Month: April 2020

The Conservative Group on BCP Council have formally called for the ruling Liberal Democrat alliance to bring back plans to modernise the Council, originally promised by Local Government Reorganisation (“LGR”) a year ago but formally put on hold this month. “The Covid-19 pandemic is a Health and Economic crisis of enormous scale. We welcome the huge mobilisation effort from officers in relation to the Health emergency whilst calling into question the administration’s financial planning response to date. With a huge loss in the Council’s income expected through diminished receipts in areas like car parking it is without doubt that we will have a financial hole that is well in excess of our reserves. Any commercial organisation would have immediately looked at a financial response but briefings with senior officers shockingly…

Longstanding Hamworthy Councillor, Mike White, joins his BCP Council colleagues in expressing his disappointment that the Twin Sails Bridge has now been closed again for over two weeks. “When this was closed last summer the Leader of the Council described the situation in an Echo article dated August 10th as "completely unacceptable". She also assured us in that article that despite inheriting issues with the bridge "we intend to sort this out" and stated she would ask why "there has been no contingency plan in place" The BCP Conservative Group understand there is now a further problem with the other lifting ram and would like to know exactly what the contingency plan is and how the new BCP administration proposes to deliver on the wide-ranging promises made last summer.”

The Boscombe & Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan was formally adopted by the Council at the end of last year. This followed 4 years of hard work by the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and involved numerous public meetings and various consultation events leading to the submission of the draft Plan and its ratification in a local referendum. Conservative councillor, Andy Jones said “A key component of the Plan is to protect the character and heritage of the Boscombe & Pokesdown area. Despite the Plan being in place we continue to see permitted development applications from owners/developers seeking to demolish period properties and replace them with often pokey and characterless blocks of flats. One such application received over 80 objections from residents! The Neighbourhood Plan needs to be given more teeth so as…

The Conservative Group of BCP Council are establishing a powerful, focussed and determined ‘Group’ to bring a strong Conservative-values influence on the new direction of the BCP Council which was created just one year ago to promote the interests and well-being of three great Towns that comprise the BCP Council conurbation. A “circular Forum” of Conservative Councillors will bring all issues effecting Residents to the Group for a cross-Conurbation consensus of where BCP operations can and should be operating effectively and sustainably. For example : The Environment Working Group, under the Chairmanship of the Shadow Portfolio Holder for Environment, Cllr Mark Anderson  have started examining aspects of BCP operations that Residents have questioned in effectiveness , efficiency and indeed perceived cost effectiveness as all Councils are required to progress towards lean…

At the most recent BCP Council Overview & Scrutiny committee, Conservative Councillor, Laurence Fear, raised the very important issue around mental health awareness and provision during this pandemic crisis. His concerns are not only for our Residents but also for the BCP staff and the wider community in this unprecedented climate. Cllr Fear said "We are all having to adapt to a very challenging environment as we come to terms with the many differing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown in particular. It is hugely important that we give focus to mental health at this time as we know people are struggling. I have asked for our provision to be actively publicised and examined and I was pleased to get reassurance on this from the Director of Public Health".…

The new leader of the Conservative Group on BCP Council, Cllr Drew Mellor, has announced his Shadow Cabinet. “This is a time for experienced, collaborative leadership and I am pleased to bring this team forward to support and positively challenge the current administration. The priority for all of us now is working collaboratively with the full Council membership in the face of the grave and unprecedented challenges facing our Residents from the Coronavirus pandemic. The importance of the BCP Council response to this threat to all of us supersedes any political considerations and the Conservative Group pays tribute to the huge mobilisation efforts led by the Council Officers to ensure all Residents who need and deserve help and advice receive it promptly. Led by Government, considerations towards employment and job…

Councillor Mark Anderson, the BCP Conservative Shadow portfolio holder for the Environment, is calling on BCP Council to allow residents to put out extra recycling for collection in a bid to cut down on the increasing instances of fly-tipping and bonfires. Highlighting an increase in people now buying mail order and then not being able to legally dispose of the packaging, Cllr Anderson said “ several of my residents have already asked me how can they get rid of this excess waste legally” he went on to say “if some BCP residents are asking how can they dispose of this legally, how many are already dumping illegally?” The Queen’s Park Ward Councillor is now pushing the council to allow residents to put out the extra recycling they are accumulating in…

Lead Conservative Councillor for Adults and Health, Karen Rampton, “astonished” by lack of Health Scrutiny. “These are unprecedented times for the health and social care system, and an overview of how the local system is coping has never been more important. We need to know how services for care homes, mental health services, carers, and people with disabilities to name just a few are being supported. And with the major part of the BCP budget already allocated to Adult Social Care – and rising - just what are the implications of Covid 19 on the overall Council budget for the tax payer going forward? Meetings can legally be held virtually using Skype so there is no risk to any committee member. We’d like to work in a supportive and cooperative…