Sturminster Newton Town Council exists to manage local facilities and services and to represent local people in decisions by government which affect them. The Council comprises eleven members. Town Councillors are subject to re-election every four years, the next election will be held in 2024. The work of the Councillors is supported by the paid staff and led by the Town Clerk.
The Council maintains an office in the town centre to act as both the main point of public access to services provided by the Council and as a “gateway” to as many other government services (central and local) as possible.
We welcome members of the public to contact us or visit us during our opening hours of 9.30am-12.30pm Monday to Friday except Bank Holidays.
Among its many functions, the Town Council:
- is consulted and invited to comment on every planning application made within the town
- owns and manages the town’s cemetery
- owns and manages the Railway Gardens
- owns and manages two recreation grounds and two other play areas
- manages the public toilets at Station Road, Ricketts Lane and the Mill
- provides a town centre street-cleaning and Town Orderly service
- leases the local popular tourist attraction Sturminster Mill from the Hinton St. Mary Estate and supervises its management by Sturminster Newton Heritage Trust.
- maintains many footpaths, verges, amenity areas and other public open spaces around the town
- provides highway verge maintenance services under the County Lengthsman Scheme.
- has responsibility for the allotments at Filbridge Rise and kitchen garden plots behind Chinnocks
- owns Butts Pond Local Nature Reserve and facilitates its management by the Dorset Countryside Rangers Service
For more detailed information please access the
Services section on this website.
Many of these functions are supported by and only possible thanks to the efforts of those local people who give up their time voluntarily to serve the community.