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Welcome to Winterborne St Martin Parish Council
We welcome you to your Parish Council and hope you are able to come along to the regular meetings. There's no need to prepare or let us know you are coming to a meeting; just come along; you can speak in the democratic period or simply observe. It really is your Parish Council so come along and get involved.
Winterborne St Martin Parish Council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month (excluding December) meetings commence at 7pm unless otherwise stated. The next meeting is on Thursday 25th April 2024 at 19:00 in the Parish Church. Agenda items need to be tabled 7 days prior to the meeting and suggestions sent to the Parish Council email address clerk@winterbornestmartin-pc.gov.uk. Agendas are published 3 clear days prior to the meeting.
2024 Meeting Schedule: 25 Jan, 22 Feb, 28 Mar, 25 Apr, 23 May, 27 Jun, 25 Jul, 22 Aug, 26 Sept, 24 Oct, 28 Nov.
The Annual Parish Meeting, a meeting of the community rather than the Council, is usually held in the Village Hall Apr-Jun; all are very welcome. 2024 Date TBC.
About Winterborne St Martin (Martinstown)
Winterborne St Martin, locally known as Martinstown, is a rural village running alongside the South Winterbourne stream. Surrounded by dairy farms it lies in the heart of the Dorset AONB. The village has a long history dating back through the Domesday Book to the 6000 year old Maiden Castle on the village's eastern perimeter.
Winterborne St Martin is within the civil parish of the same name. The Parish Council is the closest tier of government to you and aims to give voice to local people. The civil parish is in the electoral ward of Winterborne & Broadmayne and is represented on Dorset Council by Councillor Roland Tarr. The total population of the ward was 2,095 in the 2011 census. The ward is one of 32 that comprise the West Dorset Parliamentary Constituency, which is currently represented in the UK national parliament by the MP Chris Loder.
Latest News and Notices
Deadline to apply for free voter ID fast approaching
Time to apply for free voter ID ahead of the May elections is running out. Anyone who doesn’t already have an accepted form of ID will need to apply before the deadline at 5pm on 24 April.
For more information please visit: Deadline to apply for free voter ID fast approaching - Dorset Council
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Dorset Police Report - March 2024 - Attached below
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FLOOD WARNING
A Flood Warning has been issued by the Environment Agency.
Flooding is expected for: Groundwater flooding for Kingston Russell, Winterbourne Abbas, Winterbourne Steepleton, Martinstown or Winterbourne St Martin, Winterbourne Monkton, Winterbourne Herringston and Winterbourne Came.
Immediate action required.
The groundwater level at the Kingston Russell borehole has risen to 118.976m above sea level and is forecast to reach 119.46m by Thursday the 4th. For reference the peak level in January was 121.376m
The weather over the next two weeks will continue unsettled with a heavier band of rain expected on Friday. Groundwater levels are expected to continue rising steadily over the next week.
Property flooding is expected and sewage systems may become inundated.
For further information and advice visit the GOV.UK website to see the current flood warnings, view river and sea levels or check the 5-day flood risk forecast: https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/target-area/111FWGSWV1
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NOTICES OF ELECTION - PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENTS BELOW
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Election 2024 – 2nd May
On the 2nd May local elections will be held for all seats on Dorset Council and all seats on all of Dorset’s Town and Parish Councils.
Whether Parish Council elections will be “contested” or “uncontested” will depend on the number of nominated candidates. An uncontested election is an election in which the number of candidates is the same as or fewer than the number of places available for election, so that there would be no vote involved as all candidates are guaranteed to be elected.
Winterborne St Martin Parish Council
If you are interested in becoming a Parish Council member you might find the following videos helpful:
Parish and Town Councils in Dorset on Vimeo
Nomination Packs are available now and can be downloaded from this link
You can also contact the Parish Clerk on clerk@winterbornestmartin-pc.gov.uk for more information.
Election Timetable for Nominees
11 March Publication of Notice of Election
12 March – 5 April Nomination papers to be delivered to Dorset Council
5 April Deadline for withdrawal of Nomination papers
8 April Publication of list of nominees
2 May Election Day
4 May Votes counted
Election Timetable for Voters
16 April Deadline for registering as a voter
17 April Deadline for applications for postal votes
24 April Deadline for applications for proxy votes
2 May Election Day
Please note the following:
Voter ID – voters in England are now required to show photo ID to vote at polling stations. There is currently a list of acceptable forms of photo ID which includes passports (these may have expired but can be used as an acceptable form of ID provided the photograph is a true likeness of the voter), driving licence, a Blue Badge and an older person’s bus pass ….and many more.
Anyone who doesn’t have photo ID can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate that will be provided free of charge. Applications can be made online, use this link, (Apply for photo ID to vote (called a ‘Voter Authority Certificate’) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) or by completing a paper application with a photograph attached.
If you are aware of any residents that do not have appropriate ID, please do encourage them to apply in plenty of time for a Voter Authority Certificate using the link to the online portal above. Alternatively ask them to contact the Elections Team on 01305 838299 or email elections@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk when a member of the Team can assist them with the options available.
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Road Closure 15 April - Notice attached below
Dorset Police Report - February 2024 - Attached below
NOTICE OF VACANCY IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR - Attached below
Road Closure 28th March - 9th April - Notice attached below
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The digital switch over is happening - are you ready?
Did you know that the UK’s telephone network is changing? If you, or someone you know, depend on their landline or use a telecare device connected to a phone line – contact the service provider now for more advice.
Between now and 2025 most telephone providers will be moving their customers from traditional landlines to services using digital technology. Your telecoms provider should contact you before the switchover to discuss what you need to do to. If you have an internet connection, the change may be as simple as plugging your phone into your broadband router.
However, if you have other devices connected to your phone line, such as alarm systems, your provider might need to upgrade your device to make it compatible. If you are unsure how a device in your home might be affected, contact the equipment supplier for help.
In an emergency Digital landlines cannot carry a power connection and will not work if there is a power cut. If you have no other means of calling the emergency services, such as a mobile phone, your telecoms provider should offer a solution. For more information go to Digital phone lines | Openreach. See the Digital News notice from Dorset Council below for digital news.
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NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR CO-OPTION OF PARISH COUNCILLORS - YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU!
Are you aged 18 or over? Lived or worked in Winterborne St Martin for over a year? Do you want to make a difference to our community?
Then why not consider becoming a Parish Councillor… There are currently vacant seats on Winterborne St Martin Parish Council. We want to find enthusiastic and committed people to fill these vacancies and become part of the team. If you are interested in serving as a Parish Councillor, please write to the Parish Clerk confirming that you are qualified to be a Councillor and include a brief explanation of why you are interested in joining the Parish Council.
The Council meets once a month on the fourth Thursday in the month (except in December). If you would like to know more about the role and required qualifications, please contact the Clerk. Full details of the Co-option procedure can be found on the Parish Council website or can be requested from the Clerk.
Winterborne St Martin Parish Council
Email clerk@winterbornestmartin-pc.gov.uk
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Allotments - we have four allotments in the village all of which are presently allocated. Please drop a note to the Clerk if you would like to join the allotment waiting list.
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Elections - Dorset Council issues the legal notices of elections; they can be found here https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/councillors-committees-elections/elections-and-voting/forthcoming-elections-referenda-and-polls/forthcoming-elections-referenda-and-polls
