Welcome to Sturminster Newton Town Council Website
Links to Dorset County Council, North Dorset District Council, The Exchange and other Useful Links
Sturminster Newton is a small market town in the heart of the Blackmore Vale and is a town steeped in history and tradition. It’s history goes back many generations and some of the family names go back centuries. In 1997 the well established Cattle Market closed its gates for the last time to the great sadness and dismay of local residents. The town and its residents were devastated, but over the last 10 years the community has worked tirelessly to regenerate the town and return the town to its former vibrancy. The main focus of the community’s efforts was raising the funding to re-build a community hall. This has been achieved to a greater extent that anyone could have visualised in 1997.
In 2007 the new heart of the community rose up in the form of The Exchange, a new building housing many of the townspeople’s facilities. There is a large Medical Centre, Dentist, Community Hall/Centre with a 300 seat Theatre, a Co-op store, Town Council Offices, accommodation for small businesses and rooms for the community to hire for a variety of different functions. The town has regained its vibrancy and with the assistance of Dorset County Council has had a town centre enhancement scheme, which has improved the overall appearance of the ageing town centre.
The Town Council owns two Recreation Grounds and manages the local popular tourist attraction Sturminster Mill on behalf of the Hinton St. Mary Estate. It also maintains the footpaths, verges, amenity areas on new developments and some small local play areas under Service Level Agreements with Dorset County Council and North Dorset District Council and Section 106 Agreements with builders of new housing developments. There are 2 large play areas in the 2 recreation grounds. The council also has responsibility for Sturminster Newton Cemetery, Allotments and Butts Pond Local Nature Reserve. In addition it has now taken over the responsibility for the Street Cleansing Service from North Dorset District Council and will be taking over the town centre public toilets from North Dorset District Council in April 2008.
Sturminster Newton is a small friendly town, which is a very popular place to live whatever your age.