News in Dorchester

Following the success of both Bridport Nub News and Dorchester Nub News, we are on the lookout for more Dorset towns that would benefit from their own dedicated online newspaper - and we're looking for journalists.

There are currently 62 Nub News towns across the UK, with journalists bringing back community reporting and giving their residents the news relevant to them, without any pop-up ads, clickbait or surveys.

An amended planning application is requesting approval for solar panels on the roof of the new Pavilion on Dorchester's Great Field.

The plans, submitted to Dorset Council, also asks for changes to the original design to allow for a bin store, the removal of one window, the addition of a kitchen window and alterations to doors.

Calls have been made for pedestrianising a section of Dorchester's High East and High West streets as part of the project to make improvements around the Town Pump.

A meeting of the town's joint heritage committee heard that it would be better for tourism and would allow the area to be used for a market and public performances, giving new focus to the town centre.

A five per cent increase in council tax will still leave Dorset Council with reserves depleted and struggling to find further savings – and with no pay increase for staff.

Finance brief holder Cllr Gary Suttle has warned of a tough year ahead and says the risks of being blown off course remain high with uncertainty around how the pandemic will pan out and the effects of Brexit.

West Dorset MP Chris Loder has praised St Osmund's Middle School in Dorchester for going "above and beyond" during the pandemic, as he called for vaccinations for teachers to be given higher priority.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday (Tuesday), Mr Loder addressed Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, asking him to place vaccinations for teaching staff higher on the agenda, following the efforts they had made to continue the education of young people in challenging circumstances.

More than 3,000 Dorset Council and care home staff will have been vaccinated locally against Covid by the end of this week.

Adult social care brief holder Cllr Laura Miller said that by the end of the week, working with Dorset County Hospital, it is estimated that around 3,200 staff and associated care workers will have been vaccinated.

A brand-new building that enables a Dorset charity to have an office, community space and café has been completed.

CG Fry built Pavilion in the Park on the Great Field, Poundbury, at cost price, ready for it to be fitted out, and has been handed over to the Alcohol Education Trust (AET).

Dorchester's HSBC branch is not among those set to close this year.

The bank announced it would be shutting 82 branches in the UK between April and September due to customers increasingly using internet banking.

A council tax increase of less than one per cent is likely to be approved by Dorchester town council next week.

Another of the authority's committees has overwhelmingly backed the proposed 0.8 per cent rise in the council's share of the tax, although some councillors argued for a bigger rise to help the town as it comes out of the pandemic.

Proposals for a national park for Dorset has won the backing of several Dorchester groups – but has yet to convince the town council or Dorset Council.

Neither authority has decided yet whether it is for or against the proposal.