In early September, Dorset Wildlife Trust volunteers helped with the annual cut of the wildflower meadow at Hursey Common. Despite sunshine and showers, the meadow was cut, and the clippings were raked into stooks at the edge of the car park. These will be spread around the meadow’s edges to allow any remaining seeds to take root, helping the meadow to grow slightly.

You are invited to join us for another volunteer maintenance session on 26 October, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Tasks will involve bow saws, pruning saws, spades, forks, and loppers. Please bring your own gardening gloves and tools if possible, and wear stout footwear and clothing suitable for all weathers.

Refreshments will be provided, and there will be something for everyone to do. Come along and help care for Hursey Common!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday afternoon – well over 50 of you — braving a cold and rainy Sunday to take part in the discussion about the Local Plan and what it may mean for our community. Your time, input, and willingness to be part of the conversation really matters. We heard an engaging and informative presentation from Councillor Dyke, followed by thoughtful questions, comments, and plenty of valuable discussion from residents. Thank you also for the comments left on cards — we’ll collate these, along with points raised during the meeting, and publish a summary on our website soon.

If you weren’t able to attend, we still want to hear from you – please share your thoughts with the Clerk by email: hello@broadwindsorgroup.gov.uk

The slides used in the presentation can be found on our website – in the Resources section – scroll to the end.

And please don’t forget to respond to the consultation individually too — the more voices, the stronger our community’s impact. Deadline 13 October.

You can now download the approved Minutes from the BGPC Meeting held on 14 July 2025.

The agenda for the BGPC Meeting on 8 September is now online.

You can now download the draft Minutes from the BGPC Meeting held on 14 July.

Broadwindsor Group Parish Council has been informed that Government funding to support Neighbourhood Plan reviews has been withdrawn. This decision will have a significant impact on our ability to update our Neighbourhood Plan, which was adopted in 2019. We were preparing to review and refresh the plan to ensure that it continues to reflect the needs and priorities of our community, particularly in light of the rapidly changing planning landscape. However, the loss of designated funding makes this more difficult.

Why This Matters:

• Dorset Council is expected to allocate significantly more housing across the county than in previous years, under pressure from central government targets.
• Without an up-to-date Neighbourhood Plan, our ability to shape local development is weakened.
• We want to make sure that any future development in our parish is appropriate, sustainable, and reflects the wishes of our community.

What We’re Doing:

• Exploring other funding options to support the review process.
• Looking to work in partnership with other town and parish councils in Dorset who are in a similar position.
• Monitoring the development of the new Dorset Council Local Plan, which is expected to go out to public consultation soon.

Now, more than ever, it is important for communities like ours to stay involved and make our voices heard. We’ll share updates as soon as we have more information.

A big thank you to all residents who have shared their concerns and suggestions regarding the proposed road closure and diversion route. In response, the Parish Council contacted both Dorset Council and South Coast Traffic Management to pass on those concerns and ask whether alternatives or limited access could be considered. Here is a summary of their joint response:

Why the Road Must Close:

Although alternatives such as traffic signals, light vehicle access, and suspending the High Street one-way system were explored, these were found to be unworkable due to:

• The need to manage multiple nearby junctions (West Street, B3162 south, Clanden Hill), which would require a complex signal system with long delays and a high risk of drivers ignoring red lights.
• Narrow sections of road (especially near The Old George) where vehicles cannot queue safely.
• The risk of blocked junctions, signal syncing issues, and congestion throughout the village.

In addition, the scale of the work — including major tree surgery, use of heavy machinery, and excavation for a new wall structure — means it is not safe or practical to keep the road open during construction.

Reducing the Disruption:

To minimise disruption, the contractor has proposed working round the clock, including extended hours and night work, in an effort to complete the works in one week instead of two, if approval is granted.

Next Steps:

The Parish Council is currently waiting for confirmation of the final traffic management plan from Dorset Council and the contractor. We will share this with residents as soon as it is received. Thank you for your ongoing patience and feedback. We are working to ensure the community remains fully informed throughout.

You can now download the approved Minutes from the BGPC Meeting held on 9 June 2025.

The agenda for the BGPC Meeting on 14 July is now online.

You can now download the draft Minutes from the BGPC Meeting held on 9 June.