Blandford Forum Town Council is the parish authority for the town of Blandford Forum. It is the fourth tier of government after parliament, the county council and the district council. Its legal powers are granted to it and regulated by various government acts.
With a population of approximately 8,850 source The Dorset Data Book 2003)it is the largest town in the North Dorset district. The Town Council supplements the provision of local government services in Blandford Forum and provides a range of social and recreational facilities, while promoting and representing the town with other national and statutory bodies.
For example the Town Council acts as a consultee and lobbying force with both the county and district councils, and both regional and national government, putting forward the wishes and needs of the local community. Dorset County Council, which covers the whole of the county except Bournemouth and Poole, (whose main responsibilities include education, social services, highways, fire and rescue, strategic planning and libraries), consult with the Town Council on such subjects as the County Structure Plan, the Local Transport Plan and the Mineral and Waste Local Plan. North Dorset District Council (which is mainly responsible for development control, environmental health, refuse collection, economic development, tourism and major recreational facilities such as the Blandford Leisure Centre) also consults with the Town Council on such matters as the District Wide Local Plan, planning applications within Blandford Forum, and the economic development strategy.
HOW DOES THE TOWN COUNCIL OPERATE?
The Town Council has 16 Town Councillors elected for a term of four years. Blandford Forum has 5 wards known as: Blandford Damory Down, Blandford Old Town, Blandford Hilltop, Blandford St Leonards and Blandford Station. Three councillors will be elected to represent each ward with the exception of Blandford Old Town Ward which will have four councillors.
Detailed below are the roads which make up the different wards.
| DAMORY DOWN WARD
Ashmore Close Avebury Court Badbury Drive Cadley Close Eastleaze Road Froxfield Road Greenhill Heddington Drive Hilcot Way Hinton Close Holland Way Jubilee Way Kingston Close Lavington House Liddington Crescent Lockeridge Close Manningford Road Marston Close Mary Cossins Close Medbourne Close Mortain Close Overton Walk Ramsbury Close Ramsbury Court Shaw Close Stanton Close Staverton Walk
HILLTOP WARD Angus Close Buttercup Lane Carter Close Casterbridge Close Castleman-Smith Close Counter Close Dairy Field Davis Gardens Hunt Road – Part (2-28 evens) Lady Baden-Powell Way Lane Close Larksmead Mellstock Close Old Farm Gardens Preetz Way Rosebank Lane Salisbury Road – Part (78-82A evens, 81-163A incl) Sandbourne Avenue Shaftesbury Lane Shottesford Avenue Stevens Close The Pavilions Wetherbury Close |
OLD TOWN WARD
Bryanston Street Church Lane Damory Street – Part (2-12 evens) Dorset Street Eagle House Gardens East Street Bakers Corner Chestnut House East Street Lane Fields Oak Hanover Court Market Place Milldown Road North Place Orchard Street Park Road The Cedars Parklands Pines Court River Mews Ryan Court Salisbury Street Sheep Market Hill Shorts Lane The Close Marsh’s Court The Milldown The Plocks The Tabernacle Wessex Court West Street West Lodge White Cliff Gardens White Cliff Mill Street Whitecliffe Court Whitecliffe House Nursing Home |
ST LEONARDS WARD
Andrew Close Anne Close Bayfran Way Black Lane Chapel Gardens Downside Close Elizabeth Road Fishers Close Hambledon Close Hambledon Gardens Highfields James Close Kings Road – Part (31 & 33 only) Langton Crescent Langton Road (Archway House) Meadow View Percy Gardens Philip Road Queens Road Riverside Road St Leonards Avenue St Leonards Terrace Stour Road Tudor Gardens Wilson Park Wimborne Road Windmill Road |
STATION WARD
Albert Cottages Albert Place Albert Street Alexandra Court Alexandra Street Alfred Street Barnes Close Barnes Homes Boundary View Castleman House Charles Street Churchill Road Damory Court Damory Court Street Damory Street – Part (5-65 odds) Edward Street Edward Street Flats Fairfield Bungalows Fairfield Road Field View Road Gent Close Hunt Road – Part (1-27 odds) Kings Road – Part (1-29inc,30-38 evens, Ashley Reach, Burley New & Underone House) Newman Close Nordon Road Nursery Road Oakfield Court Oakfield Street Park Road – Part (2-14 evens) Peel Close Princess Court Queens Road Richmond Road Salisbury Crescent Salisbury Road – Part D’Arcy Court Orkney Court Station Court The Mount The Sidings Victoria Flats Victoria Road Wilverley Gardens |
The Civic Year runs from May to April with the election of the Mayor, the Chairman of Council and his/her Deputy and Vice Chairman taking place at the Annual Statutory meeting in May. The roles of Mayor and Chairman of Council are usually taken by the same councillor and likewise for the Deputy Mayor and Vice Chairman. These roles and those of Chairman of Committees are filled by councillors who have been nominated and voted for by their councillor colleagues.
The Council operates on a committee system covering Finance and Staffing, Planning, Recreation and Amenities and Town and General Purposes. The committees’ remits and details of the areas which each committee covers are shown on the “Committees” page. The committees and full council meet on a 4 weekly cycle with the exception of Finance and Staffing which operates on a quarterly cycle. At full council meetings the committees’ minutes are received and any committee resolutions involving major changes to existing council policies are voted upon.
Subject matters are brought before the relevant committee or full council by means of the agenda which is issued a minimum of three clear working days before a meeting and is posted on the various notice boards around the town (see below) and on this website.
The front of the Corn Exchange, Market Place
Outside Bailey & Co Solicitors Offices, The Plocks
The Spar Shop, Junction of Heddington Drive and Jubilee Way
Holland Way (opposite Stanton Close)
Salisbury Road (next to the bus stop)
Hunt Road
Langton Road
Outside the Town Clerk’s Office, Church Lane
HOW IS THE TOWN COUNCIL FUNDED?
The Council Tax paid by Blandford Forum households includes the spending requirements of Dorset County Council, North Dorset District Council, Dorset Police and Blandford Forum Town Council.
Many people do not realise that the Town Council does not receive any revenue support from central government, unlike the County and District Councils, neither does it receive any funding from local businesses and retailers via their payment of the non-domestic rate.
Each year the Town Council calculates the money it needs to raise to provide its services. Then we deduct the income which we expect to receive from fees and charges such as the hire of sports facilities, lettings of the various halls, etc, to leave the amount we require to spend on the services and any capital projects which are planned for the year ahead. This sum, called the precept, is the amount we levy on the district council and which is collected by them as a proportion of the total council tax paid by Blandford’s households. In this financial year commencing 1st April 2004, our precept totalled £315,462. If you live in an “average” Band D house, you will contribute £96.70 of your total council tax bill of £1,273.09 to Blandford Forum Town Council.