Councillors
The Town Council is made up of 16 Councillors who are voluntary. They can choose to receive the allowance that is now available. This is to cover Council-related costs such as stationery, telephone bills, travel, etc. Councillors represent different wards of the Town. The Dorset (Electoral Changes) Order 2016 created the following five wards in Blandford Forum: Blandford Badbury Heights (One Councillor), Blandford Central (Six Councillors), Blandford Hilltop (Two Councillors), Blandford Langton St Leonards (Four Councillors) and Blandford Old Town Ward (Three Councillors).
Councillors are also appointed to act as representatives to organisations and groups within the town. Representation in the local community develops greater understanding within the Council of the role these organisations and groups have. Representatives are nominated either at the request of a particular organisation/group or, if core funding has been granted, at the request of the Town Council.
The term of office for representatives is for a period of one year commencing from the Statutory Annual Meeting of the Town Council in May. Town Council representatives are expected to attend meetings of the organisation they represent and take an active part in its operations. Annual reports are submitted by each representative to the Statutory Annual Meeting of the Town Council in May.
The May 2020 Statutory Annual Meeting has had to be cancelled. The majority of Councillors voted to retain positions until May 2021.
Cllr Russell resigned in September 2020 due to relocation abroad. The Dorset Council was informed and the notice for a request for an election to fill the vacancy in the Langton St Leonards ward was advertised. Only three out of the required ten requests were received and therefore no election was called. At the Town Council meeting on Monday 26th October Town Councillors resolved to not co-opt at this point and wait until this can be done safely in person.
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Cllr Lee Hitchings has been elected as Chairman and Town Mayor for 2021/2022
Badbury Heights Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2015
Chairman of Council 2021/2022
Ex-officio member of all Committees and working groups.
Town Council Representative to Blandford Yuletide Festival, Cycling Officer and Georgian Fayre.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
Hitch A Lift Ltd T/A Kens Kabs – Taxi Driver, Kings Road Cars Ltd – Taxi Driver
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee of Barnes for a Recreation, St John Ambulance – Blandford Unit
Contact Details:
9 Willow Park, Church Lane, Pimperne, DT11 8UB
01258 269077Receives £450 per year Chairman allowance
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Hilltop Ward
Serving Councillor since 1983
Past Mayor 1988/1989, 1995/1996 and 1999/2000
Vice Chairman of Recreation & Amenities Committee.
Member of Planning and Finance & Staffing Committees.
Town Council Representative on the Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan, Blandford Yuletide Festival, DAPTC Larger Councils and North Dorset and William Williams Charity Representative.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
79 Salisbury Road, Blandford Forum DT11 7LP
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee for Barnes for a Recreation, Member of the Labour Party, National Education Union, William Williams Charity and Chairman of DAPTC.
Contact Details:
79 Salisbury Street, Blandford Forum DT11 7LP
01258 453666Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Central Ward
Serving Councillor since 1999
Past Mayor 2003/2004, 2009/2010, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021
Chairman of Recreation & Amenities Committee.
Member of Planning and Finance & Staffing Committees.
Town Council Representative to the Allotment Society, Blandford Leisure Centre Consultative Group, Great Dorset Steam Fair and Remembrance Sunday Planning Group.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
31 Barnes Close, Blandford Forum DT11 7NG
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee of Barnes for a Recreation, Trustee of Age Concern, and Trustee of Blandford Forum Charities.
Contact Details:
31 Barnes Close, Blandford Forum DT11 7NG
01258 456209Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Central Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2003
Past Mayor 2007/2008, 2014/2015, 2015/2016
Chairman of Finance & Staffing Committee.
Member of Planning Committee and Recreation & Amenities Committee.
Town Council Representative to Blandford Public Transport Group and Garrison/Police/Council Joint Partnership Group.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
Taxi Driver, Hitch a Lift Ltd T/A Kens Kabs, Dorset
Kings Road Cars Ltd, 27 Kings Road, Blandford Forum, DT11 7LD
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee of Blandford Forum Charities, Member of the Liberal Democrats Party, Trustee for Barnes for A Recreation, Chairman of Blandford Leisure Centre Consultation Group, Trustee / President of Blandford Opportunity Group
Contact Details:
27 Kings Road, Blandford Forum DT11 7LD
01258 455840Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Central Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2011
Past Mayor 2018/2019
Chairman of Planning Committee.
Member of Recreation & Amenities and Finance & Staffing Committees.
Town Council Representative to the BFTC Commemoration Group, Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan, Blandford Forum Charities, Blandford Leisure Centre Consultative Group, Foundation Governors Blandford Secondary School Foundation, Mortain & Blandford Twinning Association and the Remembrance Sunday Planning Group.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
2 Greenhill, Blandford Forum, DT11 7TX
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee for a Barnes for Recreation
Trustee of TreadsContact Details:
2 Greenhill, Blandford Forum DT11 7TX
07805 242691Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Langton St Leonards Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2011
Chairman of Town & General Purposes Committee.
Member of Planning and Finance & Staffing Committees.
Town Council Representative to the Allotment Society, Blandford Town Team, Diversity Representative, Foundation Governors Blandford Secondary School Foundation, TREADS and Tree Warden.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
School Master and Administrator at Milton Abbey School, 4 Albert Street, Blandford Forum DT11 7HY
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee of Barnes for a Recreation, Member of the Liberal Democrat Party, Member of teaching union, Blandford Mortain Twinning association, Foundation Governors of Blandford School, Member of Staff at Milton Abbey School, a registered charity, Member of the Town Team
Contact Details:
4 Albert Street, Blandford Forum DT11 7HY
01258 480366Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Old Town Ward
Serving Councillor since October 2011
Past Mayor 2017/2018
Member of Planning and Town & General Purposes Committee.
Town Council Representative to Ancient Monument Officer, Blandford Forum Charities and Flood Warden.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
Builder, Letting Agent, 1 and 3 The Plocks Blandford Forum, 13-15 Market Place Blandford Forum, 45d Salisbury Street Blandford Forum, 31 Salisbury Street Blandford Forum, 3 Market Place Blandford Forum, 7 River Mews Blandford Forum
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee of Barnes for a Recreation
Contact Details:
7 River Mews, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AXReceives £0 per year Councillor allowance
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Old Town Ward
Serving Councillor since October 2014
Vice Chairman of Planning Committee.
Member of Recreation & Amenities Committee.
Town Council Representative for Age UK, Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan, Blandford Forum Charities, Blandford Opportunity Group, Blandford Business Group, DAPTC Larger Council and North Dorset and TIC Observer.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
29 Damory Street, Blandford Forum DT11 7EU
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Blandford St Mary Parish Councillor, Trustee for Barnes for a Recreation, Forum Focus Magazine Director and Publisher, Trustee Blandford Opportunity Group.
Contact Details:
29 Damory Street, Blandford Forum DT11 7EU
01258 456999Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Langton St Leonards Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2015
Vice Chairman of Council 2021/22, Ex-officio member of all Committees and working groups.
Town Council Representative to BFTC Commemoration Group, Blandford Yuletide Festival, Blandford Business Group, Clean Up Blandford Campaign and DAPTC Larger Councils and North Dorset.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
None
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Chairman of the Georgian Fayre, Trustee of Blandford Forum Charities and Chairman of the Blandford Opportunity Group, Committee Member of Yuletide Festival Group.
Contact Details:
16 Andrew Close, Blandford Forum, DT11 7PG
01258 453955Receives £0 per year Councillor allowance
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Old Town Ward
Serving Councillor since March 2016
Member of Planning and Recreation & Amenities Committees.
Town Council Representative of Blandford Area Youth Management Committee and Foundation Governors Blandford Secondary School Foundation (Deputy).
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
Noc’s Box Gaming Shop 27 Salisbury Street DT11 7AU, NOCS Charity No.1174878, 5 Dorset Street DT11 7RG
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Dorset Council Councillor, Trustee of Barnes for a Recreation
Contact Details:
5 Dorset Street, DT11 7RG
07815 951095Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Central Ward
Serving Councillor since November 2016
Vice Chairman of Finance & Staffing Committee.
Member of Planning and Town & General Purposes Committees.
Town Council Representative for Blandford Area Youth Management Committee, Blandford Literary Festival, Citizens Advice Dorset and TREADS.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
Transformation Manager LV, Country Gates, Bournemouth, 3 Sharp Close, DT11 7FY
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee of Barnes for a Recreation, Labour Party, Unite
Contact Details:
3 Sharp Close, DT11 7FY
07917 831009Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Central Ward
Serving Councillor since April 2017.
Member of the Planning and Town & General Purposes Committees.
Town Council Representative of BFTC Commemoration Group, Blandford Fashion Museum, Blandford Forum Charities, Blandford Literary Festival, Blandford Museum Trust and Clean Up Blandford Campaign.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
16 Alexandra Street, Blandford Forum, DT11 7QP
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Dorset Council Councillor, Member of the Conservative Party, Member of the Blandford Arches Trust, Trustee of Barnes for a Recreation Ground.
Contact Details:
16 Alexandra Street, Blandford Forum, DT11 7QP
07843 616343Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance.
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Hilltop Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2019
Member of Planning, Town & General Purposes and Finance & Staffing Committees.
Town Council Representative on BFTC Commemoration Group, Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan, Blandford & District Civic Society, Blandford Museum Trust, Clean Up Blandford Campaign, Mortain & Blandford Twinning Association and Rights of Way Officer.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
34 Dorset street, Blandford Forum, DT11 7RF
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee for Barnes for a Recreation, Member of the Labour Party
Contact Details:
15 Manor Farm Close, Pimperne, DT11 8XL
01258 452849Receives £0 per year Councillor allowance
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Central Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2019 (previously 1990-2015)
Past Mayor 2000/2001
Vice Chairman of Town & General Purposes Committee.
Member of Planning Committee.
Town Council representative on Blandford & District Civic Society, Blandford Fashion Museum, Blandford Yuletide Festival, Citizens Advice Dorset, Remembrance Sunday Planning Group and TIC Observer.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
16 Liddington Crescent, Blandford Forum DT11 7RP
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee for Barnes for a Recreation
Contact Details:
16 Liddington Crescent, Blandford Forum DT11 7RP
01258 480451Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
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Langton St Leonards Ward
Serving Councillor since May 2019
Member of Planning and Recreation & Amenities Committee.
Town Council Representative on Blandford Area Youth Management Committee.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:
Game On Gaming Centre, Busy Bees Cleaning Service, 64 Diamond Way, Blandford Forum, DT11 7WD
Disclosable Personal Interests:
Trustee for Barnes for a Recreation
Contact Details:
64 Diamond Way, Blandford Forum, DT11 7WD
07756 856018Receives £350 per year Councillor allowance
Code of Conduct
The Town Council has adopted a new Code of Conduct in line with the required regulations. The link below opens the Town Council’s Code of Conduct.
Register of Interests
The Town Council has adopted Appendix A and B of the new Code of Conduct, and therefore has two registers of interest, a register of pecuniary interests and a register of personal interests. These are listed under each Councillor’s profile.
The register of interests are held on the principal authority’s website.
