SAP has a responsibility for working with local parishes that see Sherborne as their principal town. In partnership with Dorset Community Action and West Dorset District Council, we encourage parish planning and can help parishes to gain access to training and support to carry out this process.
We have ensured that all the priorities identified in Parish Plans that are also relevant across the Sherborne Area have been incorporated into the Sherborne Area Action Plan 2006-2009 (final version). It was forwarded on for inclusion in the West Dorset Community Plan (see http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=1832) which in turn informed the Dorset Strategic Plan (see http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=2736) so both reflect the views of people who live in the whole Sherborne Area rather than just the town itself. There are common concerns about housing, crime, planning issues, transport, road safety, services for older people and facilities for children and teenagers which require changes in policy by the statutory services. See the West Dorset Partnership section of the website to find out more about it, the other Local Area Partnerships in West Dorset (Dorchester, Bridport, Lyme Regis & Beaminster) and Dorset Strategic Partnership.
See Sherborne Area Action Plan 2010-2013 for information about the role parishes are being invited to play in the production of an entirely new Plan that will replace the existing one.
We particularly welcome the participation of parish representatives on our Steering Group as well as in the various Forums, details of which can be found in the Working with Local Groups section of this website. We need to co-operate in order to achieve change.
The lack of affordable housing is a major issue, since the result is a steady migration of younger people from local villages because they cannot afford to rent or buy their own accommodation there. This in turn impacts on the numbers of children entering local Primary Schools and thus on their viability, as well as on the whole character of a village whose average age will steadily rise. Sherborne Area Housing Forum is campaigning for more affordable housing for local people. See the section of this website for more details.
Another problem is the lack of flexible and accessible transport for older people or others with mobility problems who need to travel to medical appointments or on other essential journeys and who not have their own car. This is particularly a problem in villages where public transport is infrequent or non-existent. NORDCAT and Sherborne Voluntary Ambulance minibuses operate in the Sherborne Area but cannot provide a bespoke service. Sherborne Good Neighbours (01935 815806/814490/812238/813156) can provide essential transport @30p a mile for those who need it within Sherborne as well as in local parishes. Sherborne Transport Action Group (TAG) provides a vital opportunity for parishes to combine with Sherborne in campaigning for better public transport. We are working with parishes in the Wriggle Valley to see if some of the funding made available by West Dorset District Council to the West Dorset Partnership to improve public transport can be used for their benefit.
Many parishes are concerned about traffic speeds. Dorset County Council's Senior Road Safety Officer has circulated a new policy on the deployment of SID's (electronic speed indicators which can be temporarily placed beside busy roads). Sherborne Town Council has purchased a SID that can be made available to local parishes for a small fee. This issue was raised at the last Sherborne Area PACT meeting on 19th November 2009. SAP was asked to contact local parishes to see what use they were making of either the DCC or STC SID's pending further discussion at the next PACT meeting on 1st March 2010.
The photos were taken at the Road & Community Safety Event run by ourselves and PACT on Saturday 21st February 2009 in and around the New Village Hall in Leigh. We welcomed people of all ages from across the Sherborne Area to a spectacular demonstration of vehicles and equipment laid on by staff from Dorset Police, Dorset Fire & Rescue Service, the SW Ambulance Service, the Red Cross and DCC Highways. The highlight was a dramtic Vehicle Accident Rescue demonstration laid on by staff from the Fire, Ambulance and Police. A follow-up event, aimed this time at older school pupils, will be taking place at Sherborne School for Girls in February 2010 with participation from the Gryphon School as well.