Highlights of the Parish Council Meeting July 2025

Key discussions and decisions from the Parish Council meeting, Wednesday, 9 July 2025, are below. Draft minutes can be viewed using this link.

Dorset Councillor Neil Eysenck presented a written report which has been published with the minutes and can be viewed using the link above. Manager and senior officials. Highways acknowledged a need for more structured, transparent communication and is interested in improving communication with parish councils.

Finance and Policy

The Council approved the accounts for May and June, noting a bank balance of £16,007.34 as of 1 July 2025. Payments for July and August totalling £765.25 were approved.

The review and updating of Council policies continued with a new Equality and Diversity Policy being adopted, another 3 updated and one judged as fit for purpose. The Council expects to have reviewed all policies by the end of November 2025.

Planning

Councillors agreed to support a planning application at Barton Close as the design is in keeping with the surrounding development and attention has been paid to environmental concerns.

A letter has been received from Dorset Council’s Enforcement team stating an investigation is underway regarding unauthorised engineering works at Poor End.

The BT payphone removal scheduled for 9 July had not occurred by the meeting. The Council has instigated the process to adopt the telephone box and residents will be invited to propose ideas and form a volunteer group.

Recreation Ground

The Recreation Ground Working Group met before the Council meeting. The Group and the clerk defined a new grass cutting contract specification and Cllr Hodson thanked a resident for maintaining the playground area until a new contract is secured.

The quarterly inspection of the Recreation Ground, performed by an independent party, found the repairs carried out to the spinner by Cllrs Farmer and Hodson have been successful. The inspection flagged that the main gate has dropped and needs repair as do the picnic benches. Any residents who can help with such tasks are asked to contact Cllr Hodson at: [email protected].

Environment and Rights of Way

A Parish Council response to Dorset Councils’ Draft Nature Recovery Strategy consultation will be submitted. Residents are encouraged to submit their personal responses too. The Recreation Ground will be added to the Nature Recovery Map as an area that encourages wildlife while delivering for residents.

Cllrs. Wardle and Crabbe will join the Frome Headwaters chalk stream project, led by Wessex Water and Dorset Wildlife Trust. Ragwort on the Trailway was reported by Village Hall trustees; Dorset Council's response policy will be posted on the website.

Highways

In June, the Council was asked by Highways to wait for an official update before informing residents of the work that has taken place on Barrowland Lane and what is still to be done. The Council is still waiting for this official update and will issue its own as soon as all information has been gathered together.

Community

The Council has partnered with Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance to deliver Defibrillator and CPR training to the village. All Councillors and the clerk will take the training and there will be 12 free places for residents. At the time of writing there were 7 places remaining. To book a place email the clerk: [email protected].

Ammonite Patient Participation Group (PPG)

A new GP, Dr. Morrow, has joined the team at Maiden Newton and Tunnel Road. Minutes from the 24 June meeting have been published with the minutes and can be viewed using the link at the top of this article.

The next Parish Council meeting: Wednesday, 10 September 2025, at 7pm at the Village Hall.