Winterborne St.Martin Annual Parish Meeting • 28th May 2008
It is my privilege to present to you the Annual Report of the Parish Council for the year ending May 2008. It has been a quiet year with the village going about its routine activities without too much fuss or commotion. The chairman hopes that the introduction of a report after each Parish Council meeting published in the Parish magazine and the village web site has been helpful to the electorate in keeping them informed about the issues that come up and need some debate. This initiative will continue and become standard practise.
This year saw the launch of the village website and we must give a big vote of thanks to Graham Herbert for his work in designing and hosting this site which is easy to navigate around and keeps the village up to date with news, forth coming activities and has a page for people to express their views and have their say. Thank you Graham for this marvellous addition to village communications.
The village was successful in coming first in the best kept village competition in the large village category and we will continue to enter.
We have improved the bus stops with the help of Bus Company by moving slightly the stop near Manor Grove and hopefully Jackie Tooth’s car swill avoid any more accidents. We have improved the stop in the middle of the village by the shop and having cleared out the rubbish in the lay-by and are now looking at the cost of tarmac to finish off the work improving this part of the village.
We have all enjoyed the Artsreach program organised by Ann Salmon during the winter and the program has been so popular that 2 shows sold out and the rest ran to over 80% capacity. It all goes to demonstrate what careful thought to the program content when coupled with enthusiasm can achieve in a village of our size.
Speeding of motor vehicles continues to worry us and we have been disappointed by the low priority given to this village by the police and the Dorset camera partnership. We have a busy road with no footpath but the attitude of the authorities is that we are a low priority as we have very few accidents. Those who walk the road around Mallards Green know this is more by luck than anything else, numerous anecdotes of near missies abound. We will continue to ask for a greater presence but I have no confidence that things will change. The SID (speed indicator device) devices indicate that the average speed is nearly 40mph through Mallards Green and traffic volume increases as the main Dorchester Weymouth Rd is congested and we are seen as a good rat run for times of high traffic volume.
The Parish Council has been asked to comment on numerous planning issues but our opinions are only advisory and not absolute. West Dorset District Council remains the body with the final say on any planning issue unless it goes to appeal. The largest project this year approved is an extension to Park House with an additional wing. Conditions were attached to this and other planning approvals and we will do our best to make sure they are adhered to. If you feel they are being broken let me or the clerk know so that the planning authorities are asked to inspect the alleged misdemeanour.
The Parish Council is concerned that the Post Office will be listed in the soon to be announced Dorset closures. We have registered with a national pressure group Communities against Post Office Closure (CAPOC) so that will have some help in opposing closure if we are on the list.
The flower troughs in the village will stay until September when a final decision will be made about them staying or going. Opinion has been very quiet so do voice your thoughts.
Patrick J Jeffery (Chairman of the Council). |
