PARISH OF LEIGH

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

Pursuant to Section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972, that Councillor Bugler has ceased to be a Member of the Parish Council, and that a vacancy now exists in the office of Councillor for the Parish.
If within 14 days after the date of this notice (i.e. no later than 1 March 2021), a request for an election to fill the vacancy is received by the Returning Officer, either by email, , or by post, to South Walks House, South Walks Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1UZ by TEN electors for the Parish, an election will be held to fill the vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.
If an election is called, a poll will take place on the 6 May 2021 as a result of the Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner (Coronavirus) (Postponement of Elections and Referendums) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Dated 9 February 2021

In January, Dorset Council published a draft ‘Local Plan’ regarding development across the county for the next 17 years (see: here ).  In order to meet Parliament’s ‘Housing Requirement’ during this timescale, it is directed to build at least 30,481 houses (the requirement for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is in addition, and entirely separate to, this figure).

Read the Dorset Council Local Plan

Dorset Council’s strategy is to concentrate most of this build on the Tier 1 and 2 towns eg Dorchester (Tier 1); Sherborne, Gillingham and Shaftsbury (the Tier 2 towns in the ‘North Dorset Functional Area’).  In addition to these large-scale developments, the Tier 3 ‘larger villages’ (eg Yetminster, Thornford, Bradford Abbas) ‘typically with a population of 500 or more’, and associated facilities that allow ‘at least some day to day needs to be met locally….are considered appropriate locations for small scale infilling to meet their local needs’.  Leigh, with a population of less than 500, is classed as a Tier 4 ‘smaller village’; as such, ‘it will not be the focus for growth’.

Notwithstanding this, in Appendix 2, Leigh has been designated a requirement of 19 new properties during the period.  Leigh parish council feels this figure is much too high, on the basis that it does not accord with the policy laid out for Tier 4 villages in the body of the document, and would significantly transform the character of the village.  It will therefore endeavour to have this requirement reduced during the consultation period; a small extension to 18 March has been negotiated, as the next parish council meeting is on 16 March.  Residents are encouraged to ‘attend’ this meeting – no doubt it will have to be ‘virtual’ again, but you can participate by contacting the clerk Beverley Harrison a few days beforehand.

More information can be found in the draft plan; Chapter 2 and Appendix 2 are particularly pertinent.  Comments should be sent direct to Dorset Council as detailed in the plan – but a copy to Leigh PC would also be appreciated.