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February 2018 February 2018

DORSET COUNTY COUNCIL REPORT AGE UK
DORCHESTER
Local Government reorganisation –
Unitary BENEFITS
PURBECK
The saga continues and whilst Christchurch has
stated that will not partner with anyone else we
await the decision of the Secretary of State who is
bound to upset someone if and when he makes his
mind up. Age UK Dorchester is now providing information and advice regarding welfare
benefits to older people in the Purbeck area, by way of home visits.

Woolbridge Welfare Benefits volunteers can assist with the completion of Attendance
Allowance forms
As you may now know part of the historic bridge at
Wool/East Stoke has collapsed into the river. The If you need assistance with applying for Attendance Allowance, please contact
bridge team was first notified of a potential problem late on Wednesday morning our welfare benefits coordinator, Janice Webb,
10 January 2018. In the afternoon an engineer waded into the river and probed
around the base of the wall. At this time there was a crack in the road but it was on 01305 269444
evident from the inspection that the river bed had been eroded beneath the jwebb@ageukdorchester.onmicrosoft.com
foundation of the wall. This was caused by the flow of water against the base of
the wall. The inspection was repeated on Thursday and there was little change to
the erosion of the bed or cracking in the road surface. Pins were set up to monitor
the movement. The measurements showed an additional movement of 6mm up
to the time they were last measured on the following Monday morning. Around
the middle of the day on that Monday it was reported that part of one side of the
wall had slipped into the river. Then a part of the arch at the Wool end that was
left unsupported by the slipping of the wall also fell into the river. There is a further AGE UK DORCHESTER - INFORMATION
crack in the arch around 800mm in from the end. Whilst nothing in life is EVENT
guaranteed officers believe that this part may collapse but it is well within the
area that is protected with barriers and that the marked off footbridge is safe.
However this will be inspected regularly and there is immediate work in progress
to stabilise the bridge. Currently the bridge remains open to pedestrians. Wills and Power of Attorney
The plastic barriers have now been replaced with more secure steel mesh Age UK Dorchester is holding an Information Event to de-mystify the subject of
barriers and a secure marked off footpath is available to cross the bridge. This Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
protection will be in place until the summer. In the meantime DCC will be If you wish to understand whether you need a Lasting Power of Attorney, and to
preparing design drawings and getting the various consents required for working make a Will, Christine Butterfield, Senior Associate Solicitor at Battens, solicitors, will
on what is a listed building and in the river. The works will probably take place in
be providing a talk on the subject on:
the summer when conditions allow.
th
Monday 5 February 2018 at 10am

Finance at Rowan Cottage, 4 Prince of Wales Road, Dorchester, DT1 1PW
In 2010/11, our Rate Support Grant (RSG) was nearly £80m. By the end of the No need to book … just turn up
current, four-year funding period our RSG will be below -£10m. This is an overall

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