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March 2021 March 2021
SWIMTREK Although the census is ‘digital first’, paper questionnaires and a range of support
will be available for those who need it. A trained census team will be available to
help people complete the census over the phone via a free phone contact
"Let's do something different" exclaimed club centre. All details will be provided in the letter. Dorset Council’s Digital Hotline is
president Ali Budynkiewicz "Let's spend a day also offering support to people who may wish to get online for the first time to
swimming at some different and unusual complete the census. Their group of volunteer Digital Champions can be reached
locations". by telephone on 01305 221048 Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays, 10am-
midday.
My mind raced ahead of me as I thought of all
the fabulous places along the Dorset coast we A census field team will follow up with households who have not completed their
could enjoy and already I was being caught up in questionnaire after census day. The census field operation will be carried out
Ali's natural bubbly enthusiasm. without anyone needing to enter a home. All contacts with the public will be
socially distanced and census field staff will be equipped with PPE in line with
"I'll think about that" was my reply- and it was from government guidance.
this brief conversation our great swimming
odyssey was born. Results will be available within 12 months, although personal records will be locked
away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations.
The great day arrived and forty members, family
and friends of East Dorset Open Water Swimming
Club assembled in the National Trust car park at Park Home Licence Fees Consultation
Langton Matravers and an air of expectancy gripped us all. Andy and Mary had
brought along one year-old Matilda in her baby carrier and of course there was Owners and residents of Dorset’s park home sites are being asked to give their
Taz the dog! views on a draft policy for how Dorset Council sets park home licence fees. A new
policy is needed to standardise how park home licence fees are calculated
I gave a short briefing warning across Dorset. It will replace the policies of the county’s former district and

everyone of the roughness of the borough councils which each determined their fees differently. The draft policy
terrain and the dire consequences proposes that sites should be grouped into bands according to the number of
of jumping into unchartered waters homes on each site. The council needs to find out how the policy might impact on
but these were "swimming places to site owners and residents and make sure it is fair. The introduction of a single
die for" Did I say that?! policy across Dorset will mean that some sites will be subject to an increased
licence fee, while others will benefit from a reduced fee.
So off we strolled on our first walk of
the day, south past Spyway Barn to If you own a site, or live in a park home, please take the time to give us your
Dancing Ledge. It had got its name feedback at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk . The consultation runs from 1 February to
because the stone cut out of it was 21 March 2021.
the same size as a ballroom dance

floor. As we descended the steep
grassy hill to the cliffs below, the Support for Cultural Organisations
ledge stood out in all its glory. It was
now around 11am and the sun was beginning to push through the cloud Cultural organisations across Dorset will benefit from funding support from Dorset
heightening the senses. The climb down onto the ledge was, shall we say a little Council. From 1 April, some 24 organisations will be supported with a three-year
challenging and a few people were content to stay on the top to enjoy the view. funding agreement courtesy of the council’s new Organisational Revenue Support
Fund. In November 2020 the council launched a new grant application
This was a wonderful place to start our tour. There was a small pool which had process for cultural organisations to gain revenue support.
been blasted out of the natural stone ledge in the early 20th. century for the local The Organisational Revenue Support Fund is the first of three new rounds
preparatory schools to use and some of our swimmers decided to swim in this of discretionary and project funds being brought in as the council streamlines
initially. However, most of our party ease themselves off the ledge into the its approach to funding following local government reorganisation in Dorset. The
beckoning sea. new grant awards will replace all historic funding agreements to cultural

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