Cllr Charlie Squires

11/06/2026

⛔️ Upton House Food and Music Festival 2026 – Traffic and Parking Notice ⛔️

BCP Council has advised the Upton By‑Pass westbound slip road (leading to Upton House) will be closed from 2pm on Friday 12th June until 7am on Monday 15th June.

Parking will be suspended on Woodpecker Drive in Creekmoor on both sides, between the junctions of Longmeadow Lane and Blackbird Close, for the duration of the event.

Full emergency services access will be maintained throughout, and access to all properties will remain available.

Diverted traffic will be directed via Upton Bypass, onto Blandford Road North, then down Poole Road.

06/06/2026

🇬🇧 82nd Anniversary of D‑Day 🇬🇧

Today we mark 82 years since D‑Day, 6 June 1944 — the largest amphibious invasion in history, with 156,000 Allied troops, 7,000 ships/landing craft and 11,590 aircraft taking part. Around 4,400 Allied troops were killed on the first day alone.

D‑Day remains one of the most defining moments in modern history, it’s a day when extraordinary bravery turned the tide of the war. A stark reminder that the freedoms we enjoy today were secured through immense sacrifice, and it is our duty to honour those who made it possible.

Locally, Poole was the third busiest embarkation point and the harbour was one of the busiest military ports in the world. Over 300 landing craft sailed from here, with many also being built and tested in Poole. Troops from the US 29th Infantry Division and US Rangers also left from our harbour for Omaha Beach.

Lytchett Minster hosted Camp D2, a sealed military camp where soldiers prepared in the final days before the invasion. For many, the woodlands and fields of Lytchett Minster were the last places they slept on British soil before crossing the Channel.

Today, we honour their courage, their sacrifice, and the instrumental role our local area and people played in the fight for liberty.

Lest we forget.

Photo: Omaha Beach, Courtesy of The National WWII Museum

05/06/2026

🚒 SAVE HAMWORTHY FIRE STATION 🚒

The Chief Fire Officer has confirmed that 6 of the 8 stations under review will be saved, but Hamworthy is recommended for closure, with crews and equipment moving to Poole. This mirrors the situation Poole was in before losing its second pump last year — except now Hamworthy loses its cover entirely.

This recommendation remains unacceptable.

Hamworthy’s unique geography, heavy traffic, frequent bridge issues, and key local infrastructure all make a dedicated fire station essential. Response times will suffer, and that affects real people in real emergencies.

Once Hamworthy Fire Station is closed, the site will be lost permanently, and securing a new location in the future would be extremely challenging.

If you haven’t already, please sign my petition: https://c.org/pwdfC7TkVj

Our community deserves better and I will continue to fight to save Hamworthy Fire Station.

Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole said: “The Members Working Group met yesterday (4th June) to consider the feedback received through the public consultation on the potential fire station closure proposals. They also received an update on the Service’s financial position. I have had some positive dis...

05/06/2026

Following the recent wave of shed break-in’s, antisocial behaviour and other criminal activity around the town, I organised a meeting with David Sidwick - Dorset Police & Crime Commissioner and the Purbeck Neighbourhood Policing Team on Wednesday, to raise the concerns of residents.

The NPT officers confirmed they will be:

🗣️ Speaking directly with residents who’ve been affected, including visiting victims in person to provide updates.

⛓️ Offering support with target‑hardening to help improve home and business security.

👮‍♂️ Holding monthly drop-in sessions at the Town Council offices (dates TBC, will share these as soon as they’re confirmed).

📲 Improving communication so residents are kept better informed about local policing activity.

We also discussed police visibility. The NPT has increased from 3 officers to 5, and they’ve committed to sharing more about the preventive work they undertake.

Shoplifting was another key issue raised, which is often done to fund further criminal offences. Whilst national and company policies sometimes prohibit staff from apprehending shoplifters, the Police have become faster and launched a more streamline approach to evidence collecting, We were updated on Op Shopkeeper, which is already seeing results, with around 70% success rates thanks to a dedicated investigatory unit in the Force. The NPT will also be speaking with local shops about all of this too.

The most important thing overall is to report details of any crime, as intelligence is what leads to criminal charges. This can be done by calling 101, using the online form or contacting CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If the crime is in progress or someone is in danger, call 999.

I’ll continue to push for this stronger action, visibility and better communication on behalf of residents. If you have any concerns, please do get in touch.

01/06/2026

Today we celebrate Dorset Day and honour St Wite, whose feast day falls on 1 June and whose legacy of resilience and community spirit still shapes our county today.

Dorset’s heritage, landscapes and strong sense of place make it the best of all counties. Our communities, businesses, local traditions and shared pride continue to keep that identity alive — from our coastline to our towns and villages.

Thank you to everyone who helps keep that spirit alive, whether through volunteering, supporting neighbours or simply taking pride in our beautiful county.

Proud to be 16th generation Dorset and to serve this community every day.

16/05/2026

Today I had the privilege of joining Poole’s Beating of the Bounds ceremony - a tradition that dates back to 1626.

It was how towns like Poole physically marked and remembered their boundaries long before maps were reliable. People would walk the edges of the parish, boat out to the boundaries, tap the markers, and pass the knowledge down through generations so no one could dispute the land or water rights.

It was especially meaningful for me because my great‑grandfather (whom I’m named after) used to take part in this ceremony, and the photo below shows him beating the sea bounds almost 50 years ago. Standing there today, following the same ancient markers he would have once checked was very special.

The tradition wouldn’t have been complete today without the Sheriff of Poole presiding over the historic Pie Powder Court - once a real court of “dusty feet,” a medieval system set up to deliver fast justice to travelling traders, sailors and the occasional mercenary who caused trouble.

A brilliant day of proud tradition, and a reminder of how deeply the town’s history runs. I am very proud to be from Poole.

15/05/2026

🚒 Save Hamworthy Fire Station 🚒

The consultation closes in just under half an hour - still enough time to respond and have your voice heard. We cannot let the station close under any circumstance!

🚨 Important Announcement! 🚨

Our public consultation regarding the proposed station closures will end at 5 PM tomorrow (15 May).

If you haven't participated in our survey yet, we strongly encourage you to visit our website and share your views. Your feedback is important to us and plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our community services.

💻📢 Don’t miss out on this opportunity to express your thoughts and concerns. Head over to: www.dwfire.org.uk/proposed-station-closures/ 🕔✍️

Thank you for being an engaged member of our community.

12/05/2026

🚔 RECENT BURGLARIES IN UPTON 🚔

I have been in contact with David Sidwick - Dorset Police & Crime Commissioner today, regarding the recent spate of burglaries and criminality affecting parts of Upton.

It seems bikes are being targeted in particular, including from secure units and back gardens, but also further robbery and vandalism has been reported.

This is affecting individuals, public assets and causing concern amongst our wider community. Simply being given a crime reference number is not good enough, especially when there could be repeat offending and a possible connection of crimes.

Crime must pay. The lack of accountability only helps to normalise it in the eyes of the offenders. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Looking at the statistics and based on what has been reported over time, Upton is not a crime hotspot. But this does not mean we can ignore what has sprung up. The Town Council is pushing for a meeting with the Neighbourhood Police Team and fighting for an increased presence in the town.

I would urge anyone affected to contact Dorset Police via 101 (telephone or online), if you haven’t already. The more data the police have, the better they will be able to respond. Similarly, if you have any information relating to these crimes then you can report this to 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers online or by phoning 0800 555 111.

I will keep on fighting for the protection and visible policing our community deserves.

11/05/2026

🚒 Hamworthy Fire Station Must Not Close 🚒

The consultation closes THIS Friday (15th May) this is the final chance to be heard. You can respond here: https://www.dwfire.org.uk/about-us/your-fire-and-rescue-service/proposed-station-closures

Every single response matters. If you have not yet taken part in the consultation, please do so now. Your voice can help make the difference between keeping a vital emergency service or losing it forever.

Hamworthy Fire Station is not just another station on a list. It is essential - operationally, geographically and in terms of community risk. The crew are experienced with the unique nature of our area. Closing it would be extremely dangerous and completely unjustifiable.

Hamworthy serves an often effectively isolated peninsula community with limited access routes, a significant population and multiple high‑risk sites. Lytchett Minster and Upton face the same risks, surrounded by heathland and dependent on fast response times. Removing this station would not simply reduce resilience - it would actively endanger lives.

The wider plan remains deeply alarming:
❌ Closure of eight stations
❌ Loss of 96 firefighters
❌ Removal of all associated appliances (engines/vehicles)

All of this would increase risk across Dorset and Wiltshire.

Poole already lost its second pump (engine) last year, and with Hamworthy frequently providing cover when the remaining engine is on call. What will happen if the Hamworthy engine and crew is gone?

We must make it impossible for decision‑makers to ignore the strength of feeling in our community.

We must show them that Hamworthy is essential.

We must show them that closure is not an option.

Please respond to the consultation before it closes on Friday. Encourage your friends, family and neighbours to do the same. Once the deadline passes, the public’s chance to influence this decision is gone.

Hamworthy must not - under any circumstance - close.