Highlights of the Parish Council Meeting November 2025

Key discussions and decisions from the Parish Council meeting, Wednesday, 19 November 2025, are below. Draft minutes can be viewed using this link.

Public Democratic Forum
A resident asked for larger-print notices on the parish noticeboard and council agreed. They also queried the ongoing issue of the blocked gully at Church Mead, which remains unresolved. They same resident also provided financial context for grant applications on behalf of the Village Hall and St Andrew’s & St Peter’s Church.

Updates from previous meeting
Parish Council has completed the adoption of the telephone box.
Water treatment plant has plans to screen the building, but no planting has taken place yet.
New No Dogs signs have been installed at the Recreation Ground

Dorset Council Report
Cllr. Neil Eysenck reported:

• The Church Mead gully remains unresolved and will be escalated.
• Highways communications are improving, with two new community officers appointed and a new system due next year.
• Barrowland Lane works are due to start imminently.
• Progress on the Trailway to Maiden Newton remains slow, with legal and land issues ongoing.
• Concerns were raised about double devolution, with risks that Dorset Council may transfer assets without fully understanding community impact.
• Residents were encouraged to engage with the Dorset Council budget simulator.
• At Poor End, landscape changes remain and are being monitored

Finance and Budget
At the end of October, the council had a bank balance of £19,059.29. Payments totalling £1,620.61 were authorised.

A grant application from the Village Hall was declined, with councillors to meet the management committee regarding future financial planning. A grant of £363.45 was given to St Andrew’s & St Peter’s Church for grounds maintenance.

A budget of £11,116.43 was agreed for 2026/27. The council will be asking for residents’ opinions and will publish a separate article explaining how the figure was reached.

Recreation Ground
A recent reset grass cut was completed successfully, with councillors satisfied with the contractor’s responsiveness. All issues from the latest safety inspection have been resolved.

Environment & Rights of Way
There were no new updates on the Trailway, though frustrations over slow progress continue. Dorset Council remains involved across multiple departments

DAPTC
Councillors reported on the Devolving Dorset event and will be considering the implications for Toller Porcorum.

Community
The recent ThaW event was well attended as was the Village Hall Quiz Night.

Ammonite Patient Participation Group (PPG)
Improvements continue at the Maiden Newton surgery, including new flooring and a blood-pressure machine funded by the PPG.
The next meeting takes place 13 January 2026.

Next Meeting
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on 14 January 2026 at 7pm.