We aim to bring you the latest news and information from the Parish. The Area Parish Council holds 12 meetings a year starting promptly at 7pm. The AGM is held in May at Puddletown Village hall. The meetings always start with a short democratic period for members of the public to raise issues of concern.

For more information about the role of the Parish Council. For a list of currently sitting Councillors visit our Councillors page.

If you require any further information please contact the Clerk.

Referendum and Election

An election is being held on the 6th May 2021 for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset Police. On the same day, residents in the Parish of Puddletown will be asked to vote in a referendum on the Neighbourhood Plan for Puddletown. Please see the notice of Referendum. Further information about the Neighbourhood Plan can be found on the Puddletown Neighbourhood Plan page under Projects/Facilities.

This section has been created to keep the community up to date with local information. It should not be used in place of guidance from the NHS and Government. The latest NHS advice can be found on their website.

Please note that following the latest advice from the Government, we have closed Puddletown Community Play Park, Orchard Meadow and Butt Close Play Area. These will re-open when restrictions are lifted. While closed, the play areas will not be checked for safety issues so please keep out and ensure that older children who may be out unsupervised are aware of potential danger and do not try to gain access. Some maintenance work may be carried out while the play areas are closed. 

Puddletown Area Community Support Group

On the evening of Monday 16^th March a group including representatives from the Parish Council met to discuss community support during the Covid-19 virus outbreak.

The following are notes from the meeting.

Present: Sarah Hillman, Julian Hubbuck, Penny Ruddock, Peter Churchill, 19:00 16th March at the Blue Vinny.

We agreed to set up a group to manage the help needed by people who become isolated due to the Coronavirus.

The coordinators (who are happy to publicise their names, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses) are Sarah and Julian.

The main other conclusions are:

• The aim of the group will be to assure that people in isolation get the food and medicines that they need, and that they do not suffer from loneliness.
• A leaflet will be produced (by Penny), printed (by Peter) and delivered as soon as possible. It will publicise the help, name the coordinators, ask for volunteers, and ask people in isolation that need help to contact the coordinators.
• There is already a significant list of volunteers (from Penny and Sarah).
• Peter will contact the surgery to see if they can also participate in order to provide medical knowledge.
• Peter will contact the shop to ask them about food deliveries and ask how payment can be made. 

Further information will be made available on the Parish Council webpage. Other forms of communication will be utilised where possible but if you are in contact with a neighbour that is without internet access then please keep them informed.

For the time being, anyone wanting to volunteer or in need of urgent help should contact:

Julian on 07881 678 126 or by email to julian.hubbuck@gmail.com

Sarah on 01305 848 784 or by email to sarah.c.hillman@outlook.com

A list of local businesses that are able to deliver goods and provide services which may be of use to people who are self-isolating can be found by clicking anywhere on this text.

It is a unfortunate fact of nature conservation that sometimes, for safety’s sake, trees will need to be removed. It is crucial that we make the most of the situation by coming up with ways to invest in nature by reusing what we can. The Parish Council has fostered links with the Durlston Country Park Ranger team and Hardy’s Tree Surgeons to repurpose our wood chippings to be used in the park’s new children’s nature adventure trail which will help bring a mix of fun and natural sciences education to the next generation of budding conservationists. Hardy’s have also been kind enough to leave piles of wood in situ at The Coombe and the recreation ground which will act as natural bug hotels to increase invertebrate biodiversity and give a helping hand to a host of species that depend on dead wood to survive.

Many thanks to one of our youngest residents for designing this poster. If anyone would like a copy to put on their own property, please contact the Parish Council Clerk. 

Orchard Meadow:

OM Signs

Risk assessment OM

Puddletown Community Play Park:

PCPP Signs

Risk assessment P

Butt Close Play Area:

BC Signs

Risk assessment B

The May 2020 Annual Parish Meeting was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. In the absence of an annual meeting, the Chairman has published a report which details the work of PAPC over the course of the year from April 2019 to March 2020. Printed copies can be made available on request by contacting the Clerk although there will be a small charge to cover the cost of printing. Alternatively, you can access the report here.