This report covers the first year of office of the Parish Council which came into being at the Local Council elections on 1st May 2003. During the year the Council held 6 regular 2-monthly meetings, plus seven special meetings to consider planning applications - these have become more frequent because of the strict deadline imposed on our response to the Planning Authority, which often necessitates a reply before the date of our next regular meeting. Throughout the year the Council met under the chairmanship of Cdr W Norman.

Planning matters are undoubtedly the aspect of Council business which generates most public interest and controversy. Our role in planning is purely consultative - though the Planning Authority (WDDC) has a legal duty to consult us on planning applications within the parish, it is not bound to take any particular notice of our opinions. Nevertheless, the Development Committee does make a point of listening to and weighing our views, and those of individual parishioners where these are relevant. Altogether we dealt with some 24 planning applications this year. Most of them were minor and comparatively uncontroversial. However, some deserve more detailed comment:

One further planning appeal is pending against the refusal of permission to redevelop the ruined Eweleaze Barn as a farm complex to include a farmhouse. Though this technically breaches the planning rules, the Parish Council does support this appeal, which could potentially restore a derelict site to an attractive and appropriate agricultural use.

The year has seen some improvements to our facilities. The damage to our memorial bus shelter was repaired, and a new seat and litter bin installed at the opposite bus stop - the costs were reclaimed from insurance. The Highways Department responded to our requests to sort out the uneven area by the church lychgate, and provided a new litter bin in the process. The Jubilee Playground has been in regular use, but has suffered a number of incidents of minor damage, which have cost time and money to repair - recognition must be given to the efforts of Councillors Doreen Squibb and Peter Hales who have put a lot of unpaid time and attention into sorting out these problems.

Our next major planned material improvement is to set up a proper system of notice boards around the parish, including the Mills - whose rather makeshift board was a victim of the winter gales - and the Upton/Ringstead community. These should give wider visibility to the more formal notices, and will be designed so that they can also be accessed by those organisations which currently make illegal use of telegraph poles. Michael Seall has been leading this project and has succeeded in persuading local businesses and groups to promise sponsorship of 6 boards - they will fund about 10% of the cost, enabling us to seek grant aid for the remaining 90%, thus not affecting the precepted budget.

With regard to the natural environment, our concerns about the trees which are such an important aspect of the local scene have led us to appoint Susan Biddiss as our parish Tree Warden to work with the District and County officers and to advise and assist the Council on tree protection matters. It needs to be re-emphasised that all mature trees within the Conservation Area are under the same protection as if they were covered by an individual Preservation Order, and require permission before they are either lopped or felled. Any parishioner having a problem with their own trees, or who sees any activity which appears to threaten others, can now contact Susan at Shell Cottage (01305 833567)

There has been no further progress on the protection of pedestrians crossing the road by the entrance to Shortlake Lane. We shall continue to pursue this with the Highway Authority. A new traffic problem has come to light with the increasing size of fire engines, which already have a severe problem negotiating the lower part of Church Lane. With new, even wider, appliances due to come into service this summer, access to the lower part of the lane will become completely impossible. This implies some major work to widen the lane, and we are in discussion with the County Council and the Fire and Rescue Service to secure some urgent action.

Michael Hart, our Transport Coordinator, and the Action Group which he leads, have had a major success in restoring the weekly bus service to Dorchester with grant funding for the current pilot scheme. I will leave him to update you with the details later in this meeting.

One project on which, regrettably, no progress has been made, is the production of a Parish Plan. Parishes are continually being told of the value and importance of these, but the Countryside Agency funding to assist with them has been withdrawn. Coupled with the fact that we have been unable to find a volunteer from outside the Parish Council to chair a working group, preparation of the Plan has for the moment had to be ‘put on Hold’.

Financially, the Council is in better shape than it was at this time last year. After the very large increase in our precept for 2003-2004, we have been able to restrict this years rise to some 6% (about £1 on the average Council Tax bill). By far the largest element in recent increases has been the need to increase the working hours - and hence the pay - of our Parish Clerk to cope with the growing administrative demands of Government legislation. There has also been a step increase in the requirement for training courses for both the Clerk and councillors to bring them up to date with the latest rules and regulations.

Of our total precepted budget of £4800, some £2900 (over 60%) is committed to unavoidable administration costs, including the Clerk’s salary, insurance, and audit fees. From the rest, we need to maintain the playing field and to fulfil our long-standing commitments to assist in maintaining the churchyard and the tower clock as public assets, as well as to hire the village hall for meetings. This leaves very little in hand for any emergency or unplanned activity, but we anticipate no major problem. The income and expenditure record for 2003/04 and the budget forecast for 2004/05 are appended to this report.