We are one of 9 Forums covering Bournemouth, although not all of Bournemouth has a Forum.

As stated on all of our Agendas, our Forum is ‘non political and non partisan’.

This Forum is run by a committee of residents from the area and we are always looking for more committee members so please contact one of us at the end of the meeting if you would be interested in learning more.

It is the committee who determine what topics are discussed at meetings and who should be invited to speak after trying as hard as possible to identify the major issues affecting the area and the residents who live in it. Our overall aim is to bring the issues which most affect you and allow you The Forum to question what is being proposed so that you finish up with what you want and not what others think you should have.

So please if you are aware of any issues in your area please let us know through the web site, etc. so that we can assist in any way possible.

The current committee consists of:

Les Deller (Chairman), Ray O’Luby (Vice Chairman), Wendy Sharp (Secretary), Marion Oliver (Treasurer), Christine Channell, John Duncalf, Tony Fowle and Dominic Coleman (Committee Members)

In order to safeguard the political independence of the Forum our Constitution (copy on board) does not allow Councillors or our MP to be committee members but we do work very closely with all our councillors and without their valuable input this Forum would not be half as successful.

Forum is not part of the Council in any way, we are not employees or councillors, but because it helps the Council fulfil its legal obligation to involve and consult with its residents we are eligible to apply for funding to assist running these meetings.

I am please therefore to announce that as a result of our application for funding we have enough for the period April 2009 to March 2010. This along with a generous grant from our Strouden Councillors, to fund the web site, we have sufficient for this meeting plus two others scheduled to take place in October this year and February 2010. None of the committee or the speakers is paid in any way and this funding will used solely to pay Forum expenses such as the agenda printing and distribution, hire of the hall, web site, etc..

With future funding now secure now therefore is a good time if you were thinking of being involved in this Forum of doing so.

The situation regarding the release date of the South West Regional Spatial Strategy, by the Secretary of State, in which, amongst other things, the housing numbers for Bournemouth and the status of our Green Belt will be laid down by Government, is changing almost daily at the moment.

With the enormously successful public opposition campaigns in which this Forum played and is still playing a significant part, the amount of time it has taken GOSW to process the 35,000 letters of objection then the departure of Hazel Blears and her replacement, John Denham’s promise that he will look at it himself - it is most likely we will not know until at least the end of October, after the summer recess.

Should his conclusions be contrary to those stated by Dorset County Council, Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Authorities a joint Legal Challenge may be launched. There are only 6 weeks to do this from the date of the RSS being released and therefore the instructing solicitor at Dorset County Council has been gathering supporting material from across the County.

Bournemouth has submitted the representations made on the Draft RSS proposed changes concerning the North Bournemouth Urban Extension (the Green Belt) overall housing provision and the lack of infrastructure planning, a note expressing our concerns about the latest household projections which show a reduction in anticipated household growth to 2026 and a copy of the North Bournemouth Transport Appraisal undertaken by Mouchel (which as we mentioned previously, shows that Castle Lane is already at or above peak capacity).

The material was requested by 15th May and the initial opinion is that we have a good case, although a definitive answer is not possible until the decision is published. Objections would be lodged on process, i.e. there was no democratic involvement in putting forward the land selected and the effect on the environment without the necessary infrastructure.

On Monday, we received the excellent news that the legal challenge launched in the South East of England to their Regional Spatial Strategy was successful and this could obviously set a valuable precedent for our RSS.

And in the evening, at a meeting of the Dorset Defence Consortium made up of the seven action groups, of which we are one, the Councils and the CPRE, it was decided to:-

• Continue to lobby our M.Ps
• Write to the new Secretary of State, the letter signed by all groups to reassert our unity
• Stick together as a group even if the final housing numbers come out in favour of our particular area - there may be an attempt to divide and separate.
• Report any application to build in the Green Belt to the consortium. Just being in the draft is a ‘material consideration’ in any appeal.
• Remain vigilant as whoever wins the next election will have housing number plans and offer incentives to Councils to fulfil these.
• Tie in with the Bristol Group www.saveourgreenspaces.org who are highly active and co-ordinating with the CPRE

In a recorded vote last week, our full Council gave 100 per cent support to release funding for the joint legal challenge, our M.P. Tobias Ellwood has tabled questions in Parliament and it is thought unlikely this fading Government will be looking for a fight, but one thing is very clear:-

If we win this one, it will be down to ordinary people like you and me, who take the trouble to turn out to meetings like these, who are prepared to put pen to paper, go round raising awareness and refuse to listen to doubters who say you can’t make a difference, because we can - and we do. Our elected representatives need our input and support and this Forum makes a difference.

On 1st June 2009, the Chairman e-mailed Trevor Badley, Prindipal planning Officer, minerals and Waste, as follows:-

Response 3rd June 2009:-

Chairman feels this means they are going back to square one, but was pleased to report 61 objections had been lodged after Forum raised awareness on this and with the support from our local Councillors.

Cllr Whittaker expressed disappointment this site is to go on to stage 2 of the consultation and had not already been taken out. He will attend the next meeting on July 31st.

Forum continues to actively participate in fact - finding missions and consultation on this subject. Most recently, a Committee member went to look at Transit sites in East Sussex and Brighton and will be joining the group going to Bristol next Monday, visiting a residential site, a transit site and then to the Avon & Somerset Police headquarters to discuss Bristol practices and processes.

At present, an area adjacent to the Cambridge Road roundabout from Suffolk Road has been identified as a possible site for up to 8 Transit pitches (see Bournemouth Echo, Tuesday June 16th) but this figure still falls short of the 12 pitches required in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy. No Residential sites have been identified as yet and it is still assumed that Bournemouth will be required to supply 20 long-stay Residential pitches in the future.

If our Green Belt is destroyed in the future, this issue will almost certainly return in our Forum area.

Residents in Throop have reported that Berry Hill Sewage Works have become progressively more odorous in recent times and the number of lorry movements has increased.

Other areas of concern are:-

• Lorry speeds
• Noise they make crossing the speed humps in Throop Village (a Conservation Area)
• Damage they appear to be causing to the rubber humps in Broadway Lane
• The smell from the open topped/tarpaulin covered vehicles
• Effect on the School
• Apparent increase in capacity at berry hill
• Sewage being brought in from other areas in Dorset, e.g. Weymouth
• Problems at Poole being covered at Berry Hill

On 20th April, 2009, Nick Watson, Senior Environmental Protection Officer visited Berry Hill and listed a series of issues for the new Wessex Water group manager - sludge, Sean Hill, regarding odour management on the site. These were all due to be addressed by the end of May.

Councillor Whittaker arranged a meeting with Wessex Water, Environmental Health and interested parties including the chairman and Secretary of TMSTH Area Forum on 22nd April addressing the off-site issues and subsequently wrote to the Chairman of Wessex Water with concerns about odour, noise, frequency and damage from the lorries travelling down Broadway Lane and going over the speed humps. He expressed concern that Berry Hill is taking sludge from many other areas and is in the wrong location for such growth. The Chairman, Colin Skellett responded that movements should be back to normal levels by the end of May, when Poole is fully operational again.

Councillor Whittaker continues to lobby Wessex Water to identify sites which could cope with increasing sewage treatment needs within Dorset as Berry hill has outgrown the present site due to its location.

All correspondence can be found on the Forum website or by request from the Secretary.

Forum will continue to follow this matter and support Members who are affected by the smell and inconvenience from Berry Hill and Holdenhurst Sewage Treatment Plants. However, it is absolutely vital that complaints are made in writing, by e-mail or phone to Wessex Water and/or the Council’s Environmental Health Department, as only then will the problems be addressed. It is notable that everyone grumbles about the smell from the Holdenhurst sewage works when coming in to Bournemouth, but neither Environmental Health nor Wessex Water have received any official complaints and will therefore not act!

Cllr Whittaker notes the odours reported in the last few weeks have not come from Berry Hill, but from the Eco plant at Hurn. To complain, please ring the Environment Agency on 0800-80-70-60 (free).

Cllr Weinhonig stood in for Michael Rowland - Leisure Policy Manager, who was unable to attend but who prepared the following presentation, along with hard copies of the Cabinet Key Decision 25th March 2009 http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/main/minutes_agendas/cabinet.asp

"Children’s Playground Strategy and Parks Landholdings Review

The above mentioned report went to Cabinet in March this year. It outlined proposals for investment in play areas across the Borough. The plan is to have bigger and better play areas for each neighbourhood in the borough. Natural play areas (adding more trees, rocks, sand, water and planting alongside traditional play equipment) will be developed in many areas. Seventeen small sites across the borough were passed for further investigation for use as sites for housing, subject to public consultation.

Our priority is to get more people into our parks, more often and for longer visits. We currently have many small play areas and an uneven distribution of facilities. The plan creates a better distribution of play across the Borough and ensures that every local area has a high quality play area (like improving Muscliff and Bradpole Road and making decent parks for both the Townsend and Stourvale Estates). The proposals rely on additional investment, which should be met through developer contributions and through some small local sales/development of open space - with an accompanying reinvestment in retained local spaces.

Plans and photographs

Throop & Muscliff Ward Proposals

Create a new park at Setley Gardens (£90,000 this year). Muscliff Park to be developed as Neighbourhood Park (£75,000 next year). Both with toilets and a café.

Local play sites at Colehill Crescent, Stratton Road, Rownhams Road and Chesildene Avenue.

Develop a number of small mown amenity areas to have more natural planting and new native trees, such as Durweston Close.

Close small play sites at Wishart Gardens, Cucklington Gardens & Michelmersh Green.

Consider sale of small sites at Sway Gardens, Chesildene Drive and Godshill Close.

Strouden Proposals

New neighbourhood play site in Townsend (£100,000 next year) with ambition for café & toilets.

Local play sites at Mountbatten Gardens, Bradpole Road, Mallard Road and Noyce Gardens

New Natural play at site at Queens Park

Close old play sites at Cheshire Drive, Swansbury Drive, Helyar Road & Strouden Woods

Consider sales at Strouden/Bradpole (part), Cheshire Drive, Stone Gardens & Swansbury Drive.”

Cllr Weinhonig stated a £500k shortfall on the total amount earmarked for Bournemouth play areas is planned to be addressed in part by developers’ contributions on the land to be disposed of. The Luckham Road Community has already consulted, the ward profile showing better facilities are needed to prevent antisocial behaviour as there is not enough for young people to do and Barrow Drive also has problems.

Cllr Rey stated consultation had already started in Muscliff and Setley Park consultation finished today. Kids are doing the designing and Officers will then implement the ideas. Setley and Muscliff will have more facilities, benches, teas, toilets, etc. Lawrence Robson, Community Countryside and Parks Officer, was in attendance and Cllr Rey praised the Leisure Services team for their care of our open spaces. Report any problems to Lawrence or PCSO Anna Maher.

Cabinet will consider updated information along with the Seafront Strategy on 18th November 2009. Strouden has yet to go to Cabinet and Cllr Weinhonig would like to look at plans prior to consultation.

Question 1:

Resident in Bradpole Road: Why build houses on Strouden Park?

Answer:

£500k will be needed, but everything will be subject to a full consultation process, which will require residents’ input. Please talk to your Councillors. Houses could supply some security in the Park. Consultation will be Ward by Ward, not Bournemouth wise.

Question 2:

If talking about extending play areas, why close Hengistbury Head?

Answer:

Children are not a great problem, many are misunderstood and the vast majority just need role models. Townsend has a theatre group which attracts 30 to 40 kids a week.

Question 3:

B'mth council is brilliant at designing and building play areas, but what about maintenance? If they deteriorate, they get built on. Forum member had been watering a new tree the Council had planted to ensure its survival.

Answer:

Council trying to ensure they are sustainable and maintenance is factored in. If properly designed they will be exciting and sustainable.

Community Fun Day organised by Safer and Stronger Communities, Youth Workers, PCSOs and the Youth Club, on 19th July 2009. Still some stall spaces available.

They have put on for a temporary license this year, but it costs money and a proper Events License (not for alcohol) for up to 6 events per annum has been applied for, but the legal notices are not well worded and many people think we are looking at 42 events annually.

An events license would allow the Youth Club or community Centre to put on an event. Presentations were made at Forum and at the Shack, the consultation finishes today and 11 objections have been received. Objectors will be invited to attend Licensensing on 7th July at 9.45am, where Lawrence will put the case forward.

There will be no big pop concerts every weekend as is feared, the Fun Day funfair will close at 9.00pm and every event will be managed and run by a committee.

Due to the recession, Signpost Housing is unable to proceed with the affordable housing and Community Centre and bungalows on Craigmoor Avenue, but the Council has an obligation to progress this and is looking at new ways to find affordable homes, possibly through a Local Housing Company.

Next Tuesday, this will be considered at the Executive Gateway Board and if accepted, the LHC can go out and get resources.

Question 1:

Can we be assured it will not be a Dave Wells development?

Answer:

The Local Housing Company will be a separate entity and will be an ‘arms length’ facility.

Question 2:

How many properties?

Answer:

As before - no flats - 8 houses, 10 bungalows and the community centre. Will have to go to consultation and planning again.

Question 3:

Will these be private sales?

Answer:

1 option for LHC or Social housing or “affordable homes” which can be shared ownership.

Question 4:

What about parking?

Answer:

Parking must be considered.

Question 5:

Residents want building to compliment the existing homes with nice neighbours.

Answer:

All 3 Ward Councillors are committed to achieving what is in the best interests of the area and will ensure adequate consultation. Flats are out of the equation - the Signpost plans were good.

Amanda Nicholls, Safer and Stronger Communities will be helping the Community Association, but committee members are dwindling, so she will be putting letters through doors.

The Council’s Big Green Fortnight recently ended and feedback will be evaluated. Climate change is a reality and we will be planning for Bournemouth to adapt to it, therefore the Council has developed the:-

Bournemouth Climate Change Community Action Plan involving:-

• Nottinghamshire declaration in 2002
• Climate Change Strategy No. 1 in 2003
• Bournemouth 2026 Vision & Strategy
• Sustainable Environment
• Local Area Agreement No. 2
• Adapting to Climate Change (NI 188)
• Reducing Bournemouth’s CO2 emissions (NI 186)
• Reducing the Council’s CO2 emissions (NI 185)
• 1st UK Council signing Earth Charter (things we do locally in a global context)

Climate Change Act 2008 (Carbon reduction - will place a cash value on carbon emissions)

• Reducing UK C02 emissions by 26% by 2020
• Reducing UK C02 emissions by 80% by 2050
• Carbon Reduction Commitment from 2010
• Carbon Budgets
• Climate Change community risk assessments & adaptation plans

Community Action Plan includes:-

• Consultation from June to August ‘08
• Results published on Council website
• Dorset Energy Efficiency Plan adopted April ‘09
• Energy Saving Trust report and recommendations for reducing Bournemouth’s CO2 emissions June ‘09
• United Kingdom Climate Impact Programme (UKCIP) revised projections 18 June ‘09
• 2026 Environment Forum Workshop July ’09
• Council Overview and Scrutiny Workshop July ’09
• Action Plan to Council Cabinet 9th September ‘09
• Publication and launch to follow

Lee then asked “Can we change the conversation?” and for this evening, please can we put aside:-

• the climate change science
• the causes of climate change
• the need to reduce C02 emissions

and start with the fact that.. “Our climate is changing”

Let’s think about the weather

What do you know about our local weather?

What conditions affect you personally most?

How are you personally affected most?

• Health?
• Lifestyle?
• Distress?
• Loss of earnings?
• Getting out and about?
• Home damage?
• Vulnerable neighbours?
• Vulnerable family members?

How well do you cope now?

How will you cope in future?

• Predictions for SW England (UKCIP 02)
• Hotter, longer summers
• Milder, shorter, winters
• Higher sea level
• More frequent extreme weather conditions
• More intense rainfall
• Stronger storms
• Look at pictures on pages 8, 9, 11, 12 to 14
• Think about the predicated climate change

We do not suffer compared to many other areas, but will Brownsea Island be there for our grand-children and Sandbanks has a 1:100 year flood scenario? In 20 years time, the summers will be longer and hotter, so how will that affect the smell from Berry Hill Sewage Works or the Hurn Eco Plant (see item 1)? While we are planning new parks, they will be difficult to use if no thought is given to planning, e.g. trees for shade and we will need to work together as a community to perhaps water those trees after the Council has planted them (see Question 3 - Strouden Proposals).

What would it mean for you?

• What gets better?
• What gets worse?
• How will you cope?
• Will you need help coping?
• What help will you need?
• Who could be that help?
• What needs to happen next?

Our climate is changing

What has the Council done so far?

• Joint project with Poole
• Building 3rd sector capacity
• Local Weather/Climate Change Impacts Study
• Go Green Bournemouth Campaigns
• SW Tourism Climate Change DVD
• Visualisation work
• Reached Level 1 of the Government's target

What is the Council doing next?

• Severe weather risk impact assessments (2009/10)
• Revised business continuity plans
• Sub-regional emergency planning & resilience
• Council evaluation of revised UKCIP forecasts
• Climate change risk impact assessments (2010/11)
• Revised business continuity plans
• Sub-regional emergency planning & resilience

Question 1:

What about the countries that are already hot?

Answer:

Spain - will it become a dustbowl and will Spanish residents need to move up north? We must think how we will cope with the migration.

Question 2:

Won’t building houses in our Green Belt make things worse?

Answer:

Don’t build those houses and ask what we can do to build in a way that will not add to global warming.

Question 3:

Surely we need to co-operate with other Councils

Answer:

Yes and we are doing so.

The criminals use distraction techniques to get in or trick their way in, rather than a forced entry or opportunistic theft. They may say they are from the Water Board, or canvassing and they may work on their own or in a team and they may use children. They could be anyone, young or old, male or female.

Other Approaches may involve saying their car has broken down and they need to use the phone or get some water, or they may say householders have a broken roof tile or overgrown trees or they have some “tarmac left over” from a job.

Who are they? The majority travel the country targeting older people, usually near a main road. They gather information by cold calling and distraction burglars will sell the addresses of easy targets, so it can become a repeat crime.

Who to target? They find victims by cold calling, distraction burglary and they may befriend people in their home or in the street.

Why don’t they get reported? Only about 10% are reported because:-

• Victims are embarrassed they have been tricked
• Fear of intimidation
• People may not be aware they have become a victim for hours/days/weeks and their memories may be poor
• Victims think it is pointless to report the crime

What are the police doing?

• Police treat the crime seriously
• Pass information back and forth between other forces
• Work with other agencies, e.g. Bristol and West Hants Water, Trading Standards, Age Concern, Neighbourhood Watches, etc., to get the message over
• Implement at present 3 no cold calling zones in Poole

How to stop becoming a victim? If you are not expecting anyone:-

• Don’t answer the door
• Use a door chain
• Make sure the back door is locked
• Check their I.D., but do not phone any number on the card, they are easy to fake. Say you will phone the company and shut the door. Most legitimate companies will make appointments. If they are genuine, they will wait, if not, they will go as they do not want to be recognised.
• If ever you hear “WATER BOARD” - shut the door and dial 999. The “Water Board” does not exist.
• Police want to know who these people are.

Scams are:-

• Scheming
DON’T LET THEM CON YOU
• Crafty
• Aggressive
• Malicious

They are out to con you out of your money, possibly your life savings and they may do this by post, email or phone, up to £3 million per annum. 3 people in our area recently lost £180 thousand between them. Emails, apparently from banks asking for your details, look genuine, but no bank will ask for details this way.

What to do?

• Shred anything with your address on it
• Never respond or send money to anything with a post office box number or based abroad
• Never reply to phone calls beginning with 09

For further information:-

• Order a free leaflet from the Office of Fair Trading - 0800 389 3158 “How to Recognise a Scam.”
• To reduce unwanted mail, register, free, with the Mailing Preference Service (www.mpsonline.org.uk or call 08457034599) but this is only for UK based mail.
• To reduce unwanted telephone calls, register, free with Telephone Preference Service (www.tpsonline.org.uk or call 0845 070 0707).
• E-mails - use antivirus software and a firewall. Don’t e-mail personal information or financial information, be cautious about opening any attachment.

If you know of anyone who has been a victim, report it to the Police on 222222, or the local Safer Neighbourhood Team. Don’t be embarrassed.

Question 1:

Forum Member returns unsolicited mail and apparent prize winning mail to sender - without filling anything out - to cost them postage, etc.

Answer:

If you once try to claim or send anything off, you will be on a “hit list” so better to shred and bin everything.

Question 2:

Forum Member noted recent scam on telephone, where caller claims your direct debit to your supplier is faulty and ask for a card payment or they will cut you off immediately. If home owner is suspicious, they are told to put the phone down and when they try to use it again, it is dead (because caller has not disconnected). The scammers than come back on demand your card details, asking you to hold the line, while they are taking money out of your account.

Answer:

British Telecom will always write to you if you owe any money. Never give out card details over the phone in this way.

Question 3:

Cold Calling Zones – what are they and how do they work?

Answer:

They are triggered due to the number of calls received by the police and trading Standards. There are 3 zones in Poole that work really well.

Question 4:

Can we set something up for ourselves?

Answer:

Must go through Trading Standards if there is a problem locally.

Question 5:

If an area has a high number of “at risk” residents, could a group of roads elect to become a cold calling zone - perhaps in consultation with our SNTs?

Answer:

Contact Trading Standards or Debbie Oldfield.

Question 1:

With the end of the South West Regional assembly, what wil happen to its powers? If they go to the “Strategic Leaders Board,” will our own Councillors have their say?

Answer:

(Cllr Whittaker) Most will go to the Regional Development Agency, which may be worse. He would like to see everything abolished and go back to Bournemouth/Poole and Dorset Councils. Cllr MacLoughlin - Leader of the Council, will be on the new body.

Question 2:

Disabled bay in Birch Drive which is never used?

Answer:

Cllr Weinhonig will sort it out at the end of the meeting.

Question 3:

Gypsy and Traveller Sites - 20 Residential pitches and Transit site - will they have to contribute and to pay?

Answer:

(Cllr David Smith - Cabinet member for Communities - was invited to speak). Yes, they will pay and will be managed by the Bournemouth Churches Housing Association 24/7. They will be asked for I.D. on arrival and be charged possibly £7 per day and asked for a deposit. Different types of Travellers will not come if another type is already here. If we have a Transit Site in place the Police will have powers to move them on, which is not possible at the moment. Cllr Smith advised the Gypsy liaison Officer from Bristol had spoken to Bournemouth on Tuesday. Years ago, Bristol took the decision to build a Transit Site, which has given their Police powers to move unauthorised encampments on within one hour or leave the Authority’s boundary. They must supply a reference and can then use the site. More often than not, they don’t use the site and it costs less than £5,000 per annum with no illegal sites. A Bournemouth site would be well managed. We have had 3 unauthorised encampments in 2 weeks, 2 in Durley Chine and 1 in Queens Park Road car park (who will stay for 2 weeks).

Cllr Whittaker noted that Bristol site runs off of a motorway and Bournemouth does not have such a site. Poole and Christchurch have ample land, but in Bournemouth they will always be close to properties. Other towns, e.g. Chichester, do not have availability. Conservatives have promised to scrap the Regional Spatial Strategy if elected, but the letter from Caroline Spellman - Shadow Communities Secretary - is wooly. Suggests we ask Tobias Ellwood M.P. for clear answers.

Question 4:

When will the local roads be repaired (Woodbury Avenue)?

Answer:

Cllr Weinhonig has sent another email and is awaiting the reply.

Question 5:

Speeding in Woodbury Avenue/Ibbertson Road. Can we have the use of the speed warning flashing light device for a while?

Answer:

The SNTs in Strouden and Townsend have been using the speed guns recently.

Question 6:

Should houses be built in Bradpole Road when the Park is boggy and in a flood plain?

Answer:

aiting for planning application to go in.

Question 7:

Is anything going to happen with the Castlepoint car park?

Answer:

The lawyers are still talking.

Muscliff FunDay - there are still some stalls available.

South East Dorset Transport Questionnaire is displayed on the notice board.