere Regis Parish Council Monthly Report