Stour Hall, The Exchange, Sturminster Newton – 2nd November 2024
Brenton West (left) and Raj Bisram (right). Credit: All-Electric Productions
Prepare for an unforgettable evening with much-loved TV personalities Brenton West and Raj Bisram, as they take to the stage at The Exchange on 2nd November at 19:30. Join them for a captivating night of personal stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and plenty of laughter!
This special event offers a rare opportunity to hear Brenton and Raj discuss their fascinating careers, share heartwarming tales from their childhoods, and reveal what life is really like in the public eye. Expect an intimate atmosphere as they talk candidly about their experiences, the challenges they’ve faced, and the defining moments of their television journeys.
Event Highlights:
Engaging storytelling about their early years and the influences that shaped their careers
Exclusive behind-the-scenes anecdotes from their time on popular TV shows
A meet and greet, where fans can ask their burning questions
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online from The Exchange. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy an evening of fun and conversation with two of the nation’s favourite TV stars!
Event Details:
Date: 2nd November 2024
Time: 19:30
Venue: Stour Hall, The Exchange, Old Market Hill, Sturminster Newton DT10 1FH
Bring your friends and family along for a night of laughter, nostalgia, and unforgettable moments. Book your tickets now and enjoy an evening in the company of Brenton West and Raj Bisram!
Tickets: Available online at The Exchange – Purchase here
From free roaming cattle to thriving wetlands – rewilding efforts at Wild Woodbury are enhancing biodiversity and water quality
Wild Woodbury – Dorset Wildlife Trust’s community rewilding project at Bere Regis Image: James Burland
Three years into Dorset Wildlife Trust’s rewilding project at Bere Regis, Wild Woodbury has become a beacon of environmental restoration and community involvement. The site is thriving thanks to its pioneering initiatives, including the introduction of free-roaming livestock, transformative river restoration and inspiring community efforts, the site is thriving. One of the standout achievements has been the introduction of free-roaming livestock. In partnership with a local farmer, Wild Woodbury has welcomed Hereford cattle, Exmoor ponies and Mangalitsa x Berkshire pigs to the 170ha. They all play a key role in the natural management of the landscape. Their grazing, rootling and browsing creates a dynamic habitat, enhancing biodiversity and allowing a wide variety of plant species to thrive.
Common snipe taking advantage of the wetter landscape at Wild Woodbury. Image: Seb Haggett
Wild Woodbury has recorded an astonishing increase in wildlife, with more than 1,900 species now identified on-site – an uplift of 600 species since the project began – and small mammals like harvest mice and water shrews have flourished. The small mammal abundance has in turn benefitted reptiles and birds of prey, and we have now recorded four out of the UK’s six native reptiles on site: slow worm, grass snake, adder and common lizard. The ambitious Stage Zero* river restoration work carried out in year two has allowed water to follow its natural course, creating new wetlands across Wild Woodbury that support species such as frogs, dragonflies and wetland birds like common snipe and lapwing.
This nightingale is just one of the 40 different species ringed at Wild Woodbury in 2024 Image: Seb Elwood
In fact, all birdlife at Wild Woodbury has thrived. Regular bird-ringing sessions revealed that 40 different species were ringed in the third year alone, including nightingales and pied flycatchers. Birds of prey such as red kites, sparrowhawks and peregrine falcons are now frequently spotted, drawn by the increase in small mammals. The project has also improved the water quality. Regular water testing, conducted through taking monthly water samples across the site, has shown that levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and suspended solids have decreased across Wild Woodbury, helping to prevent these nutrients from entering the watercourse which feeds internationally-significant Poole Harbour. It has been wonderful to witness the local community actively engaging with Wild Woodbury. A new car park and 13 hectares of open-access land have enhanced public accessibility, allowing more people to explore the site. Guided walks and educational tours about rewilding have proved hugely popular, helping visitors to connect with nature and understand the principles behind this ground breaking project. Three years in, Wild Woodbury stands as a shining example of how rewilding, supported by community efforts, can restore landscapes and create rich, biodiverse ecosystems.
A happy pair of Wild Woodbury’s free-roaming heritage breed Mangalitsa x Berkshire pigs. Pigs are widely used to improve the biodiversity of land where a few species have come to dominate. They can also help eradicate invasive species, without the environmentally damaging effects of heavy machinery and chemicals. Image: Rob Farrington
*Stage Zero restoration works to restore a waterway to its natural floodplain, stream processes and ecosystem, producing remarkable benefits to river health, heritage, wildlife, sustainability and resilience.
Two positions available: one full time and one freelance
Freelance Groom
Professionally-run family yard with excellent facilities with international showjumpers and hunt horses. Beautiful sole-use accommodation can be provided.
General yard duties and riding possible for the right candidate. To cover certain dates in December to early January, working alongside a friendly small team.
Please WhatsApp: 07540 994244 or email [email protected] to enquire further.
Date: December 2024/January 2025 Berwick St John Nr Shaftesbury
Full Time Groom
The ideal candidate must be able to complete general yard duties, pay attention to detail and be willing to learn with a can do approach to everything. Riding possible for the right candidate. Five day working week and competitive salary.
Live in or out position. Beautiful sole-use accommodation can be provided.
Start Date: January 2025 Berwick St John Nr Shaftesbury
Seth Dellow considers the rise in non-determined applications as councillors demand a louder voice in decision-making
Recently completed development in Dorset
In recent months, the government’s Planning Inspectorate has approved two sizeable housing developments in north Dorset, for 67 new homes in the village of Marnhull and 41 retirement flats on the site of the former Shaftesbury Cattle Market. It is the Inspectorate’s latest intervention, necessitated by Dorset Council’s failure to reach a decision within the minimum time frame of eight weeks. The technical term “non-determination” refers to a local authority’s failure to determine a planning application within the statutory deadline. Those deadlines range from eight to 16 weeks, depending on the type of development under review. Between July 2023 and 2024, nine planning applications (including those at Marnhull and Shaftesbury) were not determined by Dorset Council within the relevant time frame. This is an increase of six from the previous year. While not every applicant appeals to the Planning Inspectorate, the majority do. Although such an appeal is free, it’s a lengthy process, which can take more than a year. Objectors are concerned that appeals risk invalidating the issues raised by local residents, who submit comprehensive comments.
A catalogue of problems However, Dorset Council’s planning system is by no means in the same situation as it was after the pandemic. In 2021, the local authority issued an unprecedented public statement, explaining that its planning services were ’struggling with Covid demand.’ Only 72 per cent of planning applications had been decided in time, compared with the national average of 82 per cent. This ‘pandemic backlog’ was further compounded by the exodus of 12 planning officers – those people charged with deciding the bulk of delegated planning applications, from tree felling to property extensions.
Dorset Council is also grappling with extensive delays in the publication of the county’s controversial Local Plan. Originally expected to be adopted in 2023/24, the plan is years behind schedule and is not now expected to be formally adopted until 2027. A draft local plan, published in 2021, outlined the need for 30,000 homes in the county by 2038. In the interim, a Liberal Democrat administration has taken over Dorset Council and new proposals may be expected.
Being heard Aside from delays, the local authority is also facing dismay from councillors. The latest disapproval stems from councillors’ complaints that their views are not being heard. Currently, if any councillor – representing ward, town or parish – objects to a planning officer’s recommendation, a nominated officer may make the final decision. Pre-Covid, the application would have gone before the appropriate planning committee. At the heart of this issue is representation – or the lack of it. This is precisely why the new LibDem administration, led by Nick Ireland, in July proposed a recommendation, unanimously approved, that gives councillors ‘a stronger voice in triggering the referral of an application to a planning committee.’ All major applications may now be referred to the planning committee, when a councillor’s recommendation is different from that of the planning officer. At present, only around two per cent of all applications go to committee – a fraction of the more than 12,000 planning decisions issued since Dorset Council became a unitary authority in 2019.
The site in Marnhull where 67 homes have been given the go- ahead by the Planning Inspectorate
Challenges and questions The problems in Dorset are symptomatic of a sluggish national planning system. ‘The latest Housing Pipeline Report from the Home Builders Federation, containing data supplied by Glenigan, shows that in the 12 months to March 2024, the number of new homes and sites given planning permission has continued to plummet. The year to March 2024 saw the fewest new housing sites consented than during any 12-month period since the data collection began in 2006, showing that the housing pipeline is significantly smaller now than it was even during the aftermath of the global financial crisis.’ – according to the HBF (Home Builders Federation) website. An overwhelming majority of house builders – 93 per cent – cite the delays in securing planning permission as a major barrier to growth. Does the new Labour government have the answers? In its manifesto, Labour has promised to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament. Restoring mandatory housing targets, updating the National Policy Planning Framework and taking a brownfield-first approach are all part of the plan – along with the need for ‘tough action to ensure that planning authorities have up-to-date Local Plans’. But perhaps most significant for Dorset is the new government’s willingness to reform ‘nutrient neutrality’ rules – requiring measures to mitigate the impact of the nutrient load from new developments as well as waste water – which currently prevent thousands of homes from being constructed. A government spokesperson has indicated that ‘protection of the environment into the long term, investment in waste water treatment, green infrastructure and thinking at landscape scale is planned … Nutrients solution cannot be at the expense of the natural environment,’ said the spokesman. In a county with many new councillors and MPs from across the political spectrum, the political landscape this year contains new opportunities as well as challenges.
Dorset Council was approached for comment, but did not respond.
Our re-elected MP Simon Hoare has praised North Dorset voters for not falling for Labour and Lib Dem election promises – but the Labour and Lib Dem candidates between them received more votes than he did. In reducing Simon’s 2019 majority by 93% this time, most voters clearly remembered the past 14 years of scandal-ridden Conservative chaos, corruption and incompetence. Worryingly, almost a third of the North Dorset electorate opted not to vote this time. No doubt many of them are disillusioned with the way the First Past The Post electoral system fails to provide a parliamentary voice for the majority of us. Simon was chosen to represent North Dorset by just a third of those who voted: likewise, Labour gained their landslide victory with just a third of the national votes. The new All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections focuses on three key areas: replacing First Past the Post with a proportional voting system, eliminating dark money from politics and countering disinformation in public debate. Good luck to them in their search for an electoral system that works better for everyone. Labour hasn’t made a great start so far, especially with the clumsy scrapping of the automatic winter fuel payment for pensioners. Revelations about various donations and services they’ve received have left them open to the criticism that they are no better than the Tories in that respect. Labour actually declared more donations during the general election campaign than all the other parties combined. It has increasingly strong ties with the financial sector, and before the election campaign it received a £4m donation from a tax-haven-registered hedge fund with shares in fossil fuels, private health firms and arms manufacturers. This surely raises questions about what influence such donors hope to get in return. The one topic that unites a majority of us is a growing concern for the environment and the worsening effects of the changing climate, and here there is a glimmer of hope. The new Foreign Secretary’s recent speech demonstrated a clear ambition to urgently address these issues. However, actions as ever speak louder than words, and we wait to see what actions the government actually takes. Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party
Is it time to import, asks Andrew Livingston, as welfare standards force British chicken farmers to cut stocking density
It was only in April of this year that I wrote in the BV of the mounting pressure for legislation to change the stocking density of chickens on British farms (See Cluckonomics here – possibly one of my finest headlines – Ed).
Since then it’s all changed. Interestingly, however, it wasn’t led by the government. It is the supermarkets who have changed the game. Just to recap: as it stands at the moment, the law states that you can have a maximum of 38kgs of chickens per square metre in a housing unit. However, the majority of the main poultry producers in the country are only stocking their shed to 30kgs per square metre. It’s pretty boring maths, but it has huge ramifications for the amount of chicken that we can produce in this country. The move from 38kg to 30kg is a reduction of around 20 per cent – so that’s around a fifth of the poultry grown in this country gone from the market. As a nation we aren’t eating less chicken, so where is it going to come from? The simple answer is to just build a fifth more chicken sheds to grow the birds in. But it is nigh on impossible to get planning permission for poultry housing, due to the perceived effect of the environmental damage that growing the birds causes (a debate for another column, I’m afraid). So, perhaps we should bin off eating 20 per cent of our chicken dinners? Nice idea, but not going to happen. To me, poultry is the fastest and most efficient meat to provide protein. The only meat that is more efficient is insects (I wrote about bugs as food back in 2021 here!), but I still don’t think we are ready to stomach it! The real answer? Imports.
We can’t do it I attended the Poultry Meat Conference at the beginning of September (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a conference where we all sit around and talk about poultry meat), and the 30kgs number was the big talking point. Everyone had an opinion to share. Around 200 of us were sitting in a swanky hotel, waiting for the first speaker, when the chairman of the event – who happens to also run one of the largest producers of chicken in the country – told the room: ‘As an industry, we now can’t be afraid to import chicken.’ I thought it odd that a poultry producer would want to encourage poultry producers from across the world to get an invite into our market and trade …. as the saying goes, it’s a bit like turkeys voting for Christmas! He suggested that the UK should import the chicken for all of our frozen breaded chicken needs. At first, I hated it: ‘My kids aren’t eating Polish chicken nuggets!’ I thought (but thankfully didn’t scream out mid-conference). But then I realised. I had finally given up the dream. As a nation, we can’t have the highest welfare standards for our animals, be completely carbon neutral and have huge forests and estates that are left for nature and biodiversity, while trying to be self-sufficient. We simply can’t do it all. We are too densely populated. So I concede – start importing the meat. But let’s make sure we leave the best bits to be farmed here in Britain. I don’t need to have lamb chops from New Zealand, but, if you want to mince up their rubbish meat, then maybe I’ll squish some on a stick in the summer and do some Kiwi lamb koftas. Then, in a few years time, once the technology has taken another leap forward and food becomes more efficient to make, we’ll be food secure and self-sufficient and we can tell the foreign muck to go home. Either that or we’ll all be eating British grasshopper kebabs.
Shaftesbury Arts Centre’s Music and Drama Group is thrilled to announce their highly anticipated autumn show, Rehearsal, an original dark comedy with a supernatural twist, written by the talented local playwright, Steve McAuliffe. The show will run for three nights, 17th to 19th October, promising an unforgettable experience that blends humour, chaos and a touch of the unworldly. Set in the crumbling remains of a once-grand theatre, now slated for demolition, Rehearsal follows the tumultuous behind-the-scenes drama of a group of mostly washed-up actors attempting to pull together a play. However, the production quickly descends into disorder and, spookily, ghosts of former performers start to make their presence known, adding a sinister, surreal twist to an already chaotic situation. Rehearsal is a must-see for anyone who loves theatre and enjoys the thrill of dark comedy. The cast, directed by Joni de Winter, features an outstanding group of local talent, who bring McAuliffe’s quirky and flawed characters to life.
Friday night special As a special treat, Friday night’s performance on October 18th will include a post-show Q&A session with Steve McAuliffe in person, interviewed by Joni De Winter, and promises to be an invaluable experience for theatre enthusiasts.
Tickets for Rehearsal are £12.50, and available from shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk, or from the Shaftesbury Arts Centre box office on 01747 854321, 10am to 12.30pm (not Sundays).
A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues.
Q: ‘I want to make a will but I have no idea where to start or how to make it official.’
A: It’s very important to make a will because there are rules which dictate what will happen to your money, property and possessions after you die – without a will they may not go to the people you would have wanted. It’s a good idea to ask a solicitor to draw up or at least check your will. This is because it’s easy to make mistakes which could cause problems after your death. A solicitor will charge for their services, but they should tell you how much their help will cost before they start working with you.
Make a plan Before you approach a solicitor, you should think about what you want to include in your will. Things to think about:
How much money and property you have
If any of your possessions are especially important to you
Whether you want any of your money or possessions to go to specific family or friends after your death
What you’d like to happen to the rest of your assets, including whether you’d like to leave any gift to charities.
If relevant, you should decide who should look after any children who are under 18.
Who will sort out your estate and carry out your wishes, as set out in the will. These people are known as the executors.
Make it legal For a will to be valid, it must be made by someone who is 18 or over and ‘of sound mind’ – meaning someone who is capable of making and understanding decisions. It must be drawn up without any pressure from another person and must be made in writing and signed by the person making the will, in the presence of two witnesses, who must also sign the document in the presence of the person making the will. Lastly, it should be dated.
As soon as the will is signed, dated, and witnessed, it is complete. It should then be kept in a safe place: at home; with a solicitor or accountant; at a bank; or at HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
Vulnerable pensioners, hospitality and farming sectors are all in need of help – West Dorset MP Edward Morello calls for urgent change
edward Morello
In an effort to plug the black hole in public finances left by the previous government’s economic mismanagement, the new government has made the indefensible decision to strip pensioners of their winter fuel payments. This will directly impact more than 20,000 residents of West Dorset. The decision to do so means that many vulnerable people will be forced to choose between heating and eating this winter. West Dorset is a wonderful a place to live, and understandably many people choose to retire here – but many of our fellow residents rely on that £300 winter fuel payment to soften the impact of energy bills that have increased by 34 per cent in the last decade. I have voted against this decision, and will continue to push the Chancellor to reconsider. In the meantime, I would strongly urge anyone affected to see if they are eligible for pension credits. It is a somewhat convoluted application process, but if you are eligible then it means you will continue to receive your winter fuel payment.
The local economy With the arrival of Autumn it is worth reflecting on the extremely wet summer we have just experienced, and the significant knock-on impact it has had on two of West Dorset’s most vital sectors – hospitality and farming. Early indications are that this year’s harvest is down 15 per cent on 2023, and hospitality takings are as much as 25 per cent down. As a result of high taxes, the cost of alcohol in pubs and restaurants means many of us choose to stay at home rather than going out. Hospitality is one of the largest employers in West Dorset, and I will be pushing the Treasury to look at what measures can be taken to reduce the operating costs for the sector. At the same time, the NFU is reporting the farming budget was underspent by more than £300 million last year – in no small part due to bad management by officials – and that the Treasury might use this as an excuse to reduce the current spending. With basic farm payments set to disappear, far from being reduced the farming budget needs to dramatically increase if we are to protect our rural food producers. Please do contact me on: [email protected]
