Precious metal belonging to the elderly? (6

HALF TERM’S BRIGHT AT ADVENTURE WONDERLAND LITE! Adventure Wonderland is opening in a new form, just for the Half Term Holidays. You can enjoy Adventure Wonderland’s HUGE indoor play centre, play a round of crazy golf, plus enjoy a selection of popular rides and attractions including the Curvy Caterpillars, Charlie Cool’s Safari Jeeps, the Turbo Teacups and the Jabberwocky slide. Plus there will be live entertainment and character appearances in the eatre. Adventure Wonderland Lite: plenty to do, at a special reduced price, come rain or shine! ere’s outdoor play too! You can explore e Alice in Wonderland Maze, the Caucus Race and the Bizzy Dizzy Dormouse outdoor play area. Your visit will be completed by an appearance from one of the parks famous resident characters. Take your seat in the eatre for Storytime and dancing at 12noon and 3pm. Tickets can be booked online or you can arrive and pay on the day! Upgrade to one of our Annual Passes for as little as £32.50 and begin a whole year of visits to Adventure Wonderland. Check the website for the latest information. Visit www.adventurewonderland.co.uk Adventure Wonderland full park reopens fully on 9th April 2022. New for 2022: e Caterpillars Sensory Garden - opens May 2022.

SCHOOLS OUT Outline proposals for Matchams site Outline proposals have now been submitted for the redevelopment of the Matchams Stadium site at St LIBERTYS OWL, RAPTOR AND REPTILE Leonards with a continuing CENTRE care retirement community with 330 extra care units and Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre is named a er Liberty, our Alaskan Bald Eagle, one of the many birds of prey that we have on display at the Centre, which is located just outside Ringwood near the natural beauty of Hampshire’s New Forest National Park, and close to the a 60 bed care home. The application by Senior Living (Matchams) Limited, splendour of Dorset’s World Heritage “Jurassic” Coast. validated on February 2, is being considered by Dorset At Liberty’s you will nd a large collection of Birds of Prey, including Owls, Hawks, Falcons and Vultures, as well as a collection of Reptiles and other creepy crawlies in our Reptile House. Council, with a closing date of February 25 for public comments. We also o er falconry experience days, photographic experience days and It includes the provision of hawking days Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre is named a er Liberty, our Alaskan Bald Eagle, one of the many birds of prey that we have on display at the Centre, which is located just outside Ringwood near the natural beauty of Hampshire’s New Forest National Park, and close to the landscaping, open space, a suitable alternative natural greenspace (Sang), parking, splendour of Dorset’s World Heritage “Jurassic” Coast. and use of land as a nature conservation area, but the At Liberty’s you will nd a large collection of Birds of Prey, including Owls, Hawks, Falcons and Vultures, as well as a collection of Reptiles and other creepy crawlies in our Reptile House. outline application is to determine access only, with all detailed matters to follow. We also o er falconry experience days, photographic experience days and The proposal was the subject hawking days to people who want to take up the opportunity to enjoy a closer encounter with some of our birds. Enjoy a visit and observe these magni cent birds ying free and reptiles up close in various daily demonstrations. of a community consultation carried out by SP Broadway on behalf of the applicants, and run online and in a public exhibition last autumn. The consultation attracted more than 70 responses, the majority against the proposal, and SP Broadway say that asked if particular facilities were required onsite, a large number of objectors to the proposals made the point that they would wish to see the raceway left as it is and for the proposals to not go ahead. “A small number of respondents indicated that a small shop on site would be useful and one respondent indicated that walking routes through the nature reserve would be welcomed.” The formal planning application is accompanied by various documents including a social needs report outlining the need for accommodation for the elderly. A health impact assessment commissioned by the applicants from Savills says the 52-hectare site is in open countryside within a semirural community, and is characterised by the variety of sports and recreational land uses. Of the now restricted use for motorsport it states: “The established use generates visits of between 5,000 and 7,000 participants and spectators, generating congestion on Matchams Lane, and environmental and noise impacts.”

MPs’ round-up Full report should have been published

After weeks of waiting, we have been informed by Sue Gray that she is unable to produce a ‘meaningful’ report because the Metropolitan Police told her not to reveal details of the 12 events they are investigating. My view, however, is that Sue Gray could and should have published the full report and not caved into Police pressure. After raising this in the House of Commons on Friday, January, 28, I received strong support from lawyers and Constitutional experts. The Police investigation does not make the matter sub-judice. The investigation did not begin until after the report had been completed. By seeking to interfere in the content and timing of the report, the Police were usurping their power. Parliament should have insisted on seeing the full

Christchurch & East Dorset CHRIS CHOPE

report immediately. It was disappointing, therefore, that the main Opposition Party ducked the opportunity to put down a motion which would have achieved this and which I would have supported. While it may suit the Opposition for the issue to remain unresolved, that cannot be in the public interest. I share fully the anger and frustration of constituents at this avoidable turn of events. n Fortunately, there is some better news to report. I refer to the most welcome decision by the Government to abandon its ‘no jab, no job’ policies. Having condemned and voted against these measures from the outset as being at odds with individual liberty, it is gratifying to know that worried constituents working hard for the NHS will not now face the sack. But what about the thousands of workers in care homes who have been forced out against their wishes thereby exacerbating the chronic staffing crisis already being experienced in that sector? The Government should be apologising for the damage which this ill-considered policy has done to public health. n Several local dentists have written to me with their suggestions as to how to resolve the current acute crisis in NHS dentistry in Dorset. The latest information is that only three of the 99 dental practices across the whole county, including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, are accepting new adult patients and only a few more are accepting children. Although the Government has just announced £4.7million of extra funding for dentistry across the whole of the South West, that will be of no comfort to those who do not have access to a dentist. It is extraordinary that oral health does not form part of core healthcare policy. Every health profession other than dentistry has a place inside the NHS. Surely oral health should be reestablished as a right and not merely a luxury. I much look forward to discussing this further with local dentists.