MIKE CORRAN

I’ve put my name forward for a second term on Dorchester Parish Council, so I wanted to tell you a bit about me, why I joined the council in the first place, what I’ve achieved at my first attempt and what I hope to do over the next few years if I’m elected. 

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A bit about me. Jill and I have lived on the High Street, behind the bee-wall, for nearly 20 years. I am often involved in running events at the festival and helping other village events come to life and I’m also active in other local organisations, I ran Oxford Hockey Club for many years and I chair the adult social care association in Oxfordshire.

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Why join the Parish council? I put my name forward to join council 4 years ago because it sits at the heart of our community. At its best, it works alongside the amazing efforts of other local groups and our district and county councils to really make our community a great place to live, work and play for all ages and interests. And I wanted this to all work much better.  

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So what did I do in my first term on the parish council? Amongst other things; I took the lead role for the council working alongside the rector and others to ensure we had a response for vulnerable residents in our community when the pandemic hit; I led the engagement of residents on the idea of a 20mph speed limit and then got OCC to agree; I have been at the forefront of getting OCC to pursue electric charging points in Bridge End; I made sure we got bike racks by the Co-op; I have led the organisation of our coronation celebrations, both the street party which will also raise funds for the school and pre-school and the volunteering opportunities that follow; I have managed our dialogue with Bishops Court Farm to ensure transparency and a voice for all opinions on the complex changes they are going through. 

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What do I want to do if I’m elected? I’d like to see us have a renewed vision for what residents want Dorchester to be like over the next decade. But then I want us to get on and do things. Specifically, I’d still like us to do more to join together the various groups in the village, I want to help to resolve the current social housing logjam we have in Dorchester and I want us to do what we can to take action to improve our environment. And all this with much more active engagement and communication with residents young and old. 

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We have an opportunity with the wider range of candidates who have put their names forward than we’ve had in many years to refresh both our ideas and energy.  I hope you will give me a chance to serve again on your behalf to be part of that effort.