Parish Council Meetings 2021

January 2021

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman:      Ian Ventham 471480 ianrventham@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield    07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker    01935 83454 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met remotely via Zoom on Thursday 14th January 2021 with three members of the public present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 11th February 2021, again remotely.

If you wish to join the meeting, or wish to send in a question to be read out, please contact the clerk beforehand.

Matters Raised by Members of the Public

A member of the parish raised the matter of the increase in the precept (the Parish’s element of Council Tax), notice of which had been published in the December Parish Magazine and on the Village Facebook page.
He had two issues.
Firstly, the full budget had not been put on the Council Website with the minutes of the November minutes, and secondly, he expressed the view that the proposed rise at this time was excessive.
The Chairman apologised for the omission of the budget paper from the minutes due to an oversight.
The budget papers are now available on the website and the explanation for the individual expense increases can be found in the November 2020 minutes, also available on the website.
On the matter of the rise, the Chairman explained that much additional work that previously would have been done by Dorset Council was now falling to parishes or would not be done at all.
For example, the Parish had recently taken ownership of the car park, and of the land at the junction of West Street and Shitterton.
Additionally, most hedge and tree work, and cutting of verges was falling to the Lengthsman, as well as the continuing work in the streamside area, Souls Moor, the cemetery, clearing the gutters and maintaining the Play Park, as well as improving the amenity value of the streamside area with new picnic benches.
This was in addition to our on-going work such as oversight of planning applications, and, more recently, our response to the Covid pandemic.
In order to maintain the standards of maintenance, cleanliness and safety in our public areas that we believe residents want, we had taken a unanimous decision to make this increase, which amounted to an uplift of £8.91 for the year on a Band D property.
This means the cost on a Band D property will go from £96.48 for the year to £105.39. An increase of 17p a week.

Land Acquisition

With the demise of Purbeck District Council, Dorset Council has been reviewing its inherited land holdings, and was trying to shed its responsibilities for small packets of land.
In Bere Regis these include the carpark, the land on the south side of the junction of West Street and Shitterton, and Podgers, the triangular green space with the pump at the same junction.
At the meeting the Council resolved to accept the transfer of these pieces of land.
It should be stressed that there was no monetary exchange involved in the transfer.

Update on Rye Hill Speed Problem

The Parish Council have purchased the SID and we await the installation of the holding poles by Dorset Council. This has been delayed slightly as those who will be undertaking the installation have been occupied with gritting and clearing drains around the county.

No-Man’s Land

Tree planting will be going ahead shortly on the small patch of land encircled by the School access drive near the School entrance.
This has been delayed slightly due to the restrictions imposed by Coronavirus but it is hoped the trees will be planted by the end of March.

Christmas Hampers

We were very pleased indeed with the warm response of residents who had received one of the 126 hampers made up and distributed by volunteers before Christmas.
Our thanks are extended to all those who helped with this.

Parish Forum

Clearly it is too early to be setting dates for post-pandemic activities, but we noted that an early event should be a Parish Forum, to enable us to recognise the extraordinary efforts of our army of volunteers who will be awarded Certificates of Appreciation. So far, forty have been nominated.
We are delighted to add to that list Bob and Denise Croom, who have been nominated by Sandra Williams for their valiant efforts in maintaining and tidying the Churchyard.
Watch this space, the Parish Council website, notice boards and Facebook for further information as soon as we are able to move things forward.

Bryan Benjafield

February 2021

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Ian Ventham 471480 ianrventham@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 01935 83454 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met remotely via Zoom on Thursday 11th February 2021 with one member of the public present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 11th March 2021, again remotely.
If you wish to join the meeting, or wish to send in a question to be read out, please contact the clerk beforehand.

Certificates of Appreciation

We are pleased to announce that Mary Chamberlain has been nominated for an award for her work for the Food Bank. She joins some 40 individuals and organisations so far nominated for their acts of kindness and neighbourliness during the pandemic.
If anyone wishes to nominate someone, please phone or email Ian Ventham to do so.

Community Garden of Remembrance

The progress on the Garden of Remembrance was discussed and Councillor Pitcher and Alison Bennett had been surveying suitable sites.
Although a preferred site was chosen, we are waiting for some further developments with possible land swaps to enable progress with the New Community Hall, so the matter will be revisited, however we are keen to progress with this at the nearest opportunity and agree this will be a tremendous resource for the community.

Neighbourhood Plan

Progress is still ongoing with developments under the neighbourhood plan, and although slower than we would have hoped, it is promising to see some movements on the Drax Estate owned sites.
The Parish Council will monitor the progress as closely as possible to ensure there are as few delays as possible.
The Neighbourhood Plan itself will be undergoing a review over the next 6 months with any improvements or considerations made public before any changes are adopted.
Dorset Council are also holding a review of their Local Plan which runs until 15th March, details for this can be viewed here: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-buildings-land/planning-policy/dorset-council-local-plan.aspx.

Considerate Parking

With more people at home during the pandemic, there are more cars having to be parked around the village.
We appreciate that many houses do not have an appropriate number of parking spaces provided, however we would like to remind all parishioners that if they are parking on public streets to do so as considerately as possible, leaving room at junctions and on pavements to avoid any potential accidents.

Wildlife Group

Unfortunately, due to the current lockdown restrictions, the wildlife group has not been able to meet during autumn and winter, so our work along the riverside walk has been on hold.
However tree work has had to continue as a priority for safety reasons.
The gales this winter have caused considerable damage to a number of trees and it is the parish council’s responsibility to get this work done either by our lengthsman or a contractor.

Many of the trees along the Bere Stream are willow.
These are short lived trees and the trunks start to rot if they are not managed.
The picture below shows a recently felled willow with severe rot in the trunk.
Further along the boardwalk a willow was coppiced by the wildlife group 2 years ago and now has an attractive array of young branches.
The ponies on Souls Moor are in their winter quarters but will be back in May to keep up their grazing work which has been most successful to maintain a range of different vegetation height across the field.

Bryan Benjafield

March 2021

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Ian Ventham 471480 ianrventham@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 01935 83454 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met remotely via Zoom on Thursday 11th March 2021 with two members of the public present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 8th April 2021, again remotely.
If you wish to join the meeting, or wish to send in a question to be read out, please contact the clerk beforehand.

Food Bank Grant

The Council unanimously agreed to award a grant of £2,400 to cover the costs of installation of storage cupboards in the Lower Drax Hall, meaning that moving forward once things return to a more normal level and the hiring out of the Drax Hall resumes, the Food Bank can still continue to operate a provide a much-needed service, with all items being kept secure.

Community Garden

Whilst it remains a priority to find a communal space for this project, it was discussed at the meeting that in the meantime, some community gardening could be undertaken to improve the Cemetery including the planting of trees and flower bulbs and renovating the shelter at the top.
It is hoped that then further areas around the village could also be improved in the same way, giving members of the community a purpose and a chance to engage in some social interactions once restrictions are eased.
Further details of this will be announced in due course.

Community Speedwatch & SID

The SID (Speed Indicator Device) has now arrived and the posts for it have been installed, so it will be fully operational shortly, warning passing drivers of their speed if above the limit.
We hope this helps to reduce speeding throughout the village.
In conjunction with this, the Community Speedwatch Project, headed by Angie Wright is getting ready to undertake training and hope to be up and running in the next few months.
If you would like to be a part of this, please contact Dorset Road Safe here: www.dorsetroadsafe.org.uk

Community Events

We are wondering whether an 'opening up' weekend shortly after the lockdown rules might be lifted in June would be welcome, dependent, of course, on the progress towards defeating the virus.
This could be the weekend 26/27th June or the following weekend.

The thought is that village organisations might like to organise a number of traditional events over the chosen weekend that residents could attend and enjoy together when the rules allow.

In no particular order the events might include:

A Big Breakfast,
A Duck Race and Barbecue
Open Gardens
Beacon Lighting
A special Church Service and bell ringing.
Presentation of Awards

Would such a weekend be welcome?
Should it be close to the ending of lockdown rules or later in the year?
Would you be willing to take on running or being involved in any of the activities?
All and any thoughts and suggestions would be welcome, through Ian Ventham or any of the other Parish Councillors (https://www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk/about-us/councillors/)

Parish Council Vacancy

We are very grateful to Cathryne Packham for her involvement as a Parish Councillor over the past 3 years.
She will be standing down at our AGM in May.
There will be a vacancy on the Council from then, so we would invite anyone who would like to be involved in sustaining our community, through planning, our environment, provision of facilities and creating events to put their name forward to Amanda Crocker, our clerk.

Planning

Various planning applications were discussed at the meeting.
A full list of the responses can be found in the minutes, available on the Parish Council website and more detailed information can be found on the Dorsetforyou web site:

Annual Parish Meeting and AGM

We are obliged to hold this meeting between the 1st March and 1st June so, in the current environment, this will have to be held remotely.
It is the intention of the Parish Council to hold this year's meeting before the start of the monthly Parish Council meeting on Thursday 13th May.
We would invite anyone wishing to attend to let the Clerk know and they will be sent the link.

Bryan Benjafield

April 2021

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Ian Ventham 471480 ianrventham@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker 01935 83454 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met remotely via Zoom on Thursday 8th April 2021 with one member of the public present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 6th May 2021, again remotely.
If you wish to join the meeting, or wish to send in a question to be read out, please contact the clerk beforehand.

Speed Indicator Device
The SID has now arrived. We are merely awaiting installation training for the Lengthsman for it to be operational. This will be happening during the next few weeks and the SID will be up and running by the end of April.

“No Man’s Land” Planting
We are very grateful to Dorset Trees for the tree planting on “No Man’s Land”, the patch of ground partially enclosed by the School drive near the end of Egdon Close.
About two thirds of the trees have been planted and it is hoped that we will be able to organise an event in the Autumn when local children will be able to help plant the remaining trees.

Neighbourhood Plan—White Lovington Site Planning Application
A planning application was heard by Dorset Council’s Eastern Area Planning Committee on Wednesday 7th April.
Whilst the Neighbourhood Plan had specified approximately 12 dwellings on this site, the plan that was approved will allow 17 dwellings.
The Parish Council opposed granting the application mainly on the grounds that an uplift of 42% in the number of dwellings was not in line with the Neighbourhood Plan.
The planning Committee nonetheless approved the application by 6 votes to 4.
Whilst we regret that our objections were over-ruled, it is worth noting that if the Neighbourhood Plan had not been in place, a developer could have brought forward plans for a development of up to 30 houses on this site.

Commemorative Garden
We approved plans to enhance the top of the Cemetery, with two aims.
Firstly, this will provide a site for members of the community to work together to improve a vital village resource, and secondly to enhance the top end of the cemetery as a place for quiet reflection and contemplation.

Benches
A new bench, donated in memory of a Bere Regis resident, will be installed soon at the Western end of the streamside open space, and we hope to put in picnic benches near to the Scout Hut shortly.

Community Speedwatch Project,
This team is headed by Angie and Ian Wright and is getting ready to undertake training and hope to be up and running in the next few months.
If you would like to be a part of this, please contact Dorset Road Safe here: www.dorsetroadsafe.org.uk

Annual Parish Meeting and AGM
We are obliged to hold these meetings before the end of May, so they will have to be held remotely. Our annual Parish Meeting will be on 6th May.
We would invite anyone who wishes to attend to let our clerk know, in order to be given the link.

Considerate driving
There have been a number of complaints recently about traffic speeding, particularly on Elder Road, and noisy vehicles driving through the village early in the morning.
May we ask all drivers to show respect for other residents by driving carefully and quietly in the built-up area.

Footpaths and Bridleways
There have been concerns expressed about the possibility of some of our footpaths and bridleways being threatened with closure.
Obstructing a public right of way is illegal and this includes telling people that they can no longer use the path and asking them to leave.
Any changes to rights of way have to go through a DMMO (Definitive Map Modification Order) procedure.
A DMMO is analogous to a planning application and needs submission to Dorset Council and allows for public consultation.
If you are challenged, please be assured that there have been no applications for any DMMOs in the parish.
If there are any in the future, the Parish Council will be informed.

Bryan Benjafield

MAY 2021

The Parish Council met remotely via Zoom on Thursday 6th May 2021 for the Annual Parish Meeting, immediately followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council.
Two members of the public were present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 8th July 2021, hopefully, face to face.
If you wish to join the meeting or wish to send in a question to be read out, please contact the Clerk beforehand.

Chairman’s Annual Report
Cllr Ian Ventham read his report to those present.
A full copy of the report is available on the website and it will be in the Parish Magazine.
Normally, the report would consist of the events of the past year.
However, on this occasion, as Cllr Ventham was standing down from the Chairmanship of the Council after 12 years at the helm, his report covered of many of the various activities undertaken by the Parish Council during that period of time: from the Royal Wedding street party to the completion of the Neighbourhood Plan and everything in between.
A great deal has been achieved during Ian’s Chairmanship and we wish him well for the future, although he will remain a parish councillor for the time being.
Election of Officers
Cllr Moira Mathers was elected to the role of Chairman of the Parish Council with Cllr Bryan Benjafield continuing in the role of Vice Chairman.
The remainder of the roles and responsibilities will be confirmed at the July meeting.
Accounts
This being the AGM, the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2021 were signed off. Income for the year was £81,607 and expenditure was £86,423.
The full set of accounts can be found on the Parish Council’s website.

Neighbourhood Plan
Cllrs Mathers and Ventham, together with the Clerk met representatives from the Drax Estate to discuss the development sites in the village.
You may have seen surveyors on the Back Lane and North Street sites in recent months.
All the surveys have now been undertaken and the Estate are in the process of preparing the layouts for the sites.
As soon as we are able to hold a Village Meeting, they have agreed to attend and put forward their proposals.
Cycling on the boardwalks
Complaints have been received regarding young people riding their bikes on the boardwalks. Until now, this has not been seen as a problem.
However, both boardwalks are narrow and there is not room for cyclists to safely pass someone walking or pushing a pushchair.
We must now ask that all cyclists dismount and push their bikes along the boardwalks.
This is in the interest of safety and consideration.

NeighbourCar
As all those of you who used this service before and during the Covid19 know, this is a vital service but we are in danger of losing it unless more volunteer drivers come forward.
You do not have to commit to regular trips; you need respond only when you are able to spare some time and you will get paid 45p per mile.
Please contact Brenda House for more information on stockleyfarmpartners@gmail.com
Next Meeting
As was said at the start of this piece, we are hoping that the next meeting will be face to face and back in the Drax Hall on Thursday 8th July.
At this time, it is not known what guidelines will be put in place, but it is highly likely that social distancing will still be on-going, and it will be necessary to wear face masks.
Whilst we would love to see everyone there, please remember there will be limited capacity.
If you are thinking of attending, please email the Clerk in advance so we have an idea of numbers.

July 2021

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

The Parish Council met on Thursday 8th July 2021, face to face for the first time in 15 months, for the July Parish Council meeting. Four members of the public were present.
The next meeting will be at 7pm on Thursday 12th August 2021, at the Drax Hall.
Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting and there is a period for public participation at the start.

New Councillor
The Council was delighted to welcome Glo Curtis to fill the councillor vacancy that we have held for a few months.
As a life-long Bere Regis resident with a wealth of knowledge and connections within the area, we are sure Glo will quickly become an invaluable member of the group
.
Village Meeting
We are planning to hold our annual Village Meeting on Saturday 4th September at a venue to be decided shortly.
We hope to have representatives from DWT to discuss the developments at Court Farm, Dorset Council to discuss the Old School Site and the Drax Estate to discuss plans for the development of the Back Lane and North Street sites, along with updates from the Wildlife Group on their ongoing work and other areas of the Parish Council.
We will also finally be issuing our Certificates of Appreciation that have been awarded for efforts over the last 18 months. Refreshments will be provided and more precise details will be published in the coming weeks.
Old School Site
The Council heard from members of Dorset Council regarding their plans for development on the Old School Site.
Currently they are proposing a development with 23 dwellings and are in the process of drawing up plans, which will be presented to the public for comments at the Village Meeting in September, ahead of being put forward for planning permission (and formal consultation) thereafter.

Waste Collections
Councillor Wharf addressed the recent issues with disruptions to the waste and recycling collections which were due to a number of differing factors.
Dorset Council have now resolved these issues and future collections should run more smoothly, with fewer interruptions.
If you do experience a missed collection, you can report these online at: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/.../missed-bin... from 4pm on the usual day of the collection and Dorset Council will ensure the bin is emptied.
Road Markings
A number of residents raised the poor visibility of the white lines in the road as you turn from the C6 into West Street.
Whilst the whole length of the C6 is due for re-lining in the coming months, the Clerk made contact with Dorset Council who came and re-painted the section turning into West Street in the days following the meeting.
Any defects around the village can always be reported to a Parish Councillor who will try and ensure it is dealt with as promptly as possible.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
June 2022 sees the milestone of 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne and there are a series of national events planned to mark this occasion.
Whilst there will be specific traditional ceremonies planned within the village, such as the lighting of the beacon and ringing of the bells, we are also considering holding a village-wide celebration on Sunday 5th June.
However this will need participation and help from multiple areas of the community.
If you would be interested in helping to organise such an event, please contact Bryan Benjafield on bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk.

Village Calendars
The Parish Council have once again agreed to produce a village calendar, with this year’s chosen charity being The Fire Fighters Charity, who will receive all of the profits from the sale of the calendars.
If you wish to submit a photo for consideration of inclusion within the calendar, then please email photos featuring some aspect of the village (taken in Landscape Orientation) to Bryan Benjafield on bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk before 31st August.

Community Speed Watch
A report was presented from Angie Wright, the CSW Co-ordinator.
The team had been out twice.
The first visit had noted 21 vehicles exceeding the limit of 30mph and counted 207 vehicles in 1 hour travelling past them.
The second visit noted 19 vehicles travelling in excess of 30mph.
It is already noticeable that vehicles are slowing down.
The Parish Council would like to extend our thanks to Angie and her team for their efforts.

August Parish Council Meeting

The Parish Council met on Thursday 12th August 2021 in the Drax Hall.

Five members of the public were present.

The next meeting will be on Thursday 9th September 2021.

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.
Court Farm and Dorset Wildlife Trust.
A letter has been received from Dorset Wildlife Trust with an update on the preparations they are taking in order to be ready to take over the site at the end of September.

A meeting will be held with the Parish Council to discuss how to move forward with regard to the possibility of a Community Centre.
It must be stressed that, at this stage, no plans have been made, and nothing has been agreed.
A full copy of the letter is available on the Parish Council website as Appendix B to the August minutes and residents will have had the opportunity to ask any questions they may have at the Village Meeting on Saturday 4th September 2021.

Community Speed Watch
This initiative continues, with huge thanks to Angie and Ian Wright and their team of volunteers.
A snapshot of their findings for July and the beginning of August:
18th July - 702 vehicles counted, of which 48 were doing over 30mph and 9 were doing over 36mph
29th July - 963 vehicles counted. On this occasion Dorset Police were present and used their laser which noted 1 car at 36mph.
30 July – 876 vehicles counted. 49were travelling at over 30 mph and 12 over 36 mph
1 August – This was an extra CSW session with Dorset Police.
Due to weather, monitoring was only undertaken for half an hour, during which time 273 vehicles were counted with 3 cars at 36mph or above
9th August – 403 vehicles were counted, with 71 travelling over 30mph and 21 over 36mph
If anyone would like to volunteer to help, please contact Angie and Ian Wright direct.
In the meantime, a full copy of their August report can be found at Appendix C of the August Parish Council minutes, on the Parish Council website in the next few days.

Elder Road Path Improvements.
With Winter rapidly approaching, the decision has been taken to upgrade the Elder Road path, running alongside the stream.
This path was originally installed in 2012 and, due to natural wear and tear, now has many areas where water gathers, and it gets very muddy.
The path work will be undertaken during September and will include an element of drainage and adjusting the camber of the path in order to prevent water lying.
Please be patient whilst this work is being carried out.

Wilding Village Verges
The verges have been reviewed and a survey undertaken to record what flora is already growing at each site.
The next stage will be to consider cutting regimes.
Not all the verges around the village will be appropriate for re-wilding and discussions will be held with residents to decide which verges could be used and which should not.

NeighbourCar
As all those of you who have used this service before know, this is a vital amenity.
However, we are in danger of losing it unless more volunteer drivers come forward.
You do not have to commit to regular trips; you need respond only when you are able to spare some time; and expenses of 45p per mile are paid.
Please contact Brenda House for more information on stockleyfarmpartners@gmail.com.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 9th September 2021, commencing 7pm at the Drax 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 the month preceding.

September 2021 Parish Council Meeting

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 - BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield

07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

ParishClerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396076 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met on Thursday 9th September 2021 in the Drax Hall. No members of the public were present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 14th October 2021.
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.

Court Farm and Dorset Wildlife Trust
Members of the Parish Council met with Brian Bleese and Imogen Davenport of the DWT on site on the 2nd September to listen to the proposals and find out how they wanted the Parish Council to be involved.
This is still at a very early stage,with the land not becoming available until after the 28th September. However, the Parish Council is keen to support the various initiatives proposed and will continue to discuss how the two parties can work together for the benefit of the parish.

Community Speed Watch
This initiative continues, with huge thanks to Angie and Ian Wright and their team of volunteers.
A snapshot of their findings for July and the beginning of August:
Saturday 14th August between 5-6 pm: 556 vehicles came through the village.
Of these 34 were travelling in excess of 30 mph.

The Thursday 19th August sessions was cancelled due to bad weather.
However, the C6 road was covered by the Dorset Police mobile camera team between 6-7pm.
Thursday 26th August, between 10-11am: 739 vehicles came through the village.
Of these 14 were travelling in excess of 30 mph.
Monday 30th August had to be cancelled due to a shortage of volunteers/other commitments.
If anyone would like to volunteer to help, please contact Angie and Ian Wright direct.
In the meantime, a full copy of their September report can be found as an Appendix to the September Parish Council minutes.

Elder Road Path Improvements
A contractor has now been appointed and the work will commence during early October 2021.
This may lead to some disruption but please be patient – the result will be worth it.

Salt & Pepper Lunch Club
Having been shut down since March 2020, we are very happy to announce that the Lunch Club will be re-opening from 21st October.
It will be held on the third Thursday of each month and the cost will remain at £5 per head.
This is an extremely valuable village initiative, and it has been greatly missed.
We are all very grateful to Brenda House and her team of volunteers for bringing this back.
If you want to get involved, either by helping or by enjoying one of the lovely lunches, please contact Brenda direct on stockleyfarmpartners@gmail.com.

Remembrance Sunday
This will take place on Sunday 14th November and, weather permitting, the service will be held outside.
There will be a marching band from the Scout Hut to the Churchyard and the service will, hopefully, be followed by refreshments in the Scout Hut.
Full details will be available nearer the time, but everyone is very welcome.

Cemetery Improvement Community Project
Thanks are extended to Alison Bennett and her team for undertaking this project.
The shelter at the top of the cemetery has been refurbished and looks as good as new.
The trees and bulbs are to be planted in October 2021 and new benches will be installed.
We would like to thank the folks from Nisa for making this possible by giving a grant of £2,200 for the project.

Communications
It is always difficult trying to contact as many parishioners as possible to keep them on top of what is happening in the parish – whether it is notification of road closures, local events, village meetings or anything else.
We do, of course, have the Parish notice boards, Facebook and the Parish Magazine but not everyone sees these or chooses to use them.
We would, therefore, like to start up an email communications system which parishioners can sign up to if they wish to be kept informed.
If this is something you might find of interest, please contact the Clerk and confirm that you would be happy for your email details to be held, and that you would like to receive updates.
Your contact information will never be passed to a third party and your details can be removed at any time on request.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th October 2021, commencing 7pm at the Drax 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 September.

Amanda Crocker, Clerk to Bere Regis Parish Council

October 2021

October 2021 Parish Council Meeting

Chairman: Moira Mathers 07900 906278 - BereRegis.ParishCouncil.Chair@gmail.com

Vice Chairman: Bryan Benjafield 07969 770890 bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk

ParishClerk: Amanda Crocker 07855 396076 bereregispc@gmail.com

Websites: www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk
www.bereregis.org

The Parish Council met on Thursday 14th October 2021 in the Drax Hall.
One member of the public was present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 11th November 2021.
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.

Recreation Ground
Andy Kent from the Bere Regis Sports Club informed the meeting that the whole the recreation ground area is now vested with the Charity Commission.
In addition, the northern half is listed with Fields in Trust and the lower half is listed as an asset of community value.
The site is now fully protected.

Parish Councillor
It is with regret that Philip Morgan’s resignation from the Parish Council was accepted.
He has been a major asset with his work as Police liaison during his time on the Council.
We are very grateful that he will continue to help Cllr House with the Salt and Pepper Lunch Club, NeighbourCar Scheme and
Comminubus.
This means a vacancy currently exists on the Parish Council.
If you live or work in the parish, are over 18 and want to make a difference to your community, please contact the Clerk for more details.

Elder Road Path Improvements
A contractor has now been appointed and by the time you read this, work should be underway.
Unfortunately, this will result in a certain amount of disruption, and we ask you to be patient.
The result will be worth it.

Remembrance Sunday
This will take place on Sunday 14th November and, weather permitting, the service will be held outside.
The band will be positioned on West Street.
Unfortunately, due to the on-going Covid measures, there will be no refreshments afterwards.

Communications
Following last month’s suggestion of a community information email for those who wish to be kept up to date with parish affairs, a list has been started.
If you would like your details to be added, please contact the Clerk and confirm that you would be happy for your email details to be held, and that you would like to receive updates.
Your contact information will never be passed to a third party and your details can be removed at any time on request.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Event
This is due to take place over the long weekend of Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5th June 2022.
Village celebrations have always been a great success in the past and this would be a wonderful opportunity for a village-wide get together.
If you are a member of a group or organisation that is thinking about holding a function, please get in touch to let us know what you’re doing so that we can avoid a clash or join forces.
If you would like to help organise an event, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.
Events could include a street party, live music, beacon lighting, or something completely different.

Community Speed Watch
The CSW is already having a noticeable effect on the speed of traffic through the village.
Since the last report, three sessions were carried out, but one, on 27th September, had to be cancelled due to volunteer’s shortage/other commitments:
Saturday 18th September between 5 and 6 pm at Court Green site: 657 vehicles came through the village on C6 road, of which 41 were doing over 30mph and one over 36mph.
Friday 24th September, between 10 30-11.30 am: 513 vehicles came through the village on C6 road.
Of these, 89 were doing over 30 mph and 19 were doing over 36 mph (6 of which were doing over 40mph).
Saturday 25th September:
Dorset Road Safety mobile camera spent 2 hours at Southbrook and recorded over 30 vehicles speeding.
This was carried in support of our CSW team of volunteers.
We are, as ever, extremely grateful to Angie and Ian Wright and their team of volunteers.
One new volunteer is starting in the coming weeks.
If you would also like to help with this extremely important and worthwhile initiative, please contact Angie or Ian direct.

NeighbourCar
New clients are still being accepted and four more residents joined within the last few weeks.
There are now 141 clients using the service but only five active drivers.
We are desperate for new drivers.
To date, no request for a trip has been refused but this is becoming increasingly difficult.
If you are able to offer an hour every now and then, please contact Cllr House and put your name forward as a driver.
You do not have to commit to a set number of hours, just take a trip when and if you can.
This service is so vital to so many in the parish, we do not want to have to cancel it – please help if you can.

Christmas Trees
Finishing on a happy note.
There are still a few trees left if you would like to order one.
They are £10 for a four-foot tree, and they will be delivered during the first week of December.
Please contact the Clerk to arrange for your tree.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 11th November 2021, commencing 7pm at the Drax 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 October.

Amanda Crocker, Clerk to Bere Regis Parish Council

November 2021

November 2021 Parish Council Meeting

The Parish Council met on Thursday 11th November 2021 in the Drax Hall.
5 members of the public were present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 9th December 2021.
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
The Council were delighted to fill our recent vacancy with the co-option of new Councillor Jon Park.
John brings with him a wealth of local knowledge and experience and we look forward to his input on matters and future help.
Dorset Council
We were grateful for the visit of Dorset Councillor Laura Miller, who shares the West Purbeck Ward with Councillor Peter Wharf. Laura has just taken on responsibility for Customer and Community Services within Dorset which includes areas such as libraries, for which she explained about the current #LetsTalkLibraries consultation (https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/.../let-s-talk-libraries...) and also Refuse Collection which has been a popular topic locally recently.
Laura explained some of the issues that they were facing including some horrific abuse that the staff have been subjected to by members of the public, when it’s not even their fault. We all agreed that some positive encouragement and a little “thank you” for the workers when we see them doing their job may well make a positive difference to their day.

Remembrance Sunday
Thank you for all who joined in with the parade and memorial service on Remembrance Sunday. We would also like to extend a big thanks to Phillip Ventham, Julien Lightfoot and the Scout Group for once again putting up the “Silent Soldiers” around the village, and a thank you to our Lengthsman Tony, who put all of our large poppies up on the lampposts at the start of the month, and arranged the seating for the outdoor service.
Aster Liaison
We would like to thank Councillor Curtis who has been liaising with Aster over the last few months and managing to get a few of the ongoing nagging issues for residents addressed in that time.
If you have any issues with Aster regarding their upkeep and maintenance of the area, please do contact her and she can discuss it with them during her regular communications.

Elder Road Bench
The original bench outside the houses and flats next to the green in Elder Road has deteriorated beyond repair, so it is imminently about to be removed so that we can purchase a new bench and replace it.

Community Speed Watch
Monday18th October 10.30 to 1130 at the old school - a total number of 382 vehicles in 1hour coming through the village. 10 were travelling over 36mph and 52 were travelling over 30.
Monday 25th of October 10.30 11.30 at Court Farm - we had training with our new volunteer, which was carried out with the Dorset Safety Team, and, because it started raining, we stood down and the Dorset Mobile Safety Team took over.
Friday the 5th of November – a total of 367 vehicles in 1hour. 8 were travelling over 36mph.
We were accompanied by the Dorset Safety Team, who carried out the monitoring with us and took our session.
The Road Safety Team were supporting us in this session, and, because of this, we do not record vehicles as the DST can take immediate action.
Our Next session is on Thursday 11 November between 10.30 and 11.30 at Green Close, but we will be observing 2 mins silence at 11am in respect of Remembrance Day.
After that, there will be one more session this month on Monday 22nd November at Court Green from 10.30 to 11.30.
If anyone from the Parish Council or residents of the village wish to come along and observe us in action, they are more than welcome to do so, weather permitting - any rain, ice or fog means we cannot do a session.
Thank you for your support and to our volunteers for helping to reduce the speed of vehicles.
Lunch Club and Communibus
The ever-popular Lunch Club and Communibus trips have now resumed.
The next Bus trip being to Clarks Village on Tuesday 7th December. To book a place on the trip or to book a space at the next lunch club please contact Councillor House on 01929 471255.

Wildlife Group
After quite a gap caused by covid restrictions and then a very wet meeting day last month, work has started again on clearing back selected areas of vegetation along the streamside walk.
This year has been exceptional for growth, and this is a task that is essential to keep the path sides clear and maintain the right conditions for the more attractive native plants that grow in boggy places.
As walkers will have seen, your council has had the pathways resurfaced to stop the flooding in places which has developed in wet weather over the past few years.
We are a small group of volunteers that work hard to keep this very popular walk attractive and in good order. If you can spare a couple of hours only once a month on the 1st Saturday of the winter months, please do come along and help us.

Calendars
The Bere Regis 2022 Calendars are now on sale in the Nisa Shop and at the Pop In Place Rainbow Café.
All profits from the sales of this years calendars will be going towards The Fire Fighters Charity.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 9th December 2021, commencing 7pm at the Drax 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 November.

December 2021

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 9th December 2021 in the Drax Hall.
Three members of the public were present.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 13th January 2022.
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.

Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations

We were delighted to accept Judy Newton’s offer of help to head up the group organising the Parish celebrations for the Queen’s Jubilee in June 2022. So far, we have planned to join in the national lighting of the Beacon on Thursday 2nd June and then provisionally hold a Street Party in West Street on Saturday 4th June. Further details will come out in due course, but for now anyone who would like to help with the organisation and running of the events, please contact the Clerk.

North Street Gate

We heard some complaints from residents of North Street regarding an increase in the number of motorcycles driving up and down North Street and through the pedestrian access by the gate at the Sports Club end, which is in theory prohibited access for any motor vehicles.
This area is the responsibility of Dorset Highways.
However, due to the dangers this can cause, we have agreed to look into any potential improvements to the gated area, which would stop access for any motorbikes, whilst still allowing access for pushchairs, wheelchairs, bicycles etc, and submit a proposal to to Dorset Highways seeking permission to undertake the improvements.

Budget and Precept Increase

Over the past few years, the increase in the precept has been over 10%.
Under the current circumstances, it was agreed that any increase would be kept to a minimum and members agreed an increase of £3,730 or 5%.
However, Dorset Council has lowered the Base Rate for Bere Regis, which has had the effect of increasing this to 7.07%.
This means that the charge for a Band D property will increase from £105.39 last year to £112.84 this year - an increase of £7.45 for the year.
The Precept is the main source of income for the Parish Council and it covers almost everything we do within the parish, such as the Lengthsman Scheme, grant funding, repairs and improvements to all Parish Council owned facilities such as the Play Park, improving and maintaining the rights of way and public areas owned by the council, upkeep and maintenance of the cemetery and the Parish Clerk’s salary, along with insurance, licences and other such costs required to keep the Parish neat, tidy and functioning.

Community Cemetery Project

The Council were delighted to be able to help with the recent planting session as part of the Community Cemetery Project organised by Alison Bennett.

Five new trees were planted on 28th November along with many snowdrops and crocus bulbs in the banks of the upper cemetery. The renovation of the shelter is complete, and a lovely sign has been crafted by Rod Osmond and put up in the shelter, all of which was kindly funded by Nisa. We are also siting one of the benches that we had recently purchased in the cemetery.
The planting has been registered with the Queens Green Canopy website and has been awarded a certificate, albeit virtual, and is not official. The project has been a very worthwhile exercise as it had dual benefits to peoples’ well-being and to the climate and is a great example of the community working cohesively to improve our environment.

Community Speed Watch

Thursday 11 November, 10.30 to 11.30, Green Close
313 vehicles, three were doing over 36 mph and 26 over 30mph.

Monday 22nd November, 10.30 to 11.30, Court Green
426 vehicles, one travelling over 36mph and 26 over 30mph.

Monday 1st December 11.00 to 12.00, Court Green
340 vehicles, two over 36mph, and 20 over 30 mph

Monday 6th December, 13.00 to 14.00, Green Close
Road monitored by Dorset Speed Watch who counted over 20 vehicles doing over 36 mph, which will all receive speeding tickets straight away.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 13th January 2022, commencing 7pm at the Drax 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

Bere Regis Parish Council Monthly Report

2021