Improvement calls for Dorchester’s historic Walks

Closer co-operation could help improve Dorchester’s historic Walks, which mark the footprint of the old Roman walls.

Claims have been made that vandalism and anti-social behaviour have been frequently missed or dealt with late  – leading to a further decline of the area.

Dorset Council has also come in for fresh criticism for leaving a collapsed section of the Walks wall, in the corner of Colliton Park near the Roman Villa, crumbling and propped up with scaffolding with no work carried out on it since April 2022.

Even then the work only involved erecting scaffolding and water tanks, which provide ballast, because the wall had deteriorated over prior years to the extent where had become a health and safety hazard. Nothing has happened since then and the wall this week was still in the same state as when it was last photographed two years ago – although is now more overgrown with ivy.

Despite this singular blemish to the Walks walls, a listed structure, town councillors say that by working with Dorset Council, and possibly others, the Walks could be cleared of graffiti, planting improved, the bins emptied more frequently and the whole area made to feel more welcoming.

Dorchester BID and the town council already part sponsor a “Keeper of the Walks” to tidy up and keep an eye on the area.

Former town mayor and chairman of Dorset Council, Cllr Stella Jones, said that despite the call for improvements the Walks remain one of the town’s most attractive features with spring flowers featuring at the moment in some sections.

Speaking after a town council planning and environment committee on Monday evening she said she believed that with closer collaboration between the two councils the Walks could become more attractive.

Cllr Richard Biggs had prompted a debate about public areas in the town at a previous meeting, complaining that some parts of the county town looked grubby and unkempt.

On Monday he said that more needed to be done – with staff becoming more proactive in reporting problems: “Why don’t the people who empty the bins notice the graffiti and suggest something is done about it?” he said, suggesting that the reason might be because of what is known as ‘silo working’ where staff from one area ignore things which are not their direct responsibility.

Cllr Robin Potter said his experience was that when problems were reported to Dorset Council, which look after the Walks paths and trees, it was usually dealt with quickly : “but it would be helpful if their staff noticed things a bit earlier,” he said.

Cllr Andy Canning told the meeting he would prefer the town council to look after all of the Walks – but said that without financial help from Dorset Council it would be unable to do that, suggesting that closer co-operation might be the next best thing.