Highlights of the Parish Council Meeting May 2026

Key discussions and decisions from the Parish Council meeting, Wednesday, 13 May 2026, are below. Draft minutes can be viewed using this link.

The May meeting of local councils is designated as the Annual Meeting of the Council and is very procedural with lots of legal requirements to fulfil. I asked councillors to warm up their voting arms before the meeting started with the re-election of myself as chair and Cllr Peter Crabbe as vice-chair.

The village’s Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) attended the Public Democratic Forum to introduce themselves and explain their role in supporting rural communities. Residents were encouraged to continue reporting incidents, even where immediate action may not be possible, as reports help police build intelligence and identify patterns. Current concerns locally include registration plate thefts and scams. Residents were also encouraged to sign up to Dorset Alert for local updates.

Dorset Council update from Cllr Neil Eysenck

Cllr Eysenck discussed on the ongoing Dorset Council electoral review, which could lead to changes in ward boundaries. The parish council approved its own response to the consultation later in the meeting. He confirmed work continues on the Trailway project, although there is little progress on the Toller Porcorum to Maiden Newton section and concerns about delays to highways repairs have been raised with Dorset Council.

Finance and annual governance

A large part of the meeting focused on the council’s annual financial and governance responsibilities. Councillors approved the end-of-year accounts for 2025/26 and formally approved the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR), which is required for all parish councils. I'm pleased to say the council passed its internal audit receiving four recommendations, three of which were put in place at the meeting with one to be kept under review. End of year and audit documents can be viewed on the Annual Audit 2025-26 page.

The council’s bank balance at the end of April stood at £19,365.05.

Asian Hornets

Council received a report from Cllr Peter Crabbe regarding Asian hornets, which have now been identified in nearby villages Swyre and Ringstead. The village currently has two traps in place and residents are asked to remain vigilant and report sightings to Cllr Crabbe. The council will publish an article about the dangers posed by the hornets on its website soon.

Other updates

The Recreation Ground wild area and orchard are both beginning to bloom and plans are being made to repair fencing at the site - once a date is agreed volunteers would be much appreciated.

The council discussed its three main highways priorities for the coming year as Powerstock Bridge (and Barrowland Lane), High Street Bridge and roadside erosion as seen on the High Street and Barrowland Lane.

Recent community events, including a successful Bat Walk and Talk at the church and a Village Hall fundraiser, were highlighted.

The refurbishment works at Maiden Newton Surgery are now complete with only a self-service blood pressure monitor to be installed. The Ammonite Patient Participation Group will hold its AGM at the Village Hall, 25 June, 4:30pm and a GP is aiming to attend.

Future meetings

The next Parish Council meeting will take place on Wednesday 8 July 2026 at 7pm in the Village Hall. Dates for future meetings can be found on the Meetings 2026/27 page of this website.