TOWN councillors in Dorchester have agreed to a £500 grant to help set up the town’s first community fridge project. It will be based in the foyer of the Trinity Street Co-Op offering free surplus food, with a similar project also planned for Poundbury. Most of the food for the fridge will come from the Co-Op with other food businesses also being encouraged to contribute. Cllr Les Fry and Cllr Janet Hewitt both welcomed the project at Monday’s town council management committee but questioned some of the initial costs, which Cllr Fry pointed out amount to £7,500 for the first year.
TWO performance and arts venues may be better than one – according to Dorchester councillors. They have welcomed a £1.5m cash injection which will help meet the cost of redeveloping the Thomas Hardye School Theatre and the town’s Municipal Buildings. Additional payments to the projects will come from the town council, Dorchester Arts and the school. The £1.5m comes mainly from developer contributions through the Duchy development at Poundbury, but also from other larger building projects in the town over recent years. Local councillor Andy Canning said the fact that the two schemes were going ahead was important for Dorchester, especially after the failure to attract Arts England backing for the proposed £12m arts venue at The Maltings in Brewery Square.