Beneath the Vale

Published on behalf of Upper Vale

Parish Council Clean round the bend or flushed with success

omething of real concern for residents S who have a traditional septic tank or a more modern sewage treatment plant - you have to register your sewage discharge with the Environmental Agency by the end of the year. Not a law passed by parliament You needed to be a psychic as there but a ‘regulation to implement a has been no publicity, only DEFRA directive’ it affects almost documents until recently hidden everyone around here - and that’s deep within the Environmental not nice; nor is it simple, nor is it Agency website. sense. Doesn’t matter if your You need to understand flow charts arrangements work fine and bothers and be a lawyer. no one, Brussels knows best. You need to know how many litres In principle it is not unreasonable of sewage goes down your drain. for Eurocrats to demand that You need to be able to douse to standards are set for domestic waste find outflow pipe usually buried deep disposal nor is it a bad idea to be underground. able to tell from where pollution may You will need to be inch precise originate. Sewage found on Church since the Environmental Agency beach in is believed to demands that kind of accuracy. have come from an unknown pipe You need to be computer literate to draining into the Lym. have a chance. But the way the Environmental You need to be very patient to use Agency is going about it is so the recommended website to get the complex as to be impractical, if not grid reference of the outflow, but is impossible. Indeed it is so ham- so clumsy that what could be done fisted it is as though they don’t want by Google Earth in seconds takes as you to register – perish the thought. many hours.

1 You need to register to be exempt But don’t worry; there aren’t when you will not be charged (so enough people at the Agency to far). If that is not allowed, a permit prosecute us all and EA promotes will set you back at least £125 but encouragement over enforcement! up to £885 and £684 per year. Mind you our vigilant MP, Oliver You will need to keep records for Letwin has called on London-centred 5 years not just of registration, but EA to bin the whole rigmarole also of inspection, maintenance and without any option to recycle. He emptying, all by ‘authorised writes to the Environment Agency - contractors’. “I think we have, here, a clear case This means you will need to empty of bureaucracy gone mad. This the tank every year, something cannot be sensible to require an strongly disputed by most users. enormous number of people to send You will need to be lucky because in registrations, merely to indicate that very few will actually succeed in they are exempt from the regulations. registering. So talk to Environment “I am putting this right away on to Agency’s Matthew Sulley, he is the the list for the Red Tape Challenge, sort of guy wh will deal with your but I hope you will beat me to it by registration and is far more practical getting this as an unnecessary and helpful than you would expect. requirement.” To register on line However Marshwood has been http://www.environmentagency.gov.u repiped with a new water main from k/business/topics/water/122003.aspx Wessex Water, so perhaps they or phone 08708 506 506 for a form. should now add main drainage. If agreed, Wessex Water would pay for Here is a septic tank – but the main installation. Each home where precisely is the would be charged a £312 fee and outflow? meet the cost of piping to the main sewer though some may get an up to 10 metre pipe free; no doubt there will be other costs.

Whitchurch has a similar problem and are reconsidering mains drainage for the road through that village.

Why not tell others what you think – letters to the editor!

2 Contents Page 1, 2 Round the bend 14, 15 Leading in the lanes 3 Council News 16 Councillors’ Comments, 4, 5 Losing our Bottle? Announcements 6, 7 Magna’s Opus 17 Parish councillors 8, 9 Churches in the 18 District & County Councils, communities Working Parties & Editorial 10 Happiness is a new oak Board 11 Working Party reports 19 Useful Contacts 12 Editorial 20 Emergency numbers 13 Letters to the editor

Council News New Woodroffe School Bus Service MORNING JOURNEY TIME AFTERNOON JOURNEY TIME TIME SHAVE CROSS LYME REGIS Shave Cross Inn 0730 The Woodroffe School 1545 PILSDON MONKTON WYLD Purcombe Farm, Batts Lane 0734 Cross Cottage (sec) 1555 Mabeys Cottage 0736 Junction Pound Lane / Monkton Wyld Lane 1600 Village Hall Junction 0746 Bowshot Farm 1605 Cypress Farm 0749 CATHERSTON LEWESTON Lwr Catherston Road Entrance 1610 Lodgehouse Farm Turn 0751 CHARMOUTH Newlands Bridge 1613 Befferlands Farm 0800 End Of Berne Lane 1618 End Of Berne Lane 0802 Befferlands Farm 1620 Newlands Bridge 0807 WHITCHURCH CANONICORUM CATHERSTON LEWESTON Lodgehouse Farm Turn 1629 Lwr Catherston Road Entrance 0810 BETTISCOMBE MONKTON WYLD Cypress Farm 1631 Bowshot Farm 0815 Village Hall Junction 1634 Junction Pound Lane / PILSDON Monkton Wyld Lane 0820 Mabeys Cottage 1644 Cross Cottage (sec) 0825 Purcombe Farm, Batts Lane 1646 LYME REGIS SHAVE CROSS The Woodroffe School 0835 Shave Cross Inn 1650 Suggest your improvements to DCC Cllr. Rebecca Knox, details p18

3 Losing our Bottle?

repairs and telling them that if they failed to do so formal action would be taken. One possible option open to the Council would be to carry out the repairs themselves and take out a charge on the property to cover its costs. The new tenant had found two men with previous experience of running a pub to manage The Uncertain future for The Bottle Bottle. At his expense the two of them had undertaken a

superb renovation of the inside of the The future of The Bottle Inn at pub but with no certainty as to whether Marshwood remains in doubt it will ever re-open they have now left. after repeated failures by the owners It was almost three years ago that the to repair the historic pub. long standing landlord of The Bottle, A new tenant had been found who Shane Pym, threw in the towel and had planned to re-open The Bottle, closed down. Trade had fallen off but which has been closed since January, he had also complained of failures by in time for the main summer holiday Mr and Mrs Brookes to invest in the period. There were even tentative building. plans to hold the famous annual After a brief closure Mr Pym's nettle eating championships, former chef, Rory MacLeod, took over normally held in June, during August. and he ran The Bottle until the But the owners, Michael and following July before closing Pauline Brookes, who live in suddenly amid rumours of substantial Australia, failed to meet undertakings debts. This time it was closed for 10 to carry out sufficient external months until Simon and Shelly repairs, particularly to the thatched Dumper re-opened in May of last roof, and in its current state it is year. impossible to obtain public liability Although Mr MacLeod and Mr and insurance. Mrs Dumper made obvious mistakes West District Council has they both complained bitterly about now intervened and on August 25 Mr and Mrs Brookes repeatedly wrote to Mr and Mrs Brookes giving failing to carry out promises to repair them four weeks to carry out the the building.

4 I personally read a number of e-mails Mr and Mrs Dumper had been sent by them with clear written undertakings that repairs would be done and none of these were met. Sadly all three of them were left with dire financial problems as a result of trying to make a success of The Bottle. When the new tenant, who lives in Kent and has experience Sunnier days for The Bottle of pubs and restaurants, first Some people in Marshwood are spoke to Mr and Mrs Brookes in discussing what can be done to save January he was told by them that The Bottle before it is too late.I have repairs were already underway which managed to contact Mr and Mrs was untrue. Eventually he managed Brookes in Australia to invite them to to meet them at The Bottle in May give their side of the story for Beneath when Mr Brookes told him that The Vale. Although they have £30,000 was available to carry out replied making criticisms of some of the repairs. the people who have been involved A thatcher was actually appointed they are not prepared to comment on by Mr and Mrs Brookes and he whether they will undertake sufficient arranged to put up scaffolding a few repairs to The Bottle to allow it to re- weeks ago to carry out the work to open. the roof. But the money he had been With the accompanying land and promised never arrived and the the various outbuildings it is a site scaffolding has been removed leaving with enormous potential. It must be the thatcher to join the lengthening hoped that Mr and Mrs Brookes will list of people who have lost money in be prepared to work co-operatively the quest to revive The Bottle. The with those who want to find a new tenant reckons he has already sensible solution to the problems. It invested at least £8,000. is tragic to see the financial misery There are now tentative moves for that The Bottle has created in the the new tenant to join up with some last few years to people who of his predecessors in suing Mr and deserved better. Mrs Brookes for the money they have lost as a result of what has Mark Van de Weyer happened. The Bottle is currently an eyesore and w e welcome the intervention by West Dorset District Council to try and get this lovely building properly repaired. Please give us your views as to what you would like to see happen there. 5 Magna’s Opus Since mid-April we have been Hidden out of sight behind garages, following a welcome development the Marshalsea communal septic tank for residents of Marshalsea - the has long been inadequate. Locals claim long-awaited replacement of their that when Magna took over these overloaded septic tank with a fine houses a substantial reduction was new sewage treatment plant. given by the council to pay for the This was when Magna Housing tank’s replacement. The problem was were due to replace the unit to fulfill that these houses were - and still are - what residents believe is a 20-year homes for families who use more water commitment, but at the last minute than expected; with the advent of it was realised that power could not washing machines and later be run by Western Power as dishwashers, the volume of waste to be planned as access was too limited. treated has become far more than the This left the 8 homes involved old tank could handle. without relief and the new treatment Over the years this has led to the tanks blocking Magna’s yard. occasional discharge of raw sewage Marshalsea is the only side road in into the garden of the nearest house, Marshwood village and these ex- yet in spite of complaints to Magna - council houses, in common with all which they deny - the promised other Marshwood homes, are not on replacement was delayed year after mains drainage. Most Marshwood year until recently when local residents use a septic tank or a more environment officers investigated and modern sewage treatment plant to issued warnings. deal with the waste and consider Marshalsea residents have changed these arrangements are satisfactory, with the passage of time, as have the many fondly recalling the days of houses. Only two tenants remain in the Laurie the Lorry whose pump-out cul-de-sac as others bought their and repair service was legendary. homes, some selling on to new owners. Magna did arrange for more frequent pump-outs to try to deal with the problem. A temporary fix, this made things worse as they added the cost of this to the charges levied from tenants and residents of Marshalsea.

Marshalsea’s old septic tank and the new power feed awaiting connection 6 All had paid Magna a charge set to So when you read this, the long cover routine pump-out and wait is over and Magna has come up contributing towards the cost of a smelling of roses?? new system, but as the frequency of Magna Housing, a socially- pump-out increased to stop the responsible housing association flooding, it was residents that paid for comments: “There has been no it, even though they felt that it was sewage overflow and no complaints. housing association’s inaction that The plant had come to the end of its caused the problem. useful life and needed replacing.” August 18th, bang on due date, Surprising as this is to residents, Western Power workmen quickly Magna adds: “Technically, we didn’t dug a new trench zigging down own it because, for reasons Marshalsea, in front of the garages, unknown, it was included in the sale into the field and down to the septic when the adjoining house was sold tank. With the cable in place and by West Dorset District Council power to a cabinet, they re- under right to buy legislation, prior to tarmaced the road and departed. the stock transfer to the housing As we go to Creeds for printing association in 1993. However, we (August 30th), Gavin and Mark have continued to maintain it and, in order arrived at Marshalsea and the 3 to replace it, we negotiated with the Enso sewage treatment module owners to sell it back to us so we rated to cover 50 individuals has could replace it.” arrived on site ready to replace the “There was a slight delay recently old septic tank within a week or so. because of changes in the provision They will dig out the old tank and and route of the electric service but sink most of the new modules this was only a few weeks for the underground before connecting additional easement to be agreed.” then up to the drains. All those years ago, did Magna, both accepted a discount to The 2nd Enso sewage cover replacement of the treatment module tank and assume the responsibility so to do? is off loaded They deny even buying it, yet have been looking after it for 8 years as being the socially responsible thing to do.

7 Churches in the communities

ven when they are not churchgoers many Marshwood residents E are happy to donate to fund raising events in aid of the village church. This support is much deserved following the inspired decision a decade ago to get rid of the pews

and replace them with chairs Chairs not pews in Marshwood Church that can be removed during the week allowing the staff and children at Marshwood can be found soon the church might School to use the church. This has have to close which would be a been of immense benefit as it not tragedy both for those who regularly only provides extra space for worship there and for the school teaching but has enabled the school which would lose this vital facility. to offer additional music and drama A recent survey undertaken and hold special events more showed that 4,000 of the churches easily. belonging to the Church of But as is the case in thousands of were in poor or very poor condition villages and towns across the and needed an average of £80,000 country Marshwood Church faces a spent on repairs and restoration. grim battle for financial survival. Recently a church in was The major problem is that much of closed for some time when it the money raised by villagers has to became dangerous. be paid over to the church centrally The three main churches in Upper and this amount has risen steeply in Marshwood Vale, at Stoke Abbott, recent years. Bettiscombe and Marshwood, all As a result vital repairs that are come under the Salisbury Diocese needed to Marshwood Church, which requires them to contribute particularly to the tower, have been nearly £20,000 a year to central put off for many years. A bequest church funds. Some of this is used for enabled some work to be carried out salaries and pensions of local clergy in the last weeks but unless more but a large chunk is swallowed up by

8 the church’s growing central library is one of those earmarked for bureaucracy. closure. But just a few doors away is With considerable help from a Charmouth Church which could small number of significant donors easily accommodate a library which our three churches have so far is open on only three days a week for managed to meet these a total of around 10 hours. This way payments but an increasing the County Council would make a number of parishes are failing to profit disposing of the building, the do so. The Salisbury Diocese has Church would earn some extra admitted that there was a money and the local people could shortfall of almost £450,000 last still have their own library. year and unless it can cut its own costs substantially – and it is under increasing pressure to do so – the parishes that can afford it will be asked to pay even more. Apart from the potential damage to Marshwood School does this all matter to the vast majority who rarely, if ever, go Good n eighbours: to church? Many argue that the Marshw ood school and church disappearance of thousands of churches is inevitable. But with the necessity to reduce Our councillors need to sit down public spending local authorities are with our church representatives to missing a trick. Churches are almost work out a joint plan that could save all underused and could be used to us all money on our council tax, ease house community services which the financial pressures on village otherwise might not exist. Up to the churches and preserve Marshwood time of the Industrial Revolution School for generations to come. It churches were usually the hub of a just requires common sense and a bit community. The most obvious local of effort. example is at Charmouth where its Mark Van de Weyer

The author has worked for newspapers and magazines since 1965 when he became a reporter on a local newspaper. He spent the majority of his career with The Financial Times and is now a director of three companies, which produce magazines newsletters and websites.

9 Happiness is a new Oak!

Ten Marshwood Vale residents Matching that, the AONB team led who share a rather special dream by Tom Munro responded just as waited on tenterhooks as a June swiftly - hardly typical of officialdom deadline came and went; but their - and came back just two weeks later. fears were unfounded. The news Not only that but they liked the came through of grant to help make submission enough to offer all that their hopes become everyone’s was asked for - £2,500. reality, by planting more oaks in our Caroline Conran, who leads the Vale. Oaks working party asked two of her team Aviva Halter Hurn and Elizabeth James to set out the report and liaise with AONB and they set out four areas for development – Woods, traditional hedges, power- flailed hedges and Oak awareness in the form of ‘Oaktivities’ for children and adults. New oaks for old As well as the spectacular funding success, the Working And all because they seized the Party has been approached by no less opportunity, contacted Dorset Area than three landowners, who want to of Outstanding Natural Beauty, set add or extend woodlands on their down their plans, wrote a report, property. Now Vale farmers are being filled in an application form and asked for their ideas for oaks in the returned these all within a week. hedgerows in a survey.

Contributors urgently needed: Share your memories of the good old days Quiz masters for crosswords, brain teasers or sudoku Repor ts from clubs and institutes 10 All these and more contact the editor – see p12 Working Party Reports: Broadband Things did not go as expected achieved via the installation of fibre- when the Dorset County Council optic cables connecting the nearest (DCC) broadband plan was rejected BT exchange to street-side cabinets in June by Broadband Delivery UK from where homes could be (BDUK). BDUK has now asked DCC connected via the existing overhead to resubmit their plan focused this copper cable network. Bettiscombe time more specifically on rural and Pilsdon would probably fall into broadband and, in addition, backed the 10% category with connection by equal matching funding, this a via radio link to some similar sort of new requirement. BDUK very roadside cabinet, again with existing recently announced the level of copper cables as the final funds available to DCC as £9.4m connection: such a link could and DCC has committed itself to deliver better than just 2Mbps. finding the same amount since DCC called an initial meeting in better broadband service is now July of all existing local community viewed as one of the top priorities broadband groups and plans to work for the county. with them over the next months in BDUK also redefined their target to order to prepare a revised plan, this ensure that 90% of premises receive expected to be completed and 'superfast broadband' (20+ Mbps) resubmitted within October. Our with the remainder getting 'at least 2 group continues to work closely with Mbps'. Marshwood and Stoke Abbot DCC and is contacting adjacent would probably fall into this category parishes from September in order to and the improvement could be gain support across a wider area.

Affordable Housing With a choice of two possible Then the rest of us get involved: sites, Marshwood would seem to be a) with the working party that came in an enviable position. But having out of the Parish Plan two options involves far more work b) a village meeting as both need to be carefully assessed c) a parish council at which the initially by the authorities and the arguments can be decided. developers Hastoe. Hopefully by the next (winter) issue But two sites means two of Beneath the Vale due out end of assessments to be followed by two November, we will have far more alternative plans; work that has been details of what each option will look continuing behind the scenes. like and a date set for a village meeting.

11 Editorial

elp! Opportunistically, a leading No! not me, you! Bridport firm of solicitors has just HD o you need help? advertised the existence of the new I know I do - and I went to problem: registering your system university (a day-trip, don’t ask). onto the Environment Agency’s Really, we all need help at database. But worry not, they’ll do times, life is simply getting too it for you!! complicated these days and it is How useful! Yes, but at £90 a becoming worse every day. throw, only to their bank balance. Just looking through the issues In fact the registration service is covered in this Beneath the free - if you just ring the EA on the Vale and I worry for others as number we list on p2, but it is not well as myself – how do we get easy and it is only possible by to know the things society now cutting corners and making considers normal? Where do I approximations. learn to speak gobbledygook, Surely it is better to turn to why should we allow ‘civil others who have experience or servants’ to impose on us? are in a similar situation, This Beneath the Vale neighbours and, by the very highlights the administrative name, parish councillors and for absurdity of impossible rules serious concerns our MPs bought in not by our elected surgeries are always helpful. representatives but by officials. If you have a particular problem One of these days an elderly or worry, maybe we can find a lady or gentleman living alone man that does or a lady that will answer their front door bell knows. If we can’t find an answer to find an overalled Official directly, we’ll print the problem - who will hand them a small anonymously if you wish - and booklet and tell them in a ask for readers’ good advice. perfectly friendly way that they So for annoying, worrying or have to undertake some activity perplexing concerns, why not turn totally outside their experience. to your newest neighbour and ask But who can help? Beneath the Vale.

Ali Cameron Editor, Beneath the Vale 12 Call me on 01297 678546 or e-mail [email protected] Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Thank you for my copy of “Beneath the Vale” that arrived by email this afternoon.

Your article “Roads to Wisdom” on potholes goes someway as to way we get potholes, but not one of the main reasons as to why our roads crack up during the winter months.

When you say road drains to most people they only think of the gulleys with grids that get sucked out by the lorry that comes around. The real drains are the ones that go from gulley to gulley and then to a ditch to empty. Many of these drains are not cleaned out and this causes the water to run down the roads so washing the tarmac away especially when we have hard frosts like last winter.

Dorset County Council don’t seem to understand this and I think they have even tarmacked over one grid at the bottom end of Bettiscombe, we need these drains cleared out before next winter or the roads will be back to a bad state again.

Many of the drains from Horsemill Cross to Cowdea Farm in Bettiscombe do not work properly as they are blocked up. Please could we have something done about this matter as we all pay our Community Charge which we don’t see much for in our rural area.

Henry Smith

Why does Henry get two letters in this Beneath the Vale? Because his points are valid and he took the trouble to write to the editor!

Dear Editor

I write regarding your article on Broadband, many of us are far from our telephone exchange, which makes the strength of our broadband very slow.

At present my broadband speed is never over half a megabyte, but most of the time I do get connected and it is faster than dialup. We would all like a faster broadband speed but will we get it as we are so far from exchanges. We hear much about satellite broadband but that would possibly be very expensive to have unless you had a big business to warrant it.

I wonder if BT has worked out how much their copper cable is worth for scrap to pay for fibre optic lines.

We all look forward to hear of any major progress.

Henry Smith See page 11 for the update from Charles Somers who leads the Broadband Working Party

13 Leading in the Lanes In these stringent times our roads and lanes face county-wide cutbacks to save money, so can we expect cuts in service, breaks in the road surface and bigger and better potholes then?

Not if construction manager amount to applying a thin coating of Adrian Norcombe and his tar and a sprinkling of grit, but it is Charminster-based team have apparently more complex than this anything to do with it. Preparing for and does have the effect of the cutbacks is one thing, after 21 sealing the surface so this is claimed years of mending our roads the end to be an effective and speedy of County Council’s Dorset Works technique. Organisation is another. Replaced The Birdsmoregate road to by a smaller, leaner organisation has been similarly ‘Dorset Highways’ is able to be far treated; however the B3164 from more ambitious, both the structural and maintenance teams are determined use the opportunity of changes to go for broke. BTV has a copy of the work scheduled all 280 individual jobs spread over West Surface dr essing seals the road to Dorset. Some of to Bettiscombe this work has started already. Birdsmoregate through Horse Cross ‘Surface Dressing’ has been and onto Broadwindsor is to have far completed from Birdsmoregate’s more fundamental treatment, very Horse Cross to Shaves Cross and on similar to the Marshwood motorway. to Dottery. These B roads are often old coach Having watched this being done roads that have a 100+ year old through the Vale this seemed to layers of metalled surface but limited

14 foundations leaving the road damaged the narrower lanes of the uneven and pitched. So for such Vale leaving many of those potholes. roads Adrian’s teams are digging Where these are grouped as ‘Defect much deeper to rebuild the road’s Clusters’ the underlying foundations foundations rather than resurfacing. may have been damaged so deep This is done with impressive new remedial action for the worst of these technology that varies width and is at last on the schedule. levels out bumps and dips as the This represents a logical way of road is extruded. analyzing the problems and Driving through Marshwood’s concentrating on the worst problems. new 30mph zone does certainly Both these approaches are more show the improvements and the expensive in the short term but, it is good news is that the same smooth claimed, will be better value in the surface - except for the protruding long term. cats eyes - will also soon be This extra cost has been covered by extended westwards past a fortunate bonus that resulted from Marshwood school, through the the heavy early winter snows of woods at Lamberts Castle and up to November 2010. To cover this the county border. government deployed funds to repair Not confined to those in and the damage so Adrian’s team were around the Marshwood Vale, in able to take the unexpected largesse effect all these rebuilt B class routes to extend their planned repairs will be new roads and have a So the next time you see falling design life of 20 years. snow, don’t worry, this just may But as usual, heavy and wide result in better lanes and tougher loads and the worrying roads – a real bonus for us drivers phenomenon of ‘frost heave‘ have and passengers.

Start of Marshwood’s motorway: new roads as smooth as this? 15 Councillors’ Comments - bigger than Twitter Perhaps it is apt that in just the second issue of the newsletter, Beneath the Vale finds itself reporting on not one but two events caused by bureaucratic bungling over one of the less pleasant aspects of rural life. Yet these are not directly connected with one affecting a very few of us a great deal and the other affects us all, promising to be a Kafka-esque nightmare or a totally unjustifiable expense that no-one needs.

We believe that in reporting both somewhat distasteful events, as well as considering the impact on parts of our community, we are able to reassure residents that Beneath the Vale at least is on their side.

Someone else definitely on our side is Oliver Letwin who conceived the idea of Localism. Originally this set out to return power to local communities so injecting common sense into silly situations. Has the Localism bill been emasculated too much to be applied or are more subtle arts need to restore sanity to DEFRA’s centrist directives.

Thank goodness Magna has no such qualms about doing the right thing!

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For further details, please phone Dr Sarah Goode on 01308 867717 (Broadwindsor) or email [email protected] 16

Your Parish Council Chairman Clerk Matthew Bowditch 01308 862758 John Vanderwolfe 01297 34444 Stokewater Farm, Stoke Abbott Newenham, 5 Halletts Way, Axminster, DT8 3JL EX13 5NB [email protected] [email protected] Stoke Abbott

Councillors Councillors Fred Bailey, 01308 868015 Christopher Rabbetts 01308 867474 Meadowrise, Bettiscombe DT6 6HP Gerrards Farm, Pilsdon DT6 5PA [email protected] [email protected] Marshwood Pilsdon

David Borradaile 01308 868424 Michael Rowe 01308 868726 Lewesdon House, Stoke Abbott Waterhouse Farm, Bettiscombe [email protected] DT6 5NT Stoke Abbott [email protected] Bettiscombe Roland Bugler 01308 867 796 Vale End, Lower House Farm, Trevor Richards 01308 868848 Bettiscombe DT6 5NT Deer Park Farm, Marshwood Vale, [email protected] DT6 5PZ, Bettiscombe [email protected] Marshwood Ali Cameron 01297 678546 Blue Haze, Marshwood, DT6 5QB Roy Warburton 01308 868358 [email protected] Shave Cross Inn, Shave Cross, DT6 6HW Marshwood [email protected] Marshwood John McClellan 01308 867410 Hunts Holme, Monkwood DT6 5PF Robert Wyatt 01308 868249 [email protected] Blackney Farm, Blackney, DT6 5PB Pilsdon [email protected] Stoke Abbott Wendy Nightingale 01297 678165 Hillside Cottage, Marshwood DT6 5QF [email protected] Marshwood

17 Your District Councillors Marshwood Vale Mike Robinson 01308 868979 [email protected]

Broadwindsor Jacqui Sewell 01308 867145 [email protected]

Your County Councillors Marshwood Vale Geoffrey Brierley 01297 560660 [email protected]

Beaminster Rebecca Knox 01308 863365 [email protected]

Working parties: chairman/co-ordinator Affordable Housing Cclr. Mike Robinson 01308 868979 [email protected]

First Responders Annemieke Blondeel 01308 868543 [email protected]

Broadband Charles Somers 01297 678178 [email protected]

Oaks Action Caroline Conran 01308 868010 [email protected]

Energy, long-term projects Ali Cameron 01297 678546 [email protected]

Beneath the Vale: Editorial Board Matthew Bowditch [email protected] 01308 862758

John McClellan [email protected] 01308 867410

Peter Nightingale [email protected] 01297 678165

Annie Wyatt [email protected] 01297 678165

Newsletter Editor Ali Cameron 01297 678546 [email protected] [email protected]

18 Useful numbers Public Transport: Bus services: Axe Valley & West Dorset Ring and Ride 01404 46520 Mike Halford MiniCoaches 01308 421106 Sewards Coaches 01404 881343 Stagecoach South West 01823 672247 Western Area Transport Action Group Secretary: [email protected] 01308 897892

Health and Welfare: Dorchester Hospital Governor Wendy Nightingale 01297 678165 [email protected]

Wayfinders, Partnership for Older People’s Project (POPP) Rose Bird 07971 338398 [email protected] Carol Pearce 07971 338622 [email protected]

Rural Housing Officer Rob Asprey 01305 252447 [email protected]

Environment: Flytipping, Graffiti & Abandoned Cars (WDDC) 01305 251010

Dorset AONB www.dorsetaonb.org.uk 01305 228239

Safety and Security: Police Non Emergency 01305 222222 [email protected]

Marshwood Vale Safer Neighbourhood Team 01305 226912 [email protected]

Crimestoppers 0800 555111 www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Anti Terrorist Hotline 0800 789321 0800 555111 https://secure.met.police.uk/athotline/index.php

19 Others Dorset County Council Switchboard 01305 221000 [email protected]

Trading Standards Consumer Advice 08454 040506

BREG - Bridport Renewable Energy Group www.breg.org.uk

Highways Office 01305 221020 www.dorsetforyou.com/385168

Highways Agency 01203 358300 www.highways.gov

Emergency numbers Childline Abuse, bullying, worries 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk

Electricity Western Power Distribution 0800 365 900 www.westernpower.co.uk

Floodline Environment Agency 0845 988 1188 www.environment-agency.gov.uk

NHS Direct We're here 24 hours a day 0845 4647 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

RSPCA Cruelty line 0300 1234 999 www.rspca.org.uk

Local Hospitals Axminster 01297 630400 Bridport Community 01308 422371 Crewkerne 01460 72491 Dorset County 01305 251150

Samaritans Talk To Someone 08457 909090 www.samaritans.org

Women's Refuge West Dorset 01305 262444 www.womensaid.org

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