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October 2021 October 2021
These are our most efficient channels which helps us focus on customers who most
need our face-to-face support or who cannot go online. Where pre-booked OVER THE HILL
appointments are necessary, many are taking place digitally via video call, saving
on travel and in-person contact. What a weird year we are having? Today is the 6 . of September and we are
th
having a really beautiful day as far as the weather is concerned. It is a very warm

sunny day, probably the best of the year so far. What can we expect yet?
Supporting Afghan Refugees Listening to the news daily we hear of dramatic changes in climate problems
As a Council we are committed to support the government’s Afghanistan throughout the world. Here in the U.K. we have been subjected to some horrid
Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme by providing housing and flooding and gale force winds but nothing compared to other parts of the world,
support to a number (to be confirmed) of Afghan families. The government has where climate change has created havoc. Here in Dorset we are having the
announced funding for this scheme: the Afghan LES (Locally Employed Staff) greenest summer that I can remember. The foliage of all the trees and shrubs is
Housing Costs Fund will help councils meet the costs of renting properties. We prolific and despite being late in coming into leaf now there is an abundance of
have now issued a media release and related communications, appealing to greenery, with no intention apparently of disappearing.
private landlords and owners of second homes to come forward if they can The flowering of all plants, herbs, shrubs and trees was very late in coming about.
provide suitable accommodation. We are looking for a range of homes of Now in early September, we are seeing not only an abundance of foliage but
varying sizes, particularly larger family homes that are available for at least 12 also of flowers, particularly of roses. The roses here are in spectacular form, with an
months. abundance of flowers and a wonderful display of buds that I can never
These need to be self-contained properties as opposed to offers of spare rooms or remember seeing before. What next can we expect from climate change. Will
house sharing as this is not in line with current Home Office guidance. We are our deciduous plants become evergreens? I can’t imagine what it will be like to
asking property owners to contact afghanfamilieshousing@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk see all our oak tree species, beech and ash having green foliage at Christmas.
with any offers. There will be central government assistance for initial rent and What next?
deposits until the families are settled. Earlier this year we had
Local residents are asking how they can help with relocation of Afghan tremendous late shows of
families. The single thing we need right now is offers of suitable bluebells, daffodils and ragwort.
accommodation. However, we also have existing high levels of demand for The latter is still flowering now.
accommodation for local families on our housing register and in temporary Despite the fact that it was
accommodation. This is why we are specifically looking for private landlords or made illegal, in I think it was a
owners of second homes to come forward so we can identify additional 1947 Agricultural Act to have it
properties for this scheme, ensuring the scheme won’t disadvantage anyone and growing on your property. This
we can provide the support we’ve committed to. of course was due to its very
poisonous effect on grazing
Please note, at this point we are not seeking offers of volunteering or animals. However, it is now
donations. Our overriding priority is to secure suitable accommodation, in line with grown in prolific style by the
Home Office guidance. If the position on volunteering or donations changes, we councils on roadside verges
will update you and residents straight away. Please help by spreading the word on and banks. If you remember
this matter and encouraging anyone with suitable properties to come the wonderful yellow flower
forward. Councils have a long and proud history of stepping up to provide places displays on the banks each side of the dual carriage way to Dorchester, these
of safety to those fleeing violence and we want to play our part in supporting were ragwort. In my early days of faming I spent many hours in gangs of fellow
efforts to resettle Afghans in the UK, building on our successful Syrian resettlement agricultural workers pulling up this weed and having it collected and taken to a
work over recent years.ng Service Cuts and Delays dump. This of course was in the late nineteen fifties and early sixties, but this was
before the extensive use of herbicides came into a regular routine.
Dorset Council has announced cuts to its planning services in a bid to alleviate
pressure on the department, amid a huge increase in planning applications as Old Bob who I have mentioned before, was in the gang when I first pulled
well as additional demand for local land searches. Local land searches are a ragwort all those years ago in Hampshire. We were sent to pull some in about two
requirement of most mortgage companies - but delays of up to 13 weeks are

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