News in Dorchester

Travelling families who need to move from Dorchester to a new site on the outskirts of the town have won the backing of the town council to get power to their homes.

The site, off Slyers Lane at Cokers Frome, already has other services, including permission for its own sewage works, but according to Dorchester town councillor Alistair Chisholm, getting electrical power has proved difficult.

Another Dorchester town centre office building could be converted to flats.

The latest application is for a former estate agents at 51 High West Street, with a request to Dorset Council for a change of use from office and ancillary accommodation to provide three flats.

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West Dorset MP Chris Loder is calling for targets to be set to bring an end to plastic pollution.

He proposed changes to the Environment Bill, which went before parliament this week, to cut the use of single-use plastics.

Dorchester headteacher and national digital learning expert Mr Gary Spracklen is reminding parents and carers of the rewards and risks associated with online video games ahead of International Safer Internet Day on Tuesday, February 9.

In his letter to parents and carers of pupils at The Prince of Wales School, Mr Spracklen highlighted how "playing age-appropriate computer games may have real-world benefits for hand-eye coordination and sensorimotor skills" while also recognising that "the audio chat feature within age-appropriate computer games, when used properly as a form of coordination, can also teach communication skills".

Schoolchildren and students in Dorchester will not be going back to school after the February half term with schools hoped to be open from March 8.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "it will not be possible" to reopen schools in England next month and that "we do not yet have enough data" to decide when to ease the country's lockdown.

Dorset Council has been accused of doing little to publicise the effects its Local Plan review might have on Dorchester – other than take down a banner which drew attention to it.

That move has now led to the town council seeking to take control over which banners are displayed in the county town.

Dorchester's annual town meeting will not be delayed in the hope that Covid will have subsided enough for it to physically go ahead.

Legally the town council could delay the meeting, which allows residents to have their say on anything that they like, until June 1. The meeting is normally held in March.

The A35 between Bridport and Dorchester is partially blocked due to a traffic accident near the petrol station in Winterbourne Abbas.

Traffic is slow and motorists are facing delays.

The town council share of council tax in Dorchester in the year ahead will be limited to an increase of 0.8 per cent.

Attempts to persuade the Lib Dem council to keep the increase to zero, or to cut the tax, were politely listened to – but ignored.