The Council

The Parish Council celebrates the long-standing service given by Cllr Henry Ford to Abbotsbury Parish and the Chesil Bank Parish Council

Henry Ford 1938 to 2021

Chesil Bank Parish Council owe Henry Ford a debt of gratitude to the many years of service as a Councillor.

Henry Joined the Parish Council following the grouping order in 1973. He was Vice Chairman to the Parish Council from approx. 1989 to 2011. And was Chairman of Abbotsbury Parish from 1989 to 2015

His accolades include:

• The building of the Glebe houses ensuring they were for community benefit and securing 2 houses specifically for the Parish Council to nominate. Especially the S106 to protect these houses.
• The Abbotsbury Recreation Play area project of 2010 (pictured)
• The Chesil Bank Parish Plan of 2010
• The Rural Roads project on the B3157- 2011
• The installation of the MIP masts for mobile phones in Abbotsbury and Portesham 2014

Henry was key in the £1,000,000 B3157 “upgrade” and other highways battles.

In the early years of his membership of the council he knew all of the then DCC Highway Department officials and managed to obtain many road improvements/repairs through the “old Boy Network” which benefited the parish as a whole.   He also worked extremely hard on the B3157 “upgrade” where he fought against many entrenched positions and incredible ideas which would have cost money and done nothing to improve the safety of the road whereas many of the modifications he recommended were thrown out for what, appeared to many, to be petty reasons such as the removal/moving back of the hedge by the Bagwell Farm corner where the Dorset AONB flatly refused to countenance it as it is and “ancient hedge” thus totally disregarding any road safety measures

Words from one of the Chesil Bank Cllrs who was at school with Henry along with other Councillors who still serve the community themselves.

When I first joined the CBPC many years ago I found Henry’s wise counsel and advice such a help in my early days of becoming a parish councillor. I soon began to realise how much Henry loved and cared for his village of Abbotsbury and the people living there.  Henry contributed so much time and energy to protecting the interests of his village and local people his loss will leave a void which will never be replaced in the same way.

Henry was instrumental in securing social housing for local people on the Glebe development in Abbotsbury. His stubbornness and persistence resulted in the developer gifting two of the houses to the Abbotsbury parish council now (CBPC) with full control of occupation by local people together with a 106 agreement for the remainder of the social housing which retains the right of the parish council to nominate firstly local people in Abbotsbury then to other villages within the parish. Maintaining a steady rental income to the parish for ever.

Henry was a gentle man his passion and his wealth of knowledge will be sorely missed by us all.

Henry passed away not long after his wife Peggy.

Our thoughts are with the family Bridget, David, Helen, Sam and Jack at this time.

Ray Doggett

Chesil Bank Parish Council celebrates 10 years of service given by Ray Doggett who served as a Councillor for Langton Herring

Ray was elected in May 2011, he was the Chair of Langton Herring Parish for 5 years and he served on many of the Council’s working groups: Planning and Development, Neighbourhood Plan, Broadband and Communications, Emergency and the Finance and Budget working groups.

Ray was always on hand to offer support to the Council on planning matters.

Ray was key in the installation of the defibrillator located on the village hall and in ensuring the preservation of the Elm Tree pub for community benefit with an ACV. Ray was instrumental in the installation of the bench on the amenity area in Langton Herring and the securing of the village Pound adopted by the Parish Council.

Ray’s contributions to the Parish Council and the community of Langton Herring will be sorely missed.

Our thoughts are with his wife Jeanette and their family.

Councillor Dave Stevens, who recently passed away was a valued member of the Parish Council, he served as a Cllr for Abbotsbury for 18 years and was the Vice Chairman for the last 5 years.

Dave will be greatly missed by his fellow Cllrs, and Clerk.

Cllr John Coombe stood down as Chair of CBPC at the May meeting,

John was co-opted onto the Council May 1984 in the role as Parish Councillor for Fleet.

After the June meeting Councillors clubbed together to present John with a longstanding award for 24 years dedicated service as Chairman of the Chesil Bank Parish Council