Recently, I had wished to submit two questions on behalf of Advearse objecting to the development at Vearse Farm.

I had submitted the questions electronically by email on a particular Sunday night, knowing that the West Dorset District Council meeting was on the following Thursday afternoon. An email arrived from WDDC the next day, informing me that they needed three working days notice and that I had missed the submission date.

The alternative was to contact a receptive West Dorset District councillor to ask the questions on my behalf.

The individual, whom I won’t name, initially told me that he had ‘no time for organisations such as Advearse’, to which I replied that it should not preclude you from asking my questions.

Suffice to say the two questions were tailored, as to not generate any controversy, by him, whereby there was no mention of Advearse, or any other salient points of mine.

Subsequently, the two questions were asked lacking the desired impact I had intended to voice.

The quicker we adopt a unitary authority in Dorset, will be for the better I feel, for all of us.

Richard Freer

West Allington