Latest news with #JonAndrews
BBC News
03-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Dorset Council calls a road junction 'safer' after 7-month revamp
A busy road junction has been made "safer and more accessible" for drivers and pedestrians after a revamp which took nearly seven months, a council has Jon Andrews from Dorset Council said he was "delighted with the new layout" at Maumbury junction in cabinet member for place services, said he was grateful for the public's "patience during the works" which began in project was shaped by community feedback and paid for using central government funding and Dorset Council's capital investment programme. The upgrades include improved pedestrian crossings and cycle paths, wider and levelled pavements, and the latest signalling equipment that adjusts to vehicle numbers to improve traffic flow.A puffin crossing has been moved closer to Queen's Avenue in order to make the route more spacious for the residents and school children who frequently use it. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Dorset Council tips booking plan revised after feedback
Controversial plans to introduce a booking system across Dorset's household tips have been revised after a chorus of Council previously said the plan was needed at all 10 of its sites to reduce congestion and prevent misuse by commercial users and people from outside the after a backlash, the authority rolled back the proposals to just four household recycling centres (HRCs) - Dorchester, Wimborne, Shaftesbury and said "alternative measures" would be explored to combat commercial misuse at Bridport, Swanage, Weymouth, Portland, Wareham and Blandford. About 20% of the waste received at Shaftesbury and Sherborne comes from outside of the county, according to the council, with the cost currently being met by council tax from across the county border in Somerset and Wiltshire will still be able to use both tips but will be required to pay an entry fee. The system is also aimed at reducing queuing at Dorchester and Wimborne, which are both prone to authority has not ruled out introducing the system across the remaining sites, saying it will "gather real-world data to assess the system's impact in areas of Dorset before considering a wider rollout".Place services councillor Jon Andrews said: "We still believe a booking system is the best way to protect our recycling centres from future service cuts, but this new approach allows us to prioritise the areas with the most pressing issues."We've heard from many residents who say 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and we get that. "But the reality is, the current service is costing more than it should, and some areas do need fixing to a certain extent."A booking system will save hundreds of thousands of pounds - money that helps us keep all our HRCs open and avoid reducing hours or closing locations." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Dorset Council 'determined' to roll out tip booking system
A council said it is "determined" to introduce a new booking system for its 10 household tips in the autumn despite thousands being opposed to Council said while its proposal has "generated significant public and political debate", it is the "most effective" way of maintaining its current said the system, which has been used successfully elsewhere, would help manage its sites and tackle illegal waste dumping."We understand that any change to a valued public service will raise concerns," Jon Andrews, the council's cabinet member for place services, said. "But this booking system is not about restricting access - it's about protecting it."Other councils have already adopted similar systems with high levels of public satisfaction, and we believe this is the right step to ensure our recycling centres remain open, efficient, and accessible," the Liberal Democrat rollout of the new system will cost about £120,000 but the authority said it will save it £20,000 every year with no change to staffing of people signed a petition against introducing booking, saying that the tips are already operating councillors Louie O'Leary and Gary Suttle will ask colleagues to support a rethink at a meeting on 10 July, which could lead to an approach for individual will say that the way the decision was taken by the governing Lib Dem group was wrong and could lead to increased fly-tipping. "We call on this council to scrap its proposed blanket tip appointment system and instead look at the situation centre by centre in consultation with ward members and the general public," they said in a statement. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
26-06-2025
- BBC News
Dorset Council warns of scam QR codes found at seaside car parks
A council has warned drivers of scam QR code stickers that have been put on some of its parking Council said it found the fake digital codes in car parks across the West Bay codes can direct users to a fake website designed to look like a legitimate parking payment local authority has made clear to residents and visitors that QR codes are not used at any of its car parks. It added payments at council car parks must be be made by cash, card or through the official JustPark Jon Andrews, Dorset Council's cabinet member for place services, said: "We are very concerned about this scam and the risk it poses to the public."If you see a QR code on a parking machine, do not scan it. Please report it to our parking services team straight away so we can investigate and remove it."If anyone believes they have entered their payment details on one of the scam websites they should report it to Action Fraud and alert Dorset Council's parking team. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Thousands sign petition against Bridport tip booking system
Thousands of people have signed a petition against plans to introduce a booking system at Dorset's Council said the system would be introduced across all 10 of its household recycling centres in the autumn to reduce congestion and waiting in Bridport, users of the facility at Broomhills said there were never any queues and the plan would disrupt the existing "harmonious process".Responding to the criticism, Dorset councillor Jon Andrews said the system was also needed to prevent people from using the tip who were not entitled to do so. The petition, launched by Gill Heathcote, says: "There are never any queues, the staff are efficient, helpful and welcoming, making every visit a smooth and pleasant experience."Imposing a booking system may deter many from making impromptu recycling trips, potentially increasing local landfill waste and reducing the community's enthusiasm for recycling."One signatory described Broomhills as "probably the best run recycling centre in the UK" and "the jewel of Bridport". In a Facebook post, Bridport town councillor Anna Killick said: "They haven't consulted anyone in the town. The dump works well as it is. This will increase stress and fly-tipping." Speaking on Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast show, Mr Andrews, who is Dorset's councillor for place services, said: "This is part of a wider effort, protecting essential services through technology rather than cuts."We get a lot of abuse of our tips by traders and commercial people coming to use the [household recycling centres] when they should be paying for what they're disposing of."And we get visits from other council areas, so we have to deal with the cost of disposing their waste."It's not just a case of congestion."Responding to the claims about fly-tipping, he said: "There are over 130 English local authorities that currently [use a booking system] and Defra did a report in 2022/23 where they researched 54 councils and they saw no increase in fly-tipping."Fly-tipping is illegal. Our enforcement team are doing a grand job at the moment... If you fly-tip in Dorset we will catch you." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
