Buckland Newton

Parish Council

This is the website of Buckland

Newton Parish Council.

There is also a Buckland Newton

Community Website, where you will

find general information about the

Village, its community and activities

around the village.  Please visit the

Community website if you are looking

for information that is not specific to

the business and activities of the

Buckland Newton Parish Council. 

 

Coronavirus

From Buckland Newton Parish Council: If you have to self-isolate and need assistance, please telephone any member of the Parish Council, who will put you in touch with the relevant voluntary groups in the village. Buckland Newton Parish Councillors are: Chair: Nicki Barker 01300 345238 Vice Chair: Jane Collins 01300 345136 Vice Chair: Mark Needham 01300 345293 Councillors: Andy Foot 01300 345511 Chris Osmond 01300 345326 Lin Townsend 01300 345306 John Baker 01300 345386 Sam Sowerby 01300 345721 Roy Godwin 01300 345438 The Old Chapel Stores in Buckland Newton will take telephone orders for collection and/or arrange delivery.  Telephone 01300 345 336. We are here to help you

Coronavirus Advice from Neighbourhood Watch

The Neighbourhood Watch organisation has issued some useful advice about protecting the isolated and vulnerable during the current outbreak.  Click Coronavirus Advice from Neighbourhood Watch to read this.

Coronavirus - Support for Local Businesses in Dorset

Click Coronavirus - Support for Local Businesses in Dorset for more information from Dorset Council

Buckland Newton Play Area

The Playground is now open again following its annual safety inspection and necessary repairs/maintenance.

Bonfires - please consider your Neighbours

With the current good weather and the chance to catch up with jobs in the garden, please be considerate if you wish to have a bonfire.  Smoke from bonfires can be a real nuisance if neighbours have washing out to dry.  Particularly with the current coronavirus outbreak, smoke can also cause extra difficulties for those with breathing problems, such as asthma sufferers - please think before lighting a bonfire.  For more advice from Dorset Council on bonfires please see: Dorset Council Advice on Bonfires

What is a Parish Council?

Confusion often arises because of the use of the word 'Parish'

which most people would connect with the Church. "Parish" is an

old English word that means a local territory or catchment area. A

parish had two principal functions: firstly to act as a civil unit

which was responsible for the collection of taxes and tithes, the

dispensing of justice and the raising of armies; secondly it was an

ecclesiastical institution served by a local church or chapel, with a

priest or similar clergyman tending to the spiritual needs of local

people.  By the late 19th Century, the two functions of civil and

ecclesiastical parish were formally split in law. The civil parish

went on to develop into what we call the parish or town council

today (PC). The ecclesiastical parish or Parochial Church Council

(PCC) is now an entirely separate body. A Parish Council is now a

statutory local authority set up under the Local Government Act

1972. It is a corporate body with a legal existence of its own quite

separate from that of its members. Councillors are elected every

four years and a Clerk is employed to organise meetings, carry

out the council's decisions and give advice on any legal issues or

new legislation. The Clerk is the only paid person to administer

and serve a council and is often the Responsible Financial Officer

too, but does not vote or make decisions for the council.

Parish and Town Councils in England are the first tier of local

government.  They have extensive powers ranging from the

power to deal with 'offensive ditches', to acquire land and my

personal favourite 'to accept gifts'!! The list is too extensive (3

pages) to publish here, if you wish, you can check out National

Association of Local Councils Website for more information.

Parish Council Meeting Dates

Meetings are held in the Parish Pavilion 7.30 pm normally every

second Tuesday of each month.  If there are any changes, a note

will be posted on the Parish Pavilion door or noticeboard.

If you have any Parish concerns please contact the Parish

Clerk bucklandnewton@dorset-aptc.gov.uk or any of the

Councillors.   The Agenda and associated Schedule for the

September meeting can be viewed here.

Parish Council meetings are preceded by a 'Democratic Half

Hour' to allow members of the Parish to make representations at

the meeting. This will be added to the Agenda, before the main

body of the meeting takes place, allowing Parishioners to leave if

they wish. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity,

or would prefer to write or e-mail your concerns or potential

resolutions, please can you advise the Chair or Parish Clerk at

least five days before the meeting, if possible.

Further meeting dates for 2020: Tuesday 10th November 2020 Tuesday 8th December 2020

General Parish and District Council Notices and

News

Dorset COVID public update – LIVE!

As the number of cases of COVID in Dorset is on the rise, Dorset Council will be broadcasting live online from 5pm on Thursday, 22 October, to give the latest update on COVID in Dorset and to answer residents’ questions. Sam Crowe, Director of Public Health Dorset, and Matt Prosser, Chief Executive of Dorset Council, will host the event.  For more information, go to: the Covid Update at Dorset Council.

Boosting Broadband in Rural Areas

Dorset Council is appealing to town and parish councils to help spread the word that help is available to boost broadband in rural areas.  Fo more information, please see the attached article - voucher funding may be available for households/businesses with slow broadband.

Dorset Community Catalyst Project

An exciting two-year pilot project is getting underway in Dorset, launching a brand-new way of meeting health and social care need in hard-to-reach areas of the county.  Click Dorset Community Catalyst Project for more details.

Celebratory Opening of the Refurbished Parish

Pavilion and Running Track

A hugely successful Celebratory Opening of the Parish Room took place at 3pm on Sunday the 22nd September 2019.  Despite a downpour, some 100 villagers turned up and crowded into the new hall and under the veranda. Nicki Barker, Chairman of the Parish Council, welcomed everyone saying: “This has been a real village Project.  The original ideas came from you as villagers during our 6 year long consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan , followed up by refining ideas via the village newsletter in spring a year ago.  As for contractors, we were thrilled when we opened the bids to find the best ones were from 2 village companies, Nick Baker of N and J Baker for the pavilion conversion and Buckland Newton Hire Ltd. for the new running track.   Both have done a fabulous job, as you can see, and it must be a rare thing to reach the end of a project saying they have both been a joy to work with.” For a full report and more photographs, please see Buckland Newton Community website at  Parish Pavilion Re-opening 

Healthy Homes Dorset

Do you struggle to keep your home warm or worry how you will afford your energy bills this winter? Contact Healthy Homes Dorset for free, impartial advice about keeping your home warm, using your heating system, understanding your energy bills and making energy saving improvements – if you’re eligible for loft or cavity wall insulation it will be free! We will also register you for power cut support, a handy service to be on if you experience a power cut in your area.  Our advice can be given through home visits as well as over the phone.  Fire safety alarm and appliance checks can also be organised in partnership with Fire and Rescue for eligible residents.  If you, or someone you know, would benefit from speaking to a trained energy advisor, then get in touch. Call 0300 003 7023 email help@healthyhomesdorset.org.uk  Web www.healthyhomesdorset.org.uk Healthy Homes Dorset is a service provided by Dorset County Council, funded by Public Health Dorset and managed by the Centre for Sustainable Energy in partnership with Evolve Home Energy Solutions.

Dorset Police ask "could your enquiry be answered by

NED?"

Do you have issues with parking? Noisy neighbours? Concerned

with an animal’s welfare? Not sure who to contact… Then

AskNED – the non-emergency directory.  Dorset Police has

launched a new online knowledgebase designed to help the

public find answers to common enquiries and guide them to the

right agencies.  Click Dorset Polics AskNED for more details.

Smart Meter Rollout

The Government is rolling out smart meters into all homes and

businesses before 2020. However, research shows that a huge

percentage of the population are still not aware of the options

available. All local councils should have the up to date, correct

information on their websites to ensure we are fully prepared as a

nation for this switch. Provided below are links to full guides

domestic and non-domestic smart meters handed to us by the

Government.

Non-domestic Users:  Non-domestic Users Smart Meter Guide  Domestic Users:  Domestic Users Smart Meter Guide The government has issued some further information on Smart Meter rollout: UK Smart meter guide: UK Smart Meter Guide Smart meter implementation program:  Smart Meter Implementation Program

Attention “Dog Walkers” who use the footpath

through Lydden Meadow

Please remember these grounds are private and should be

treated as you would your own private garden. Please be fair

and thoughtful to the residents.  Make sure you stick to the

public footpath which runs along the gravel drive through the

entrance, behind the houses and past the meadow to the field

gate.  Most importantly, please keep your dogs on a lead

throughout the grounds and if they get caught short, make sure

you pick up any foul material and take it home for disposal.  The

overwhelming accumulation of dog dirt from dogs being walked

through the grounds is not just highly unpleasant for the

residents, but a real health hazard to the several young children

who live in Lydden Meadow and love to play in the grounds……

even in winter!  The bridge across the river is a private, not a

public footpath. Although access to all villagers was freely given

in the past, from henceforth the gate will be locked to reduce dog

fouling.  Please do not throw dog mess in the hedges or river. It

should be put in appropriate bins or taken home and put in

normal household waste bins.

Junk Mail

This can be a real nuisance. It only adds to the volume of

recycling and at the end of the day our Council Tax to dispose of

it. So unless you enjoy browsing through free mail, it IS easy to

cut down on 90% of it by removing your name from direct mail

lists. The best way to do this is: Write with your name and

address to Mail Preference Service, Freepost 29 (LON20771),

London W1E OZT (you can pick up a form for this at the District

Council's Office in High West St in Dorchester). Or phone the Mail

Preference Service on 0845 703 4599 or go to their website on

Mail Preference Service or e-mail the  Mail Preference Service E-

mail

Village Allotments

If you are interested in becoming a plot-holder please contact a

member of the Parish Council.

Your Parish Councillors are: Nicki

Barker (Chair), John Baker, Jane

Collins (co-Vice Chair),  Andy Foot,

Roy Godwin, Mark Needham (co-Vice

Chair), Chris Osmond (Recreation

Officer), Sam Sowerby, Lin

Townsend.

Your Flood Warden is Doug Morse (tel: 01300

345707) or e-mail floodwarden@sky.com

Rights of Way Liaison Officer is Stephen White

Parish Clerk: e-mail bucklandnewton@dorset-aptc.gov.uk  Tel:  01258 817288 Your District Councillors are Jill Haynes  (Chalk Valleys Ward - 6 Orchard Close, Sydling St Nicholas, Dorchester DT2 9PF tel: 01300 341277)  and Pauline Batstone  (Blackmore Vale Ward - tel: 01258 472583).