2023 marks the end of our four-yearly Parish Council cycle. The election for our parish and district councillors takes place on 4 May so we will have a new council to look after our community. So now is a good time to appeal to all those with ideas, passion and energy to make Dorchester the best possible place to live to consider putting your name forward for election to your parish council.
Diversity of opinion on a council is vital to represent the range of experiences we have in our different lives and also to offer a voice on the range of topics that come our way. And I know from the comments many of you offer me on a variety of subjects that there are people who would make a valuable contribution to the management of our environment and the amenities we have in the parish. So why not put your name forward and give yourself a real voice. The Parish Council is not political, we just do our best to gel the various aspects of village life together, working with our colleagues at SODC, OCC and other stakeholders in the village and its surrounds.
We will publicise the process for putting your name forward in a few weeks’ time on the village website, Facebook and posters. (See below, Parish Council Vacancies), for on-line sessions to find out more about what being a Parish Councillor entails.
In my December update I said we would like to make the coronation weekend, 6-8 May, a chance to celebrate Dorchester as a community. Ideas are forming under the joint leadership of the Abbey and Parish Council with a street party for everyone, young and old, on the Bank Holiday Monday 8 May, as a likely centrepiece, with perhaps a live screening of coronation in the village hall. If you have ideas or would just like to help then please contact Geoff Russell, Mike Corran (mikecorran62@gmail.com), or Nick/Steph Forman (treasurer@dorchester-abbey.org.uk) and we’ll see how we can use your skills and energy to make the weekend even better. There is likely to be a get together of those who are interested in a few weeks’ time, please come along. And more to follow on the festivities as we head towards Spring but, in the meantime, mark the weekend in your diary if you haven’t already.
I received a lot of responses to my reminder before Christmas of where our defibrillators are situated, so we are looking to get some training organised in the village hall in March. Learning before the day you need to use one could save a life so I for one will be going along to make sure I know what to do. More info on social media and posters in due course.
Finally, Geoff Willis, who has been the Parish Council’s handyman for over 25 years, will be retiring in February. The Council would like to thank Geoff for his wonderful service over so many years. And we are working on finding someone to take on the oftenunseen role that Geoff performs to keep the village ticking along.
Mark Williams
Chairman DoT Parish Council
Parish Council Vacancies
Those people who are interested in offering themselves for election to the Council are encouraged to attend some of the forthcoming Council meetings and to view one of the on-line sessions which the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils (OALC) has organised on 13 February from 10.00-11.00am and on 15 March from 2.00 – 3.00pm. (Zoom joining instructions are on the Village website and Facebook pages and available direct from the Clerk). The OALC website www.oalc.org.uk includes some useful pages which are open to the public