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Dorset Council – millions spent, rules ignored

By
Editorial team
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Millions spent, rules ignored: A devastating audit has laid bare a two-year collapse in financial control within Dorset Council’s health and safety programme – with £13 million spent largely off-book, 11 officers sacked, and possible dishonesty at senior levels. The report, released last week by the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP), reveals deep structural failings in how the council handled urgent works to bring its buildings up to health and safety standards.

It details how a team of interim staff, brought in after a 2022 internal audit highlighted compliance concerns, operated for nearly two years with minimal oversight. Budgets weren’t properly authorised. Contracts were awarded without competitive tender. Payments were made on the same day, with no checks. Charges included £300 paid for work which is valued at just £20.

‘Governance failures across key operational areas … significant non-compliance with Council policies, poor record-keeping, and a lack of effective oversight,’ the report states.

Undeclared gifts

Despite a Cabinet-approved £4 million budget in 2023, the total spend reached nearly £13 million by 2024 – without Cabinet re-approval, a business case or scrutiny from the council’s usual financial monitoring systems. Some of the funding was quietly taken from surplus reserves – with councillors unaware.

The failings weren’t confined to poor project management. The investigation found breaches of the Council’s Code of Conduct, including undeclared gifts and hospitality, and raised concerns about the timing of key contract signings and decisions coinciding with personal connections and social events.

When did they know?

The council’s new LibDem leadership, in post since mid-2024, says it acted swiftly once irregularities came to light. They ordered the SWAP investigation and also terminated all 11 interim staff in the Place Assets & Regeneration team.

Leader Nick Ireland says the failures ‘predate the current administration’ and has pledged transparency and reform.

Most of the questionable spending occurred under the previous Conservative administration, and the timeline suggests the new leadership acted quickly once the scale of the problem was understood.

Still, with red flags already visible by early 2024, some will question why concerns weren’t more publicly raised during the election campaign – or whether earlier scrutiny might have stopped the overspend sooner.

In a statement, interim Chief Executive Sam Crowe admitted that councillors ‘were not involved in the way they should have been at the time,’ acknowledging that oversight mechanisms failed at both officer and member level.

A failing – or worse?

At its core, the report reveals what happens when urgency is used to justify opacity. The works were considered essential – and they likely were. But in bypassing proper process, the council not only failed on oversight, it may have wasted millions of public money in the process.

Dorset Council says it is now implementing a robust action plan and is working to rebuild public trust. But the implications are broader than just one department. The failures exposed by this report didn’t happen in isolation – they relied on a system that wasn’t watching.

A public Audit and Governance Committee meeting is due in October. The scale of the council’s reputational damage – and how far up it should go – may not be fully clear until then.

The trout is local, the help is real

By
Laura
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It’s a summer feast in this month’s podcast – listen in as Jenny Devitt talks to Justin Frampton about his clear water trout, Tess of the Vale on the potential in a new stile trail, and Carole Jones on the astonishing, life-changing real life stories of a small but mighty Dorset hub.

Editor’s Letter: When July Sneaks Up on You
Laura reflects on the time-warp that is early summer – one minute you’re reaching for winter gloves, the next, the garden’s a jungle and the fetes have begun.

“Everything feels compressed and stretched at the same time. Days last forever, but weeks vanish without a trace.”

Trout in the Winterbornes


Once a trade secret loved by the UK’s top chefs, world-class trout from Dorset’s quiet Winterborne valley is being championed by a local farmer Justin Frampton of Houghton Springs Trout Farm.  Jenny speaks to justin about the aquifer-fed farm where decades of careful breeding produce exceptional table trout.

“Our water is as clean as you’ll ever get. It comes from 110 feet down – no nitrates, no runoff, just pure spring water.”

Justin explains how the fish are raised without antibiotics, why Dorset trout belongs on every local menu, and how floating solar panels could help make the farm greener still.
houghtonspringstroutfarm.co.uk

Nine Stiles and a Map Maker: The Stourton Caundle Trail

Catherine Speakman – better known as Tess of the Vale

Map maker and heritage advocate Catherine Speakman shares the story behind her joyful community project: nine unique stiles surrounding the village, each one adopted, repaired or decorated by local craftspeople.

“It started with a broken stile and a pot of paint – and ended with bird boxes, engraved stone, QR codes and metal sculpture.”

The project aims to celebrate overlooked corners of Dorset, draw footfall to quiet villages, and reconnect people with the stories in their own landscape.

See the trail here https://tessofthevale.com/2025/06/04/the-stourton-caundle-stile-trail/

The Dorset Insider: Would You Know What to Do?

This month’s Insider offers a personal account of a rural emergency – and a call to action for better preparedness, local awareness, and more community defibrillators.

“Do you know where your local defibrillator is – and how to use it? If not, now’s the time to find out.”

From improving signage and street access to advocating for adaptable housing, it’s a powerful reflection on the small changes that could save lives.

The Vale Family Hub: Where Nobody Hears ‘No’


Dorset councillor Carol Jones talks about the extraordinary Vale Family Hub in Sturminster Newton – a place that began with food parcels and now offers everything from toddler groups and counselling to youth work and domestic abuse support.

“Our motto is: there’s no such word as no. It’s always – how can we help?”

With over 70% of its volunteers having once needed help themselves, the hub’s success is rooted in compassion, lived experience, and practical action.

This episode is based on stories from July’s BV, available to read here. News, people, places – and beautiful Dorset photography, every single month.

The BV – named 2024’s Best Regional Publication in the UK (ACE Awards) and Regional News Site of the Year (Press Gazette). Always worth your ears.

Coffee lovers rejoice –it’s officially good for you

By
Editorial team
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A daily coffee isn’t just a pick-me-up – your favourite brew may lower disease risks, protect your brain and keep you stronger for longer

For many of us, coffee is more than just a morning ritual – it’s literally how we start the day. The good news is, that beyond giving you a lift, your coffee might actually support a longer, healthier life. New research, including work highlighted by Dr Rhonda Patrick and a study in the European Journal of Nutrition, suggests that moderate coffee drinking could play a valuable role in healthy ageing.

What’s in the coffee?
Coffee isn’t just about caffeine. Each cup contains a rich mix of natural plant compounds,
especially polyphenols like chlorogenic acid. These act as antioxidants, helping to protect your cells from damage and reducing inflammation – key factors in slowing the ageing process.
Polyphenols also seem to support a healthy gut. They help feed beneficial bacteria, boosting gut diversity – linked to stronger immunity, better mood and reduced risk of chronic diseases.
And then there’s the caffeine.
Caffeine works by blocking adenosine – a natural chemical that makes you feel tired – helping you stay alert and focused. It may also support muscle movement, which could explain why drinking coffee is linked to better mobility and a lower risk of frailty in older adults.

Coffee and your genes
I’m one of those people who can only manage one cup before noon, but my husband can drink espresso before bed and go straight to sleep! If you’ve ever wondered why some people can drink coffee after dinner and sleep fine, while others feel jittery after a single cup, it often comes down to a gene called CYP1A2, which controls how quickly we break down caffeine.
Fast metabolisers process caffeine efficiently and may enjoy coffee’s heart and longevity benefits without any downsides. Slow metabolisers break down caffeine more slowly, which can lead to higher risks of anxiety, raised blood pressure or sleep problems with high intake.
If coffee tends to leave you feeling edgy or sleepless, consider limiting caffeine or switching to decaf – which still delivers many health benefits.

Not just a buzz-free option
Decaf coffee is often overlooked, but it’s rich in the same polyphenols as regular coffee. That means you can reap the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory rewards without the caffeine hit. Look for high-quality decafs processed using the Swiss water method, like those from brands such as Exhale, which avoid chemical solvents and preserve both flavour and health benefits.

What about bone health?
There’s an old concern that coffee might weaken bones by increasing calcium loss. The truth? The effect is tiny – about 2-3 mg of calcium lost per cup – and easily offset by adding a splash of milk or eating a balanced, calcium-rich diet. Large studies have found no increased risk of osteoporosis or fractures in coffee drinkers who get enough calcium.

Capsule coffee – is it healthy?
Coffee from capsules (such as Nespresso, Grind, or other brands) offers similar polyphenol and caffeine content to other brewing methods. Many capsule brands now offer eco-friendly options too – companies like Grind provide compostable or recyclable capsules to reduce environmental impact.

How you brew matters
Not all coffee is created equal when it comes to heart health. Unfiltered coffee – such as French press, espresso or capsules – retains natural oils (cafestol and kahweol) that may raise cholesterol if consumed in large amounts. If you enjoy capsule coffee, it’s fine for most people – but those who drink large quantities and are concerned about high cholesterol may wish to balance it with some paper-filtered coffee.

Coffee’s impressive health perks
Moderate coffee consumption – usually about 3-5 cups a day (up to 400mg caffeine) – has been linked with:
Lower risk of heart disease and stroke
Reduced type 2 diabetes risk
Protection against liver conditions, including fatty liver and some cancers
Slower cognitive decline and reduced risk of Parkinson’s
Lower risk of frailty and better muscle preservation in older adults

Tips for enjoying coffee:

  • Aim for around three cups a day – this seems to provide health benefits without overdoing it.
  • Wait an hour after waking for your first cup – cortisol is naturally high first thing, and coffee will push it higher.
  • Finish your caffeine intake before lunchtime – caffeine’s long “half-life” means it can linger in your system and affect sleep.
  • Keep extras to a minimum – syrups, sugars and cream add unnecessary calories and can undo the benefits.
  • Buy the best quality you can afford – and explore eco-friendly pod options

Heather’s lemon squares

By
Editorial team
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for its lemon cakes. Combining the fresh zestiness of the lemon with a subtle hint of marzipan really grounds the bright lemon flavour. The making of the cake is quite simple, the process to finish it is a bit more elaborate, but it really gets that beautiful lemon flavour into every mouthful.
I’ve actually made these (pictured) using gluten-free flour and dairy-free margarine, but the recipe works just as well with self raising flour and butter. Heather x

Ingredients

  • 170g butter
  • 170g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 170g self raising flour
  • Lemon curd (if you have it)
  • 3 lemons
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 250g marzipan (approx.)
Heather Brown is a special officer for the Guild of Food Writers and has worked in the food industry for 20 years. She is a food writer and photographer, offering one-to-one help to local businesses for content and websites.

Method

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 180º fan/gas Mk 6. Grease and line an 20cm square cake tin.
  2. Beat well together the butter, caster sugar and zest of three lemons until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Slowly add in the flour, mixing slowly to keep in the air in the mixture.
  3. Pour the mixture into the tin and gently smooth out so that the top is flat. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cake is springy to the touch. Leave to cool – but only until it is cool enough for you to handle.
  4. While the cake is still warm, carefully flip it upside down onto a cooling rack (place the rack on the top of the cake tin, then holding the two firmly together, flip so that the cake slides out onto the rack).
  5. Cut the lemons used for the zest in half and squeeze out the juice. Brush half of the lemon juice across the bottom of the cake and then leave the cake to cool completely and the lemon juice to soak in.
  6. Mix the remaining lemon juice with the water icing to form a thick but still runny icing.
  7. Turn the cake right side up. Spread a layer of lemon curd across the top, but not so thick it will spill down the sides (you can leave this step out if you don’t like lemon curd or you don’t have any to hand).
  8. Roll out the marzipan so that it will cover the top of the cake. Place this carefully over the lemon curd layer and press gently into place. Cut off any excess from the edges.
  9. Cut the cakes into squares (usually I cut the square into nine pieces). Then drizzle the lemon icing across the top of the marzipan so that it drips deliciously down the sides.

The Official Gillingham & Shaftesbury Pre-Show Magazine 2025 is here!

By
Laura
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We’re proud once again to be working with the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show team to produce the official pre-show magazine – your essential guide to the G&S Show, it contains everything happening across the two jam-packed days at North Dorset’s Turnpike Showground this August.

There are knights to cheer for, tractors to climb on, artisan treats to sample, dogs to ‘race’ (expect bedlam) … And when the show day winds down on Wednesday? The party kicks off – with live music and great food to keep the summer evening going. From main ring drama (yes, there will be flying lances and flying motorbikes) to ferret racing chaos, the brilliant Dog & Sheep Show, have-a-go crafts, milking demos and the all-important livestock lines, this year’s show promises more to see, do and taste than ever.

We’ve picked out 30 things you can do on the day – all included in the price of your ticket. That means for just £19, there’s an entire day’s worth of entertainment, activities and hands-on countryside experiences to enjoy, as well as over 500 stalls and producers to browse. (Top tip: screenshot the showground map and timetable inside so you’ve got it handy on the day.)

This year’s Show President is a familiar face: Minette Batters, former NFU President, shares her reflections on farming, food, and why she still makes time to walk the cattle lines at every show.

Elsewhere in the magazine, you’ll meet some of the incredible craftspeople bringing traditional rural skills to life – from stone carvers and signwriters to stick makers and thatchers. It’s a show built on passion, heritage and the kind of proper countryside magic you only get at G&S.

Have you got your ticket yet? – Adults £19 Children £3
(ADVANCE TICKET DISCOUNT ENDS 6TH AUGUST)
Buy yours here gillinghamandshaftesburyshow.co.uk

Kimmeridge Bay | POSTCARDS FROM THE BARRY CUFF COLLECTION

By
Editorial team
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This month Barry Cuff has chosen two postcards sent from 1960s holidaymakers at Kimmeridge Bay.

Postcard sent to London on 29th October 1972 – no visitor centre yet, of course, and judging by the pile of lobster pots, Kimmeridge is still a working harbour. I think we can all appreciate the (I’m going to presume local) man’s beach gear of a tweed cap and jacket – and in the background the determined daytrippers who have managed to erect deckchairs on Kimmeridge’s spectacularly rocky beach!

Having coffee in the Post Office stores here this morning, very grey skies too but lightening. We had a wonderful walk along Studland Bay and on to Ballard Down in the afternoon. Met one old Tory half way along Studland beach, & another in Fortes Cafe at lunch time! Have found another nice hotel for the last two days & will call you on Wed. Regards to Peter. Love from us both, Dad

The postcard was sent on 20th June 1968 – Labour MP Barbara Castle was Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity at the time, and in ‘68 she would have been much in the news as she intervened on behalf of the women sewing machinists on strike at the Ford Dagenham motor plant:
Thursday Swanage. Dear Jimmy & Gladys, Edith & I are thinking of you as we enjoy our holiday here, & must tell you @ once, we have had a spell of sunshine such as we have longed for, for years, & have been able to get around to view many outstanding beauty spots such as Blue Pool, St Aldhelms Head, Kimmeridge, Swyre’s Head, Durlston, Studland, Corfe Castle etc. All very lovely & all so different. It has also been lovely to see little children enjoying themselves to the full, not having a single care what Barbara Castle does!!! Our love to you both, from George & Edith

Wildlife within reach

By
Editorial team
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Ospreys and beavers … Jane Adams explores how livestream webcams bring wildlife wonders to everyone, even if you can’t leave the house

I’ve spent more time at home over the last month than I normally would. It has reminded me of the lockdowns in the warm summer of 2020, when none of us could go far and I discovered every nook and cranny of my garden. This year, I have a new pond to enjoy, and with it, I’ve gained an entire cast of new wildlife characters drawn to the water.
But what if you don’t have a garden? Or, like my husband, you simply find it hard to get out and about? What to do if you love wildlife but can’t always get to see it?

From the livestream: Mum (CJ7) with all four chicks at the start of July on the Landscape view

Blessings of technology
A couple of months ago, one of the white-tailed eagles released on the Isle of Wight flew over our house. My friend and neighbour Hugh tipped me off with a phone call, and for a few unforgettable minutes, we watched this huge bird – once extinct in the UK – climbing the thermals above our garden. Something I never thought I’d see.

The aerial view gives a real sense of the height of the nest: here, dad (022) has just delivered a fish to the rest of the family. 022 is known for being an active parent and participating in feeding the chicks

It got me thinking about another bird of prey that has made a welcome comeback to Dorset: ospreys. Thanks to the incredible work of Birds of Poole Harbour and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, ospreys are nesting and successfully fledging young in Dorset, for the first time in nearly 200 years. For the last three years, we’ve been able to watch them. This summer, one pair has four chicks, and, if all goes well, they’re due to fledge in mid-July. Some lucky people have watched their progress in person through binoculars from a viewing platform at the harbour’s edge. But even if you can’t make the trip, you can still follow their story on the live webcams, joining hundreds (maybe thousands) of other people, all commenting on what they have seen and leaving notes so that you can rewind and see anything you missed.
Dorset Wildlife Trust also has cameras set up to watch the Beaver Project – there’s no live webcam, but they do post regular updates with video footage of the beavers: see below to watch at least three members of the beaver family working together to build a dam. Over the course of six nights, the beavers spent almost 15 hours on construction work, pausing now and then for snacks and a bit of grooming.
Watching wildlife shouldn’t just be for those who can get around easily or can travel without difficulty. It should be something we can all enjoy, whatever our circumstances.

I hope you find a moment to watch the Poole Harbour ospreys online.
It’s wonderful that even if you can’t get out in person – whether due to health, mobility or simply a busy life – the internet brings these magnificent birds, and so much other wildlife, within easy reach. It can also help you feel more connected to nature and other nature lovers.
If you’ve never watched a webcam before, now’s the perfect time to start!

Live webcams worth watching:
Poole Harbour ospreys: Two webcams from different angles, and on each you can see comments from other webcam watchers from around the world:
See the Landscape view HERE
and the Aerial view HERE
There are two live webcams from Brownsea Island Lagoon, with beautiful views and bird sounds, especially at dusk and dawn birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/brownsea-webcams
Badger watching in Essex: Another one that is best at dusk when the badgers venture out: essexwt.org.uk/wildlife/webcams/badger
Further afield, Explore features a wide array of live nature cams, including brown bears in Katmai National Park and African river wildlife: explore.org

Stella Parfitt

By
Editorial team
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12/12/1934 – 20/07/25

Stella passed away at Dove Tree House early hours of the 20th July ……..she lived and worked in Sherbone and retired when she was 60. She moved down to Exeter when she lost her husband in 2019 to be near her daughter.

Valerie turns 104 with a joyful celebration at The Malthouse

By
Editorial team
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There was joy and laughter at The Malthouse residential care home in Gillingham, Dorset, on Tuesday as Valerie celebrated her 104th birthday in style—surrounded by friends, good food, and warm smiles.

Valerie celebrated her 104th birthday in style at the Malthouse Gillingham

The afternoon gathering marked a remarkable milestone, with guests joining Valerie for a celebration filled with laughter, love and reflection. Chef Nicki created a stunning birthday spread, complete with a homemade cake that went down a treat with everyone present.

Guests were full of praise for the care Valerie receives at The Malthouse. Many spoke about how happy and settled she seems—particularly impressive given her initial nerves about moving in. They were quick to credit the team’s warmth and compassion, describing them as committed and deeply caring.

Valerie, clearly moved by the day’s celebrations, beamed as she reflected on her experience at the home.

“It’s a home from home,” she said with a smile. “You’re all wonderful, and I can’t thank you enough for everything you do—especially for making today so special.”

Crackers to celebrate

It was a touching celebration for a truly extraordinary lady, and a testament to the sense of community and kindness that defines life at The Malthouse.

Here’s to Valerie—104 years young, and still lighting up every room she enters.

To find out more about Healthcare Homes and The Malthouse, visit www.healthcarehomes.co.uk.

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