Dorset

In July, Cllr Andrew Parry, our portfolio holder for Children, Education and Early Help, wrote to the Secretary of State, Gavin Williamson MP, and asked the Government to delay turning Weymouth’s Budmouth College into an academy. The letter was sent after a motion was put to Full Council and agreed by councillors. Cllr Parry has now received a reply and Mr Williamson has said the Government will not delay the process. Read his reply.

Cllr Andrew Parry said:

Cllr Andrew Parry, portfolio holder for Children, Education & Early Help

“We asked the Government to delay this academisation, as we were reflecting the concerns of parents, pupils, councillors and the local community about the process. The Department for Education have said the academisation must take place as they planned. I know many people will be disappointed by the response, but we must now move forward and work with Budmouth College, Aspirations and the Regional Schools Commissioner to make the necessary changes and, most importantly, safeguard the standards for our young people. I know I’m not alone when I say we want pupils at Budmouth to receive the best possible education, so our priority must now be supporting Aspirations and the school to make this happen.”

The post Secretary of State replies to Cllr Parry about Budmouth College appeared first on Dorset Council news.

Ollie Pope hits an unbeaten 221 for Surrey but they eventually have to settle for a draw at home to Hampshire.

Learner drivers face the "huge inconvenience and extra expense" at a centre six miles away.

Laura Mulley started the swap shop after her children grew out of their good quality uniforms.

Kia Super League leaders Western Storm continue their perfect record in the competition with victory over Southern Vipers.

Developers maintain the huts' design is "innovative" and would boost tourism.

Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick give Surrey hope after Hampshire's lower order had frustrated the hosts on day two.

A final version of the Upper Marshwood Vale Neighbourhood Plan has been submitted to Dorset Council for examination.

Have your say on Upper Marshwood Neighbourhood Plan.

The plan was created by local people, and was approved by the Upper Marshwood Vale Parish Council which is made up of the parishes of Bettiscombe, Pilsdon, Stoke Abbott and Marshwood. The Parish Council feel confident that the plan reflects the hopes and views of the local community.

Neighbourhood plans were introduced in the Localism Act 2011 and aim to give residents more say in the future use of land and buildings in their area. For example, the plan can say where new homes, shops or offices might be built or where important green spaces might be protected.

Dorset Council is required to consult on the plan proposals before the examination can take place. Following the examination, if the plan is approved and supported by a local referendum, then it will be used to inform future decisions on planning applications. Consultations will start on Monday 19th August and will run for eight weeks.

View the Upper Marshwood Vale Neighbourhood plan

The plan can be viewed on the Dorset Council website: dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/upper-marshwood-vale-neighbourhood-plan,  and via the Upper Marshwood Vale website: uppermarshwoodvale.org/home/neighbourhood-plan/.

Hard copies will also be made available at the council offices at South Walks House, Dorchester.

Please contact the Upper Marshwood Vale Neighbourhood Plan group, or view their website: uppermarshwoodvale.org/home/neighbourhood-plan/ for the locations of reference copies and dates of public events that will be going on around the area throughout the consultation period.

Comment on the plan

Those who live, work or run a business in the Upper Marshwood Vale neighbourhood plan area have until 14 October 2019, to raise any concerns they may have about the plan. These will then be passed on to an independent examiner to consider. Anyone commenting on the plan should let the council know if they wish to be kept informed of the progress of the Upper Marshwood Vale Neighbourhood Plan.

Comments on the plan can be emailed to: planningpolicyteamb@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Alternatively, they can be posted to: Spatial Planning, South Walks House, South Walks Road, Dorchester DT1 1UZ.

The post Upper Marshwood Vale steps closer to agreeing neighbourhood plan appeared first on Dorset Council news.

No play is possible in any of the eight T20 Blast games scheduled to take place on Friday because of rain.

Susan Tate had a stuffed wildcat and a stuffed red squirrel at her home.

The weekend will be packed with activities for Pokémon trainers of all ages.

The newly refurbished Weymouth library will host the fun-filled family weekend celebrating all things Pokémon. Events take place 9.30am – 3pm on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August.

Put on your detective hats to find the hidden Pokémon in our scavenger hunt, try to catch them all in our all ages Poké Bingo and challenge trainers on ‘Pokémon Go’ for your spot in our Pokémon Hall of Fame in our ‘Pokémon Go’ Gym Leader Challenge.

All trainers are invited to come dressed up as their favourite characters from the franchise. We want to see your colourful Charizard’s, perfect Pikachu’s and totally awesome trainer costumes for our ultimate Pokémon cosplay battle. Costumes will be judged in categories (Children 0-10, Teens 11-17, Adult 18+) Children under 8 must be accompanied by a parent of carer.

Running order:

“Who’s that Pokémon!” – Scavenger Hunt
Friday and Saturday: 9:30-15:00
Put your detective hat and find the mysterious Pokémon hidden throughout the library. To participate collect your sheets from the helpdesk.

Poké Bingo
Friday and Saturday: all day
Race to catch them all in this game of Poké Bingo – open to all ages. Sessions will be run throughout the day with a maximum of 25 trainers per session. Please book your slot at the helpdesk – small prizes will be awarded to our winning trainers.

Pokémon Cosplay Battle
Saturday only: 13:30 – 14:30
All trainers are invited to come dressed up as their favourite characters from the franchise. We want to see your colourful Charizard’s, perfect Pikachu’s and totally awesome trainer costumes.
Judging categories: Children 0-10, Teens 11-17, Adult 18+

Pokémon Go Gym Leader Challenge – winners announced
Saturday only: 15:00 – Phone app events
The six trainers that have control of our Pokémon gym in-game at 3pm will be added to our Pokémon Hall of Fame and awarded their prizes. Challenge trainers throughout the day in the ‘Pokémon Go’ app for your chance to win!

Find out more about this event

The post Join in the Pokémon fun at Weymouth library appeared first on Dorset Council news.

The stoppage in August and September is part of the long-running guards dispute.

Preview followed by live coverage of Saturday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Bournemouth.

Search teams are scouring woodland around Wareham for missing 72-year-old Eileen Samways.

Workshops are teaching young asylum seekers how to cook and improve their English skills.

Western Storm maintain their 100% Kia Super League record with a commanding fifth win of the campaign.

Dorset Highways maintenance gangs are out across the county continuing to repair road damage.

Due to the large equipment used, the area of the road being worked on will be closed. Daytime road closures are 9am to 4pm and night work is usually from 7pm to 6am.

In September we will be repairing sections along the following roads:

Manor Farm Lane, Winterbourne Abbas
daytime closure, 2 Sept

A350 / A354 Blandford Bypass
Wimborne Road Rbt, Hill Top Rbt & Sunrise Rbt
night closure 8pm to 6am, 2 Sept to 9 Sept
See press release for full details

Hill View, Maiden Newton
daytime closure, 3 Sept

Toller Fratrum Road (from A356 Whitesheet)
daytime closure, 4 Sept

North Street, Wareham
daytime closure 5 & 6 Sept

Albert Road, Corfe Mullen
daytime closure, 9 Sept to 11 Sept

A37 Weirs Roundabout, Dorchester
night work 8pm to 6am, 10 & 11 Sept
B3147 closed from Loders Garage to Weirs Roundabout
Two-way temporary lights on A37

Westham Road, Weymouth
closed 9.30am to 3.30pm, 12 & 13 Sept

St Thomas Street, Weymouth
closed 9.30am to 3.30pm, 16 & 17 Sept

Maiden Street, Weymouth
closed 9.30am to 3.30pm, 17 & 18 Sept

A350 / B3067 Poole Road, Upton
night closure 9pm to 6am, 19 Sept to 25 Sept

All scheduled roadworks can be found on the online roadworks map.

The post Dorset Road Fix – September sites appeared first on Dorset Council news.

Hampshire and England all-rounder Liam Dawson agrees a new three-year contract with the county.

Anyone wishing to work on the highway will soon have to apply for a permit to carry out  work on Dorset roads.

Dorset Highways is working with Saanchi Solutions Limited to develop and implement a permit scheme for works on the Dorset Council highway network.

At the moment, work promoters have a statutory right to work on the highway and tell the council when they will be working on the road.

Under a permit scheme, work promoters will be asking for permission to work on the highway and will need to provide clear start, end and duration details – any alteration to these during the work could incur a fee.

Permit schemes were introduced by the Government to:

• reduce disruption on the road network
• improve overall network management
• reduce delays to the travelling public
• reduce costs to businesses caused by delays
• incentivise work promoters to collaborate

Implementing a permit scheme will ensure the council has accurate information about the work taking place on its network, which will allow better co-ordination and management of works.

Also, with a permitting scheme in place, working on the highway without a permit becomes a criminal offence.

The permit scheme will be cost neutral when it is live – with the cost of permits funding the administration of the scheme.

Activities likely to need a permit

Although Dorset Highways is currently developing it’s permit scheme, activities likely to need are permit are:

• breaking up or resurfacing any street
• opening the road, footway, verge or cycleway
• the need for any form of temporary traffic regulation order or notice, or the suspension of pedestrian crossing facilities
• reducing the width of the existing carriageway

Exact details will be known later this year.

The legal bit

• Permits were brought into existence through the Traffic Management Act 2004
• In 2015, statutory guidance for permits were introduced to give consistency across the country​
• The Department for Transport has now said Local Authorities must have a permit scheme in place by April 2020

If you have any question about the scheme, please contact our traffic team: dcpermitscheme@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

The post New permit scheme for roadworks in Dorset appeared first on Dorset Council news.

The car the 81-year-old man was in went through a hedge and stopped next to the wall of a house.