31 January 2024 / 12 December 2024 by chrishenderson
Rodwell & Wyke Green Councillor Clare Sutton has worked closely with Independent councillor Luke Wakeling on improvements to Chapelhay Steps. A new bench has now been installed, which helps those with limited mobility. Foliage has been drastically cut back, opening up visibility of the ‘secluded’ bench.
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30 January 2024 / 14 December 2024 by chrishenderson
A recent planning application to turn the old Methodist Church on Portland Road, Wyke Regis into six flats has been turned down. Many local residents objected because no parking spaces were included, in a part of Wyke where this is a pressing issue.
29 January 2024 / 22 December 2024 by chrishenderson
Rodwell & Wyke Greens Coordinator Val Graves writes: “Like many local people I swim in the sea throughout the year. As you may know, our sewerage network is a ‘combined system’, where both sewage and surface water flow into the same pipes. When that system becomes overloaded, for example when it rains heavily, water companies are allowed to discharge human sewage into the sea, at places like Sandsfoot and Castle Cove.
2 October 2023 / 22 December 2024 by chrishenderson
Green Councillor Clare Sutton (Rodwell & Wyke) has been working hard behind the scenes with Independent Group leader Les Fry to secure support for youth clubs, which have faced massive increases in running costs due to the cost of living crisis. We are delighted to report that this has finally been agreed and will be in place by the end of the year.
1 October 2023 / 11 December 2024 by chrishenderson
in the Spring edition of Rodwell & Wyke Green Matters, Green town councillor Helen Toft said she wanted to tidy up the area at the bottom of Rylands Lane which leads to The Rodwell Trail. Helen says: "With the help of councillors and volunteers earlier in the year it is now looking much prettier and with continued work will be even better by next summer."
30 September 2023 / 14 December 2024 by chrishenderson
Sadly the South West Coast Path bridge and steps in Wyke Regis, erected in 2021, collapsed earlier this year due to further instability of the beach. Councillor Brian Heatley is pressing Dorset Council to find a solution, but the only answer may be to move the path further inland, which will require the cooperation of several private landowners.
15 September 2023 / 22 December 2024 by chrishenderson
Dorset Council's area planning committee voted earlier this year to approve plans to demolish the former Weymouth & Portland Borough Council offices on North Quay. Green Councillor Brian Heatley (Rodwell & Wyke) argued for renovation over demolition, because we need to save the carbon emissions now rather than over a 50 year period, and because there is no guarantee that Dorset Council will find a developer willing to deliver to a high environmental standard.
13 September 2023 / 22 December 2024 by chrishenderson
Dorset Council has approved plans for up to 141 homes, a 60-bed care home and a gym, swimming pool and spa on Newton’s Cove in Weymouth. Green Councillor Clare Sutton (Rodwell & Wyke) argued for further conditions relating to affordable housing and the Underbarn, to ensure that local residents would see some net gains, but unfortunately these were not adopted.
15 July 2023 / 22 December 2024 by chrishenderson
At Dorset Full Council on 13 July 2023, Green Councillors Kelvin Clayton (Bridport) and Belinda Bawden (Lyme & Charmouth) proposed a motion committing Dorset Council to working with the Government and water companies to prevent sewage discharges into our rivers and beaches. This motion was passed almost unanimously. Green Group Leader Clare Sutton says: “This situation is a total disgrace. Weymouth’s economy relies on visitors being confident of the quality of our sea water, and within our ward it’s also very important to those who swim at Smallmouth, Sandsfoot, Castle Cove and Newton’s Cove. "Given the vast profits Wessex Water and others have made since privatisation, Government must ensure that it’s the shareholder not the customer who pays."
3 April 2023 / 22 December 2024 by chrishenderson
Built just after World War I, Bradford, Tennyson and Emerson Roads form a distinct community off Chickerell Road in Rodwell, Weymouth, with two public greens. These are well-loved by residents, who tended them during lock down, where young children have played safely for many decades. Residents were horrified when landowner Aster submitted a planning application to build new houses - just two, not even affordable ones, with four parking spaces - covering the whole of Tennyson Green. They organised a fantastic campaign against this, which Rodwell & Wyke Green Councillors Brian Heatley and Clare Sutton fully supported, and were delighted when Aster withdrew their application.
