Our landscape and the rhythm of life in the Char Valley have evolved from a farming heritage. The tradition of nurturing crops and livestock, planting in the spring and gathering-in as the days shorten is deeply ingrained within us. For generations, the fellowship of shared country activities, whether harvesting crops, haymaking, hunting or hedge-laying, provided the theme and alignment to the seasons that exist in the country.
This does not indicate a static existence. Farming styles are changing, with new and varied enterprises appearing, the traditional ones expanding or contracting according to the economic pressure of the times. There are Countryside Stewardship farmers, smallholders, horticultural enterprises for organic vegetables, rare breed farmers and more traditional large scale farming, on land that used to be divided into smaller units. As farming families adjust their continued care and stewardship of the landscape, the importance of their role is indicated by the concern all our residents have shown, whether from farming backgrounds or not, in the protection of our countryside.
The residents in our village communities are also changing. Many people now living here came from outside the area, to work or to retire. The new residents work hard for their communities and bring a new energy to village activities and social life. The large number of retired people, together with the lack of affordable housing for youngsters, means that the average age has risen in most villages, though in Wootton Fitzpaine, with several Housing Association houses, a more balanced age range exists. All our residents love this area and their village communities but there are some difficulties that need to be addressed.
The first and most important issue is housing. As has been stated several times in this document, the provision of social housing is essential, so that working people can live in our villages, to keep the tourist and farming industries alive and well and support our elderly population. We are aware of the planning constraints of the AONB, but this is a man-made landscape, and the people who still work to maintain it should be allowed to live here too. We strongly recommend that the Local Plan be altered to allow us to find a suitable site in a village setting for a modest number of homes which will never come onto the open market.
We have had an enormous expansion in the tourist industry in the last few years, which has provided many jobs both directly and indirectly. The downside of this expansion has been the increased pressure on our environment from many more holiday units, and from increased traffic in our lanes. The residents also feel strongly that they are not getting value for money on their Council Tax. Most holiday units and businesses pay business rates, which do not go directly to our Local Authorities. Are we getting back enough money for West Dorset, to compensate for the expansion of this industry? Visitors are now encouraged to come throughout the year, not just during the summer months. Those who create policies that allow for the expansion of tourism must in return provide the services to protect our environment.
Our lanes have also suffered from lack of maintenance, which has led to more frequent flooding. Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council should put together a plan for better co-ordination on the delivery of a maintenance, cleaning and verge cutting programme for our lanes.
The residents have the will to keep their village communities going themselves. The future of the countryside and of our communities is uncertain at a time of rapid change, but we still farm the land, make a living through an enormous variety of different jobs, we are largely self employed and self sufficient and this is still a wonderful place to live and work.
Gathering in straw for thatching (Lynn Jenkins)