The number of unaccompanied refugee children cared for by Dorset Council has increased in recent weeks.
Currently, 18 children are in the care of the council, 10 of whom have been settled in the county in recent weeks. Dorset Council’s Corporate Parents Council heard the children had been taken into care by the council following government directives to try to find places.
Sarah-Jane Smedmore, Corporate Director for Care and Protection, said: “We welcomed this and really thought about how we can find the best places and spaces for these young people to live and enjoy. thrive, get an education, get support. and to get the health services they also need, so we are working with our partners to make that happen.
READ NEXT: Dorset second home owners urged to donate their homes to refugees fleeing Ukraine
Committee chair Cllr Kate Wheller told the council it was too early to tell what the situation might be with the Ukrainian refugees at the moment, but she said there were “policies and processes in place”, if that happened.
Ms Smedmore said some council workers were preparing for any arrival: ‘We are awaiting guidance from the government, but there are people in the council who are working very hard to make sure we are ready for whatever happens. we are asked to do.
“We know that we have already had successful resettlement and we would like to build on what we know is working well and think seriously about how we would support any person, any family, in relocating here with us,” he said. she stated.
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During mid-term, we organized a fun family day for our host community at the South West Regional Assessment Center (SWRAC), near Dorchester.
The event was a great success with 18 families present, made up of 21 accompanying adults and 37 children and young people. The children ranged in age from just six weeks to 17 years old, and included a mix of foster families, their biological children and the children and young people in their care.
The day started with a scavenger hunt, followed by kite flying, arts, crafts and clay, and lunchtime pizza making. The children and young people were abthe to enjoy and engage with nature, some even taking the resident goats and donkeys for a walk.
The main focus of the day was to build relationships and carefree fun for children and young people, while creating an opportunity for families to connect in person.
The event allowed us to build trust with the younger members of our host community and gave them the opportunity to share “what they think a good host family does”. This valuable feedback has been gathered and will help shape Dorset Council’s prospective foster parent recruitment.
Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council portfolio holder for children, education, skills and early help, said:
“Family days like this are so important because they give our host community a chance to bond with each other, and it has given us a valuable opportunity to hear directly from those being hosted.
“Everyone had a great time and the feedback we’ve received has been really positive. I was delighted to be invited to come and participate in the activities and we look forward to hosting more events like this for our families throughout the year.
A member of our host community who attended the day said:
“Thank you for a wonderful day, we really enjoyed it. It was my first experience of a ‘peer rally’ and I hope there will be many more”
Future events for our host community
Based on the success and feedback from this event, Dorset Council’s Voices of Youth team, alongside the Virtual School and Homestay team, will be planning more of these events for any the family all year round to ensure there is something for everyone.
If you would like more information about activities and events organized by Dorset Council’s Youth Voice team, you can contact them directly by emailing [email protected]
Find out more about the virtual school or contact them directly via email: [email protected]
]]>The shiny exterior of a new police headquarters in Dorset could pose a ‘deadly threat’ to the local bird population.
Concerns have been raised by Wool Parish Council over the potential for bird mortality due to the reflective surface of the proposed building in Winfrith, the Dorset Echo reported.
The local authority said drawings of curtain walls on the building, which would provide a new headquarters for Dorset Police, show the reflection of sky, clouds and trees, raising fears birds may be killed while inadvertently flying there.
In a letter to Dorset council, the local authority said: ‘It is well documented that reflective surfaces on buildings cause tens of thousands of bird deaths as birds attempt to fly across the surface in the landscape they see in the reflection.”
The council said colonies of house swifts and swifts living in the area, two migratory species red-listed to be endangered, could be particularly at risk.
He continued: “Birds at these breeding colonies use the space above the water meadows of Frome and other insect-rich areas such as pastures and wet brush adjacent to police HQ.
“Both species of birds would be vulnerable to lethal impact on reflective surfaces. It would appear that the vertical faces of this proposed building would have reflective surfaces and, without mitigation, would pose a significant lethal threat to these birds.
The plans, which feature bronze aluminum windows and exterior walls, are being assessed by Dorset Council.
Although data on birds injured or killed while flying over reflective surfaces in the UK is sparse, several studies have been conducted on the issue in the US.
A peer-reviewed study, published in the scientific journal PLOS One, found that birds flying into buildings were “the single greatest source of bird strike mortality in North America.”
Tom Hibbert, ornithologist and content creator at Wildlife Trusts, said: “For too long the UK has built infrastructure at the expense of the natural world. It is high time to favor nature.
“This means ensuring that all new developments benefit nature, providing habitats and avoiding designs that endanger wildlife.
“Glossy buildings and the reflections they create can be problematic for birds. There are things you can do to mitigate the risk, such as using patterned glass and turning off lights at night.
]]>Streets across Dorset’s BH postcodes were ranked the cheapest and most expensive – with the average house price ranging from £99,000 to over £5million. Home sales company Property Solvers has a new tool that tracks the average price of homes sold from HM Land Registry data to determine the lowest and highest house prices in the area of the postal code of BH.
The data has been taken from the start of 2016 until now, and below is a list of streets in areas BH13 and BH14 to show the difference in average house prices on Millionaire’s Row compared to other areas of Poole . Four houses on Panorama Road (BH13) sold for an average price of £5.7million, while the cheapest in this area averaged £202,833.
In the BH14 area, the most expensive street was Pearce Avenue with an average price of £3.4million, and the cheapest was Station Road in Parkstone where the house sold for an average of £99,321. DorsetLive has compiled a list of the cheapest and most expensive streets in the BH13 and BH14 postcode areas along with the number of sales.
Read more: Dorset council tax refunds and 76% of households who will receive £150
Cheaper – BH13
The most expensive – BH13
Cheaper – BH14
The most expensive – BH14
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The two larger-than-life bronze crabs can now be seen “dancing” above Portland stone barrels that have been set up outside the abandoned Brewers Quay building.
The public art installation appeared outside the old brewery earlier this week, but no one has yet come forward to take official credit for the work.
Photos of the sculptures shared by restorer Barry Whettingsteel via the Hope Square Weymouth Facebook page drew a mixed response on the social media platform – as residents were puzzled over the piece’s origins.
Mr Whettingsteel – who co-owns The Crows Nest restaurant and nearby Secret Garden Café with his partner Emma – posted the high-resolution images on Tuesday, asking people to share their views.
New kids in the neighborhood: Hope Square’s new residents seem like a barrel of laughs (Photo by Barry Whettingsteel)
One person said, “Who created these? No credits or carving details…” while another commented, “They’re awesome…nice to see some public art, very continental.”
‘Weymouth needs imagination and flair to attract tourists. I’m so glad this is happening,’ said another.
However, not everyone was supportive. Critical remarks included: “Not enthusiastic – I’m sure someone will knock the lobsters off looking for a place to sit one evening – I’m sure they could have chosen something more decorative” , and another commentator suggested that the crabs “should be thrown back overboard.”
Others were quick to defend them – saying they looked ‘fabulous’ and improved the appearance of the square – which has long been overshadowed by the looming presence of decaying Brewers Quay . The Victorian red brick has been left to rot despite recent attempts to save it.
Social media users were quick to defend commenters’ ‘nasty’ remarks (photo by Barry Whettingsteel)
Welcoming the new sculptures as a ‘talking point’, one person remarked: ‘With art you either like it or you don’t, so you can argue all night over a few drinks (sic.)”
While another person said, “Cute, until you accidentally sat on a claw… Ouch! I love them.”
The decapods are the work of local stonemason Alex Evans.
Alex’s mother Nathalie told the Echo her son studied stone masonry in Weymouth and has operated his STONEFORM business from the town for around 20 years, carrying out projects locally and overseas.
“He went out with a local sailor, grabbed a crab or two and modeled his sculptures on them,” she said, explaining how the detailed models were initially sculpted in clay before being cast in bronze. .
Public art caused a stir (photo by Barry Whettingsteel)
It is understood that the piece is part of the new Weymouth Art Trail commissioned by Dorset Council and Weymouth Town Council.
Designed to “encourage people to explore the city and reveal its history and relationship to water”, the trail is to feature a series of six sculptural installations at different locations around the city. The project was funded by Dorset Council, Weymouth Town Council and Arts Council England.
More follows…
What do you think of the new sculptures? Share your thoughts below!
Tesla presented plans on January 19 to convert the New Road site, Ferndown, into a large showroom and service center with electric vehicle superchargers.
If approved, the site would be the first Tesla Supercharger in Dorset.
Visual proposals include the option of installing a lighted totem at the entrance to the site, fabric banners on new masts, side elevation mounted load panels and more.
The plans also show customer parking, a wash bay and charging stations.
Plans for a Tesla Supercharger service station in Ferndown. Photo: Tesla Council/Dorset
The current Porsche Center moved the short distance from New Road to Ferndown Industrial Estate last year due to the requirement for more space, leaving the old site empty despite objection from the town council which had issues noise and ecology.
The idea of a Tesla service center has already drawn praise from residents. Nigel Stockley commented: “Support this wholeheartedly. Excellent use of the former Porsche site and provides the local community with a much needed and requested facility as the nearest is currently Winchester and an 80 mile round trip.
A resident on social media was equally thrilled. They said: “This will make it easier to visit the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas and could help increase visitor numbers and local tourism. Local residents typically charge from home, but faster chargers are always welcome, and some Tesla locations are even opening up to non-Tesla vehicles.
Plans for a Tesla Supercharger service station in Ferndown. Photo: Tesla Council/Dorset
“This sales hub will likely help make the South Coast one of the most EV-dense areas in the country and that’s just awesome.”
The need for larger electric vehicle installations was reinforced in November 2020, as part of the government’s environmental plans. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be phased out by 2030 and that all new cars and vans will be zero emissions by 2035.
Members of the public can comment on the plans until Thursday, February 17. The application can be found on Dorset Council’s planning website by searching P/ADV/2022/00351.
Residents of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (and beyond) will have noticed the giant crane which is currently in place at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) hospital site.
Along with the main hospitals in Poole and Dorchester, the RBH serves residents of both Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset Council. The site has a large A&E department as well as numerous specialist facilities.
In addition to this the hospital is placed next to a main A road through the county, the A338, it is adjacent to a large Tesco store and opposite the council run leisure facility, the Littledown .
Read more: Five chicest villages in Dorset, all with chocolate box appeal
There are a series of developments taking place on the site and in order to keep to the hospital plans a large crane has been put in place. So what is the crane doing there and what improvements are taking place in the hospital?
The Crane
(Image: Reaching the automaton)
The crane was recently installed at the BEACH Building site currently under construction. In a letter sent to local residents of the area, Debbie Fleming, chief executive of Dorset University Hospitals, confirmed the purpose of the work.
“The project is part of a comprehensive £250million reorganization of NHS services in Dorset. It will see RBH become the main center for urgent care, while Poole Hospital will at the same time become the main planned treatment center in the area.The program will see the construction of The BEACH building (for Births, Emergency care, And, Critical care and child Health), housing a new emergency department, a maternity and pediatric unit and a intensive care.
“Further developments include a purpose-built pathology center offering modern and flexible testing capacity. Construction work is already underway with completion scheduled for 2024.”
The letter goes on to say that the development uses considerate construction crews who will ensure that there is no “undue disturbance, inconvenience or stress to neighbors during the construction period – for example, by minimizing the impact of deliveries, parking and works on any public road as well as ensuring that most work is carried out during working hours.”
What is the BEACH Building?
BEACH stands for Births, Emergency Care, Et, Intensive Care and Child Health
The area covered by the building is 23,000 m2 over six floors, the equivalent of 115 tennis courts
When completed, the BEACH building will contain: a new emergency department, a brand new maternity and pediatric unit, a new intensive care unit with a capacity of up to 30 beds and a purpose-built pathology center
Work on the site began in March 2021.
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The Ottoman Kebab House opened on Monday evening January 17 on Lynch Lane Trading Estate to the delight of those who favor the flavor of authentic Turkish cuisine.
Co-owner Naz Islam said the new takeaway is “tactically situated” on the commercial estate as he believes it will allow the business to provide the best delivery option for the whole of Weymouth.
He said: “We opened on Monday and it went really well, but it was unexpected because we did a ‘soft opening’ and did very little publicity.
“We are a confident new company, but we want to start as stable as possible. So far, however, it has been very positive.
“It will take a lot of physical work and training, but hopefully we will be one of the best takeaways in Weymouth.
“The shop is fitted out to a high standard and very clean, with an experienced chef. The quality of the product is also top notch.”
Interior. Photo: Naz Islam
Mr. Islam talked about the unique offerings of the new restaurant.
He added: “We offer a unique taste and we can reach people faster because it’s more central to everyone.
“That’s why we chose our location; tactically we can reach people faster compared to downtown based takeaways.
“Additionally, we are based next to Littlesea Holiday Park, so we hope to become a popular location for these holidaymakers.
“We have large parking areas, which makes it easy for people to pick up.”
The Ottoman Kebab House is located on the former site of the Little Sea Fish Bar, which was to become a new car wash. Plans for the car wash development were given the green light by Dorset Council in November last year, despite fierce opposition from locals. Those plans, however, failed to materialize and the new take-out opened.
READ MORE: Former chip shop to be converted into car wash amid ‘dangerous’ road scares
Interior. Photo: Naz Islam
Mr. Islam said the company will create 15 jobs in total with a view to hiring more this summer.
He also gave his thoughts on starting a new business during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said: “I think you need a bit of courage because it’s a difficult time and it won’t be easy, but together we can get through this.”
The new take-out sale is open from 3:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Monday to Sunday.
The council says some local areas are just as deserving as those in the north – although it also admits some of the wealthiest places in the country.
The new white paper will focus on challenges such as “improving living standards, growing the private sector and increasing and spreading opportunity”.
The BCP Cabinet learned this week that the board is already gathering the evidence it needs to make the case when the time comes for both the White Paper and any other funding opportunity that may arise.
The tactic of having bids ready to take off has already proven successful for neighboring Dorset Council which last year won £19million in government grants to help ‘green’ public buildings.
Cllr Toby Johnson leads the BCP process, who told the Cabinet meeting that despite the widely held view that the region was wealthy, there were pockets that were worse off and would need a boost additional help.
A report to councilors said 16,000 people (4% of the BCP population) live in the 10% most deprived areas of England, rising to 45,400 people (12% of the BCP population) in looking at the number of people living in the 20% most disadvantaged neighborhoods.
In contrast, 82,800 (21% of the BCP population) live in the 20% least deprived areas of England.
The area also has wages slightly below the national average and higher house prices at an average of £302,700 in the 12 months to March 2021 and is likely to have risen again since then – about 22% of local households rent privately.
Nearly 46% of 16-24 year olds in the area are employed in the distribution, hotel and restaurant sector, compared to 24% of all employed 16-year-olds and over.
According to the report: “Some areas, such as Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs, Christchurch and Broadstone, are among the least deprived areas nationally. In contrast, some communities experience some of the highest levels of deprivation in Turlin Moor, Alderney, Turbary Common and West Howe, Boscombe and Somerford.
He points out that deprivation is linked to health with inequalities in life expectancy with just under 10 years difference in life expectancy for women in West Highcliffe at 87.5, compared to women in Boscombe West at 77.9.
A report by the independent Southern Policy Center published a report in July concluding: “Parts of Bournemouth, Gosport, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton faced the same challenges as urban areas in the Midlands and North, with the life expectancy, skill levels and income below the national average.
Photo – Clr Toby Johnson
Campaigners said it would be a ‘disaster’ for Weymouth if the establishment closed.
A feasibility study has been carried out by landowner Dorset Council, who say: ‘The future of the building is uncertain, but the site could be used for housing. Current clubs and site users have been notified.’
The public meeting is held at Weymouth College tomorrow (Saturday), 6 p.m.
If you want to attend but can’t make it to the event, post your questions or concerns in the comments below and we’ll ask on your behalf and post the answers in a future post.
Long story
Redlands has been part of the community for generations. It is still known as the Redlands Sports Center by many locals, despite the name change to “Sports Hub” when Weymouth College took over the lease in 2008.
It is home to a huge range of clubs and activities, helping to keep the community fit and healthy while playing a role in social integration.
The building is also used for local and general election counts.
Status so far
The facility is owned by Dorset Council who lease it to Weymouth College – but not for much longer.
Due to skyrocketing costs, the college decided to break its lease more than 10 years early. The contract was concluded until 2036.
Principal Mr Cole confirmed that the lease is costing the college more than £150,000 a year, which it cannot afford, along with around £2million of investment going into the building.
The two parties held regular meetings and the college tried to find another operator to take over the operation.
So far a group called Active Dorset have shown interest – but only for some of the outdoor facilities.
Meanwhile, Dorset Council appear set to mothball the building – it and the college have jointly commissioned a feasibility study which has highlighted the “significant and continuing financial concern of running an aging leisure center and obsolete as well as the increasing responsibilities for the construction investment for the site.”
Campaign to Save Redlands
An action group has been set up by the community in an effort to maintain public use of the facility. They will be there this weekend.
One campaigner said: ‘(If it closes) there will be very few places for indoor sports/activities. In a community of nearly 65,000 people, Redlands is the only ‘recreation centre’ we have , it would be tragic to lose him.”
Another man who contacted the Echo with concerns said it would be a ‘disaster’ for Weymouth if it closed.
A petition has also been launched by Dorset Councilor for Radipole, Peter Barrow.
Cllr Barrow, who is also a councilor on Weymouth City Council, disagrees the building is beyond economic repair.
“It is possible to take advantage of facilities – you just need to have a plan in place.”
Public meeting to be held at Weymouth College on Saturday 15th January
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the Bay Theatre, Weymouth College TOMORROW Saturday (January 15).
Weymouth College will make a presentation with updates on reviews undertaken, including user group consultations, future proposals and developments for the Redlands site.
Active Dorset will also be there – they have expressed an interest in taking over some of the outer areas of Redlands.
Please bring a face mask. Hand sanitizer will be provided at the entrance and seating will be socially distanced.
The college will also ensure that there is good ventilation in the theater during the meeting.
Share your comments and questions below if you’d like us to ask them at the meeting.
You can also email me at [email protected]