Bere Regis Village Website

Bere Regis Parish Council Monthly Report

2024




January 2024


BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL


Chairman:  Jon Park  07970 727792  jonparkparish@btinternet.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 11th January 2024 in the Village Hall.
There was one member of the public present.
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.

D-Day Events

We are currently planning for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in June, and intend to light the beacon in the evening of the Thursday 6th June and have some refreshments available.
If you would like to be involved in helping organise any additional events to commemorate this, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Distgen Grants

Distgen are the company who own and operate the wind turbine at Rogers Hill Farm.
Currently they make a quarterly payment to the Parish Council from a share of the profits generated by the wind turbine, which is specified for community uses.
In the past we’ve used this money towards schemes such as assisting with the purchase of the Communibus, supporting the Lunch Club and NeighbourCar schemes, helping with the Elder Road path upgrade, as well as supporting local organisations.
In the last quarter the payment we received from Distgen was £2,843.88.
If you wish to apply for a grant for your community scheme or organisation, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

May’s Wood

Following the closure of part of the land at May’s Wood and the ensuing number of complaints we have received,  contact has been made with the Save Me Trust.
The Parish Council will continue to pursue the matter in the hope of a more satisfactory resolution.

Parish Council Elections

Alongside the Dorset Council Elections in May of this year all seats on the Parish Council will be up for re-election and all councillors wishing to continue in their role must stand for re-election.
If you would like to apply to become a Parish Councillor and stand for election in May, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Road and Traffic Consultation

Following the creation of a roads and traffic working group last year to try and identify issues around the parish and see what, if any, measures the Parish Council can take to help and rectify these, we are about to publish a survey to all residents.
The survey asks a number of questions about the local area, accessibility, facilities and what can be done to improve things, and can be completed either online or by hand.
Once we have received all responses, we will collate them and see what actions can be taken.
Please look out for the questionnaire and complete it as soon as possible. 
If you prefer the hand written version, you can post it back to the Parish Council using the black letterbox outside the shop.

Communibus Trips

Following the ongoing success of the Communibus, we have now announced trips for the first half of 2024.

Feb 21st. Haskins & Castlepoint - £10 Depart 9.30am
Mar 5th. Purbeck Mystery Tour & Lunch - £10 Depart 9.30am
Mar 20th. Wells - £15 Depart 9.00am
Mar 27th. Afternoon Tea* - £8 Depart 1pm
April 9th. The Range & Poole Quay - £10 Depart 9.30am
April 24th. Bridport & Weymouth - £10 Depart 9.30am
May 7th. Church Visits & Lunch - £10 Depart 10am
May 22nd. Romsey & New Forest - £12 Depart 9.30am
June 4th Seaton & Donkey Sanctuary - £12 Depart 9.30am
June 26th Sidmouth - £12 Depart 9.30am
July 9th Mystery Tour & Lunch* - £10 Depart 9.30am
July 24th Street & Palmer’s Nursery - £12 Depart 9am
Aug 6th Sturminster Mill & Gillingham - £12 Depart TBC
Lunch at additional cost

To book please contact Kim Benjafield on 01929 471170

Any queries relating to the Communibus can be directed to the clerk or a Parish Councillor.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 8th February 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st February.






February 2024

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Jon Park   07970 727792  jonparkparish@btinternet.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 8th February 2024 in the Village Hall.
There were three members of the public present.
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.


Village Meeting

We will be holding our annual village meeting at the Scout Hut on Saturday 20th April.
Further details will be released next month, but currently we are planning to have information available on the Neighbourhood Plan Review, new potential plans for a Community Hall and the launch of a Parish-wide traffic and community survey.

D-Day Events

We are currently planning for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in June, and intend to light the beacon on the evening of Thursday 6th June and have some refreshments available.
If you would like to be involved in helping organise any additional events to commemorate this, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

May’s Wood

Following the closure of part of the land at May’s Wood and the ensuing number of complaints, the Clerk managed to make direct contact with Dr Brian May to discuss the issue.
Whilst no change in the situation is imminent, Dr May was keen to hear the opinion of local visitors on the issue, and as such we are currently trying to arrange a public meeting with Dr May in attendance, so that both sides of the issue can be heard and any attempts at compromise could be pursued.

Parish Council Elections

Alongside the Dorset Council Elections in May of this year, all seats on the Parish Council will be up for re-election and all councillors wishing to continue in their role must stand for re-election.
If you would like to apply to become a Parish Councillor and stand for election in May, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com or visit the Dorset Council website for more details.

Memorial Bench

Following an approach from his son, we were pleased to help facilitate the purchase and fitting of a bench in memory of the late Mark Newbold. This will be sited outside of the Drax Arms.

New Noticeboard

The Parish Council recently approved the fabrication of a new metal noticeboard which has been installed at the entrance of Cemetery Lane.
This will shortly be fitted with a new interpretation board giving information on Black Hill as well as details of some walks in the area. We will also be updating the other information boards around the village in due course.
In the meantime, we would ask residents to remember that Cemetery Lane should be kept clear at all times to allow access for emergency and maintenance vehicles.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th March 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st March.






March 2024

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL


Chairman: Jon Park   07970 727792  jonparkparish@btinternet.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 14th March 2024 in the Village Hall.
There were two members of the public present. 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.

Village Meeting

Due to the up and coming local elections, we have been advised by Dorset Council that the Annual Village Meeting should be postponed.
We are now aiming to hold it in July, when we hope to have a draft of the Neighbourhood Plan Review available to the public to read and discuss.
We will announce the exact date in the coming weeks.

D-Day Events

We are currently planning for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in June, and intend to light the beacon on the evening of Thursday 6th June and have some refreshments available.
If you would like to be involved in helping organise any additional events to commemorate this, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com.

Traffic and Amenities Survey

We will shortly be sending out a survey to all households within the Parish, as well as sharing an online version.
The survey covers a few key topics and asks for residents’ opinions on certain issues such as traffic, parking, Parish Council communication and available services within the Village.
We urge as many of you to complete it as possible once received, as this will then help us identify areas of improvement and gives us quantifiable data that we can use, for example, when making requests to Dorset Council regarding traffic issues.
The deadline for returning the survey will be the end of April and full results will be available at the village meeting and on the Parish Council Website.

Parish Council Elections

Alongside the Dorset Council Elections in May of this year, all seats on the Parish Council will be up for re-election and all councillors wishing to continue in their role must stand for re-election.
If you would like to apply to become a Parish Councillor and stand for election in May, please contact the Clerk on bereregispc@gmail.com or visit the Dorset Council website for more details.

Pop In Place Food Bank Grant

It was agreed at the meeting to award a grant of £200 to the Food Bank which is administered through the Pop in Place and provides a valuable service to many families within the village.
We extend our continued thanks to Alison and her team for continuing to facilitate this much needed service.

Speed Indicator Device (SID)

Further to Dorset Highways identifying an additional location for the SID, at the top of Rye Hill coming into the Village, the Council agreed to purchase a second device, so that we can have both in continual rotation around the 4 sites.
Under current regulations the SID must be rotated with a 6 week gap in between locations to maximise the effectiveness, but having noticed marked improvements in traffic speeds with the instigation of a new site at the end of Rye Hill Close, we hope that the purchase of a second device will further reduce incidents of speeding within the village, particularly along Rye Hill, thus making our roads safe.


Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 11th April 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st April.




April 2024


BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL


Chairman:  Jon Park  07970 727792  jonparkparish@btinternet.com

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

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker  07855 396073   clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

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

The Parish Council met on Thursday 11th April 2024 in the Village Hall.
There were five members of the public present.
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.

Village Meeting

Due to the up-coming local elections, we have been advised by Dorset Council that the Annual Village Meeting should be postponed. It will now be help on July 20th, when we hope to have a draft of the Neighbourhood Plan Review available to the public to read and discuss, together with proposals for the location of the new community hall.
We will announce more details in the coming weeks.

D-Day Events

We are currently planning for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in June, and intend to light the beacon on the evening of Thursday 6th June at 9.15pm and have some refreshments available.
If you would like to be involved in helping organise any additional events to commemorate this, please contact the Clerk on clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk.

Dog Mess

We have again noticed an increase of dog mess being left on paths and pavements around the village, despite there being bins at regular intervals on most walks that these can be deposited into.
We would urge all dog users to be considerate of others, and the impact of people walking in, or pushing pushchairs or wheelchairs through dog mess, and pick up after your dog!

Wildlife Group

Due to the recent storms we’ve suffered, plus the continued spread of Ash dieback, The Parish Council have had to remove quite a few trees recently, as a result we will be re-planting replacement trees to maintain the good tree population within the village, in the coming months.

May Parish Council Meeting and Annual Parish Meeting

Due to the local elections on May 2nd, we have moved our May Parish Council meeting.
This meeting also acts as our AGM, and is preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting where the Parish Council Chairman gives his report for the year and any representatives from community groups within the Parish can come and update us on their activities for the year.
The revised date is Tuesday 14th May at 7pm.

Cemetery Fees

It was agreed at the meeting to increase all cemetery fees for burials and interments by 3% as per previous years.

Village Walks

With the current closure of parts of May’s Wood, which formed part of one route on the Village Walks leaflet, we have reconfigured the route to avoid this area, and will soon be republishing the routes in both the leaflets and on updated Village Information Signs in the Car Park and in the layby outside Wild Woodbury.
In conjunction with this, we will also be installing some way markers along the routes to make navigation easier!


Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 14th May 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st May.







May 2024


BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL


Chairman:  Jon Park  07970 727792  chair@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Vice Chairman:  Simon Walker  s.walker@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Parish Clerk: Amanda Crocker  07855 396073 clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Websites:  www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk

The Parish Council met on Tuesday 14th May 2024 in the Village Hall for our Annual Parish Meeting followed by the Parish Council Annual Meeting.
There were no members of the public present but we were joined by Dorset Cllrs Laura Beddow and Mike Baker.
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.

Distgen

At our Annual Parish Meeting, which preceded the Council Meeting, we heard from representatives from of Distgen regarding their plans to replace their Wind Turbine situated on Roger’s Hill Farm, with a larger, more efficient model.
The Council are very fortunate to receive donations of 5% of the revenue generated by the Wind Turbine, which is specified to go to community causes.
So far over the 12 years since the turbine has been in place the Council has received £84,000 in donations.
This money has been used to support a number of vital community projects such as, Salt & Pepper Lunch Club, NeighbourCar, upgrading Souls’ Moor Footpath, PPE & Cleaning Materials for Bere Regis Primary School during Covid, upgrading Elder Road Footpath, shelving for the Food Bank, Bere Regis Carers Group, upgrading some equipment in the Play Park, improving some traffic signage and more.
A full breakdown is available on the Parish Council Website.

Parish Council Roles & Vacancy

At the Annual Parish Council Meeting, Councillor Jon Park was voted in for another year as Chair, with Simon Walker elected as Vice-Chair.
At the recent elections, Robin Pitcher decided not to stand again as a Councillor and the whole council would like to extend an enormous Thank You to Robin for his extensive and tireless hard work and commitment during his 12 year period as a Parish Councillor.

This does mean there is currently a vacancy for a new Parish Councillor.
If you would be interested in giving up some of your time to help our community then please contact the Clerk on clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk for more information.

Dorset Councillors

We heard from our two Dorset Councillors at the meeting; Councillor Laura Beddow and Councillor Mike Baker who are now representing the West Purbeck Ward and will be in attendance at regular Council meetings as well as being contactable via the usual methods should you need their assistance.

Community Survey Responses

The BRPC Community Survey closed at the end of April with a total of 179 responses received, and a good geographical spread
of respondents across the Parish as a whole, and the village centre.
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey, the results will support improvements in communication, and will help our efforts with Dorset Council to address the various local traffic issues.
In summary, it is clear that while traditional methods of getting information to the community (Parish Magazine, Noticeboards) remain popular, there is a growing desire to see wider use of e-mail, social media and the Parish Council website.
It is also clear that a quarterly Newsletter would be popular. 

From a traffic perspective, not unexpectedly, your responses are dominated by speeding issues, parking problems and pedestrian safety, in a variety of locations. 
In addition, there are localised issues such as the very poor road surface in Shitterton, poor lighting in some areas and so on.
We are still going through the large number of comments, but the information and suggestions that you have given us will support discussions we will be having with Dorset Council in the near future. 

Finally, it was good to see that the Salt & Pepper Lunch Club remains popular, and there were many positive comments about this valuable community initiative.


Grants

This month we  received applications from Bere Regis Scout Group for a grant towards the cost of improving the facilities in the kitchen in the Scout Hut, and from Bere Regis Youth Football who were looking for a grant towards the cost of travel for a number of the youth football section to travel to Cerences in France.

D Day Event

The Beacon will be lit at 9.15pm on Thursday 6th June to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
Before that the Bell Ringers will play to mark the occasion and then there will be hot drinks served in the Scout Hut following the lighting of the Beacon.
All are welcome to join this occasion.

Village Meeting

Our village meeting will be held on Saturday 20th July in the Scout Hut.
At this event we hope to discuss more about our plans for progressing the Community Hall development, we will hear from DWT about their exciting plans at Wild Woodbury, we will show the proposed updates to the Neighbourhood Plan Review, plus we will have more detailed analysis of the traffic survey responses and what next steps we can take.


Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 13h June 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st June.




June 2024


BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL


Chairman:  Jon Park  07970 727792  chair@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Vice Chairman:  Simon Walker  07969 770890  s.walker@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Parish Clerk:  Amanda Crocker  07855 396073  clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

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

The Parish Council met on Tuesday 13th June 2024 in the Village Hall.
There were two members of the public present, and we were joined by Dorset Cllr Laura Beddow.
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.

D Day Event

The Beacon was lit at 9.15pm on Thursday 6th June to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day and was well attended by parishioners of all ages.
We would like to thank all those who helped on the evening – particularly Robin Pitcher, Eddie Butterfield and Tony King for helping with the beacon; Glo Curtis for helping with the refreshments beforehand. 

Village Meeting

Our village meeting will be held on Saturday 20th July in the Scout Hut. At this event we hope to discuss more about our plans for progressing the Community Hall development, we will hear from DWT about their exciting plans at Wild Woodbury, we will show the proposed updates to the Neighbourhood Plan Review, plus we will have more detailed analysis of the traffic survey responses and what next steps we can take.

Defibrillators

As a village, we are well covered when it comes to defibrillators.
However, the three public ones are all operated by different groups and so the Parish Council offered to take over the management of them all in order to ensure they are always up to date and in working order should they ever be needed.
All are checked regularly but if you do happen to notice anything when you pass one of them, please contact the Clerk.

Conservation and the Environment

Dorset Council has recently launched a climate and ecological emergency strategy to help protect our natural environment and combat climate change.

In association with Dorset Wildlife Trust, Dorset Council is developing a mapping system to identify wildlife friendly areas throughout the County.
These areas range from Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and nature reserves to smaller areas within communities such as churchyards, parks and gardens.
The aim is to bring together all wildlife friendly areas for the benefit of our wildlife that has experienced such severe loss in recent years.
The mapping system will start with six case studies in parishes across the County, and Bere Regis is one of the six.

Bere Regis is particularly well placed to do this due to our local environment.
The Wildlife and Environment Group will be holding an exhibition entitled ‘Wild Bere Regis’ which will display pictures of the local wildlife and habitats.
This will be held at the Drax Hall on Saturday 19th October.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 11th July 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st July.







August 2024

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman:  Jon Park  07970 727792  chair@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Vice Chairman:  Simon Walker  07714 329396   s.walker@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Parish Clerk:  Amanda Crocker  07855 396073  clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Websites:  www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk




The Parish Council met on Thursday 8th August 2024 in the Village Hall.
There was one member of the public present, and we were pleased to welcome our local Dorset Councillor Mike Baker.
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.

Village Meeting

Thank you to everyone who came along to the village meeting and spoke with Councillors regarding plans for the Village Hall, the Community Traffic Survey and the updates to the Neighbourhood Plan.

The Village Hall Survey is now live on the website at https://www.bereregisparishcouncil.co.uk/new-community-hall/, along with documents explaining the pros and cons of the locations, and more information around the plans, for any of those who didn’t make the meeting.
Voting is open until 30th September.
If you require a hard copy of the survey, please contact the clerk on clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk or one of the councillors.

Nordcat Community Bus

Nordcat has a bus going to Poole on a Tuesday morning and to Wareham on Thursday mornings.
There is an annual fee of £5 which covers membership and then people need to book.
The times vary depending on who has booked.
If numbers dictate, they could increase the number of trips on offer.
At present, there are 19 people in Bere Regis registered for the service.
They also offer fortnightly trips to larger towns, the seaside and other attractions.
They also offer a wheelchair access car service to people who need to get to doctors, dentists and other health related appointments.

Calendars

We will again this year be producing a village Calendar, which will be on sale in the Nisa shop.
Proceeds this year will be going to The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution as chosen by the Chairman.

To submit any photos for consideration in the calendar please email them to bryan@cheapprintingdorset.co.uk.

Flooding

As winter approaches, please remember that any instances of flooding can be reported online to Dorset Council at https://swim.geowessex.com/dorset.
This will help build up a picture of any flooding occurrences which helps if ever a case needs to be made for improvement works to drainage and infrastructure.

Play Park

We are aware of the rapid deterioration of the Village Play Park, which has been a great community asset over the last 12 years, but it is rapidly approaching the end of its usable life and sadly some items have had to be removed to ensure the safety of users.
We are currently putting together a working party to help with the planning and fundraising to build a new park in the coming year or two, and would urge anyone who can spare some time to join this group to contact Councillor Sam Bardwell on s.bardwell@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk.

Parish Council Vacancy

We still have a vacancy for a Parish Councillor. Bere Regis Parish Council is very active in the community, with each councillor taking responsibility for a specific area as well as working as a group.
The Parish Council is responsible for a wide number of activities across the parish – everything from benches and dog bins to the play park, cemetery and allotments.
We are statutory consultees on planning applications and tree works and are instrumental in guiding the future development of the parish.
If you want to be a part of this, please contact the Clerk on clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk for an information pack and application.

Reporting Near Traffic Misses

If you ever have a non-injury traffic accident or near miss, then there is a portal on the Dorset Council website to report these, which in turn helps Dorset Council to understand which areas and roads around Dorset need consideration for measures such as reduction in speed limit, instigation of possible traffic calming works or additional signage.
You can report these here: https://dorset-self.achieveservice.com/service/Report-a-non-injury-collision-or-near-miss.

Wildlife Group

The wildlife group will be holding a photograph exhibition on the 19th October in the Village Hall to chart the progress that has been made in Wildlife areas around the village, and to hopefully try and recruit some new members.
Further information will be available next month.

Kings Award for Voluntary Service

We were notified that there is a Kings Award for Voluntary Service currently accepting nominations for any local volunteer groups that may be deserving of recognition.
Nominations can be done online at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/make-a-nomination/about-nominating/ and nominations must be by 2 people not involved with the group and also have supporting letters supplied as well.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 12th September 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st September.






September 2024

BERE REGIS PARISH COUNCIL


Chairman: Jon Park 07970 727792  chair@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Vice Chairman: Simon Walker  07714 329396   s.walker@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

Parish Clerk:  Amanda Crocker  07855 396073  clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk

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

The Parish Council met on Thursday 12th September 2024 in the Village Hall.
No members of the public were present but we were pleased to welcome Dorset Cllr Mike Baker.
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.

Christmas Trees

It is safe to say that summer is now over, the children are back at school so it is time to think about Christmas.
The trees will be £14.50 for a 4’ tree this year.
If you wish to order one, please contact the Clerk as soon as possible.
The trees will be delivered on or about the 1st December and payment must be made by bank transfer before the tree is delivered.
Anyone who has had one of the trees in past years will know they are good quality trees and well worth the money.

Please email your name and address to clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk to place your order.

Remembrance Sunday

This will take place on Sunday 10th November and the Stour Valley Band will be in attendance as in previous years.
Everyone is very welcome to attend.

Chat Bench

It had been suggested that one of the benches alongside the river walkway is dedicated as a ‘Chat Bench’.
These are very popular in larger towns and cities, but members felt that it might also be necessary in the village.
The bench near the kick wall has been suggested and a notice will soon appear on it. If you do see someone sitting on the bench, please talk to them – similarly, if you want someone to talk to you, please use it.
With the nights starting to draw in, village life can be lonely and just saying ‘hello’ could make all the difference to someone.

Electrical Vehicle Charging Bays

This was raised at last November’s meeting, but the grants from Dorset Council are now available and it has been agreed that we will go ahead and designate four spaces in the central car park as charging bays.
These will be the bays closest to the Aster car park entrance as they are the ones nearest to the power source.
There are already a number of electrical vehicles in the village and frequent calls are taken from visitors asking where they can recharge their car, so it is felt that this is something that is needed.

Way-markers

You will have noticed several way-markers appear around the village.
This is the next and final step in the production the Three Walks around Bere Regis initiative.
All the walks start from the central car park and cover various distances around the village, Souls Moor and Black Hill.
The way-markers mark the route for those less familiar with the local area.
Walk leaflets are available from the village shop.

Traffic surveys

Traffic surveys will be undertaken in October on Rye Hill, West Street and Southbrook.
This is part of the process required before we can submit an application for a village- wide 20mph speed limit.
Once the results are known, they will be submitted with those of the Speed Watch and various other details required.

Parish Council Vacancy

We are still one person short on the Parish Council.
There is a great deal going on in and around the parish, and a lot coming up.
If you are over 18, live or work in the parish and would like to be involved in shaping the parish’s future, please contact the Clerk for more information.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 10th October 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st October.




October 2024



The Parish Council met on Thursday 10th October 2024 in the Village Hall.
5 members of the public were present, along with 4 representatives from Wyatt Homes.
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.

Back Lane & North Street Planning Application

The Council heard from Wyatt Homes regarding their Planning Application for 67 dwellings split across Back Lane and North Street. There are numerous documents which can be accessed via the planning portal here: https://planning.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/plandisp.aspx... and any member of the public who wishes to comment has until 25th October to do so.

Christmas Trees
The trees will be £14.50 for a 4’ tree this year.
If you wish to order one, please contact the Clerk as soon as possible.
The trees will be delivered on or about the 1st December and payment must be made by bank transfer before the tree is delivered. Anyone who has had one of the trees in past years will know they are good quality trees and well worth the money.
Please email your name and address to clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk to place your order.

Remembrance Sunday
This will take place on Sunday 10th November, beginning at 10.30am from the Scout Hut and the Stour Valley Band will be in attendance as in previous years.
Everyone is very welcome to attend.
Following the Church Service, there will be refreshments served in the Scout Hut

VE Day Anniversary

Thursday 8th May 2025 marks the 80th Anniversary of VE Day.
We are hoping to hold some events to mark the occasion, but as always require additional help to facilitate this.
If you can spare some time to help plan and run any events, please contact the clerk on clerk@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk.
We will also be lighting the Beacon in the evening.

Electrical Vehicle Charging Bays

Our grant application to have 2 Electrical Vehicle Charging Bays in the Main Village Car Park has been approved and these will be ordered and installed in due course.

Calendars

The 2025 Bere Regis Calendars will be on sale from the start of November in the Nisa Shop, priced as they have been for 10 years now at a bargain £5, and making a great stocking filler.
Profits from the sales of the calendars this year will be going to RABI – Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, who provide guidance, practical care and financial support to those in the farming industry.

Parish Council Vacancy
We are still one person short on the Parish Council.
There is a great deal going on in and around the parish, and a lot coming up.
If you are over 18, live or work in the parish and would like to be involved in shaping the parish’s future, please contact the Clerk for more information.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th November 2024 commencing 7pm at the Village 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 before the 1st November.