TMSTH Area Forum Meeting - 20th February 2020

Item 1. AGM and Presentation of Accounts

Item 2. Linda Maguire – Consultations and Community Engagement re: Community Engagement and Consultation Strategy 13/01/2020 - 12/04/2020

Questionnaire is online to collect residents' views

Date(s)

Monday 13th January (00:00) - Sunday 12th April 2020 (23:59)

Description

Help us shape our Community Engagement and Consultation Strategy

Ensuring that everybody in our diverse communities has the opportunity to get involved and help shape and influence council services in their local area is a priority for BCP Council.

We'd really like your views on draft Community Engagement and Consultation principles we have put together to show how we plan to engage and consult with our communities.

We'd also like to find out how you currently get involved with BCP Council and what would encourage you to have your say. This is so we can offer a range of ways for you to get involved.

We also ask about your local area identity, what existing local groups you’re aware of and what could work better, so we can consider what arrangements may be needed across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

You can take part in the consultation online.

Once we have heard your views through the consultation, we will draft the Community Engagement and Consultation Strategy to reflect this, so your views will make a difference. The Strategy will be presented to Cabinet in July.

The Consultation closes on Sunday 12 April 2020.

• The strategy will be written afterwards

• People should respond with what suits them and their interests

Item 3. Michael Rowland – BCP Council Parks Department was unable to attend the meeting and sent a statement:-

“The application for SANG -( SUITABLE ALTERNATIVE NATURAL GREENSPACE) Phase 1, in Throop - has been referred to the Planning Committee by Councillor Lisa Northover - the meeting to discuss the issue is likely to be in March. Parks Department are currently responding to comments from the Environment Agency, Bournemouth Airport , Natural England, and residents with regard to minor modifications to the application. The SANG scheme is a planning condition of the Winter Gardens development in Bournemouth Town Centre.

Planning Officers at BCP, work independently from the BCP Parks Department and will consider all the information available before making a recommendation to the Planning Committee who will then vote on the scheme, based on whether it complies with national and local policies. The meeting will be open to Representations for or against the proposals.

If the scheme is granted approval further work will be carried out on the design details and costings. If approved , landscaping works -paths, gates, signage etc. - will commence summer/early autumn. Planting expected to be to be completed next winter.

Over 6 months BCP Council Officers have listened to consider concerns Throop Village Conservation Group representatives , and with Bournemouth East MP. Tobias Elwood.”

Q1. S Fisher – Throop Conservation Group. This application has all been decided behind closed doors. There are 2 car parks in Throop and 6 more will be required, i.e. 300 car parking spaces spread over the Conservation Area. In the planning application under “Community Engagement Report” if states the Council can “double car parking as it is in the planning application.” Much information has not been properly given.

A. Cllr Northover. They will go back and look at it holistically.

B. Cllr. Borthwick. Has seen correspondence stating that the land adjacent to Cherry Tree Nurseries may be considered to take the commercial element of plans for Hicks Farm to relieve Throop.

Q2. The present SANG Planning Application states there are 5 possible SANGs within Bournemouth. A F.O.I request has been made to see the report on the feasibility studies of the others as SANGs should be near the development they are designed to relieve.

A. Cllr Northover. Does not know the answer to this but does know CBP is being looked at to accommodate huge developments and any site available will be used

B. Cllr Borthwick. BCP is required to build 1,600 houses this year or they will be fined an have to fine an additional 20% next year

Q3. Westover Gardens will be just purchased by investors as luxury apartments

A. Cllr Northover. They will be homes. The SANG is not expected to be used by residents of the Winter Gardens development alone and there will be lots of places across the whole area.

B. Chairman. SANGs are a legal requirement imposed by Natural England. The application is on the Planning Portal and it will be shared through all channels. Cllr Northover confirmed she will let everyone know and will liaise with Forum.

Comment. Ex Cllr J Trickett. The Parks Department has a vision of opening up the Stour Valley Way. Throop, Holdenhurst and Kinson are the historic villages of Bournemouth. The plans have the potential to damage the area with vehicles. In the present Climate Emergency, we should not be encouraging additional vehicles on the road. In 15 years’ time, we may be looking at different transport modes. If we put car parks in Throop and Holdenhurst it will just encourage cars. Our local Councillors must stand up for this area. Enough is enough.

A. Cllr Northover. The BCP does not want more cars. Climate Emergency is a Council priority and in the budget.

B. Chair: Michael Rowland is aware of local feelings.

Item 4. Richard Renault, Chief Operating Officer, RBCH. Delivering the Dorset Clinical Services Review: Developing local Health Services.

Please see TMSTH Area Forum Meeting Minutes 20th February 2020 for full notes on item 4 including power point presentation.

Item 5. PCSO Elsie Bullivant - Bournemouth North – East

Leaflets were supplied. Please sign up for emails and find out how to report problems in Throop and Muscliff. The Police would like more public engagement.

Scam packs with advice on how to avoid being a victim are available in public libraries.

Comment: Cllr Borthwick: We are lucky. Throop and Muscliff have the lowest crime levels in the area. It is the safest place in Bournemouth.

Comment: Cllr Northover. The Police precept will probably increase “% and that money will pay for 50+ officers across Dorset. Martin Underhill says this area will see some input. Police will put their efforts into areas of the most need.

Question 1: Winton Police Station has 7 vans/cars parked outside. Why not use them to be visible? In Spain there is a Police car outside every secondary school and the kids get to know the Police.

Answer: Police often go into schools. There is regular contact, particularly with the PCSOs, who discuss e.g. bullying. There is a good relationship with Youth Centres. The station covers a large area, e.g. ASB in Castlepoint, assemblies at schools. Just had the best half-term for a while.

Question 2. 2 years ago, there was a threat we would lose out PCSOs. The public and youth workers supported them as engaging with young people. They do a good job with the elderly and the young.

Ans: PCSOs are not going.

Item 6. Update A338 Wessex Fields Link. Wendy Sharp, Chairman, Holdenhurst Village Parish Meeting

This BCP Unity Alliance administration has carried out a review into Wessex Fields and concluded the highly destructive Phase 2 element of the scheme is not environmentally appropriate or socially acceptable. They therefore organised an “Engagement Day” on 7th January, to ask Residents what they would like to see there with 3 criteria:-

• Financially viable

• Environmentally appropriate and sustainable and

• Socially acceptable

We hope the results of this consultation will be published in April.

A common desire by the 2.5k people who originally opposed the scheme is for the Hospital to make good use of the land at Wessex Fields.

While the BCP has expressed a determination not to progress with P2, residents are forever left with the threat of massive development of the Green Belt, more congestion on Castle Lane, noise and air pollution, destruction of Ecology and the Conservation Area, exacerbated danger of flooding, etc. etc.

The Parish Meeting emailed all Cabinet Councillors on 22 January and on 12th February, Conor O’Luby from Friends of Riverside put a question to Cabinet, with a request to revoke Phase 2 of the Wessex Fields development. We had sent pictures of the flooding at Holdenhurst taken only 500 metres away from the site of Phase 2 – a thirty thousand square metre junction on top of this flood plain. The response was as follows:-

“Thank you for your question about Phase Two of the Wessex Fields infrastructure. This was first requested at the consultation event last month by another member of the Holdenhurst community and I have received a number of emails making the same request.

I have huge sympathy for the position of people living in Holdenhurst who feel that without positive action this project could come forward in the future, as the planning consent was submitted and approved in a single application. I recognise that you have accepted our assurance but that your concerns rest with a future council taking a different political direction.

It is possible for the Local Planning Authority to revoke part of the planning consent but it is a lengthy and costly process and would be subject to public consultation. There remain many individuals and groups who believe that the building of the flyover should go ahead and so it is inevitable that objections would be made.

I have been advised that objections to the scheme would then instigate referral to the Secretary of State, and I do not consider there is sufficient benefit to the community to take these steps incurring additional work and costs for officers at a time when we need to create a new local plan, speed up the planning process and deal more robustly with cases of planning enforcement. I can offer my assurance and other portfolio holders that we have no intention of building out the second phase of the Wessex Fields infrastructure.”

Phase 1 giving access into Wessex Water directly from A338, taking lorries out of Riverside Avenue, is underway and the road will be taken southbound to the boundary of Wessex Fields.

Forum will bring forward the new proposals as soon as we have any further details.

Pictures: Flooding at Holdenhurst

Please see TMSTH Area Forum Meeting Minutes 20th February 2020 for pictures.

Item 7. Townsend News

TOWNSEND GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME

A new Community project is to be created in Townsend. The GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME will link volunteers to assist with people in need with befriending, and practical help including household repairs, transport, and gardening etc.

URBAN GREEN PROJECT /PROMOTING WILDLIFE IN TOWNSEND

280 trees have been planted in Townsend in February. A bird box workshop was held in the Community Hall for residents to build their own garden boxes. The next planting day will be held on Thursday April 16th in the Townsend Wildlife Garden, opposite the Community Centre.

COMMUNITY FUNDAY

The annual Townsend FUNDAY has been set for Saturday June 20th.

Anyone wishing to help with the organisation of the Funday, or details of above projects, please contact the Community Development Officer, Caroline Green on T. 01202 451165 - or by e mail caroline.green@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

Item 8. Update Proposed Throop and Holdenhurst Parish Council. Sarah Fisher, Chair, Steering Group

Sarah stated there had been a very positive response to the Parish Council proposals. She noted that any threat to Throop Village or Holdenhurst was a threat to both.

The Community Governance Review was going through the stages and there should be sufficient support to go to task and finish. It will go to Cabinet in March.

It is proposed Throop and Holdenhurst Village Parish Council will be effective on 1st April 2021 and it will commit to ensuring the Green Belt and the 2 Conservation Areas are protected. It will be fighting for sensible development in the area.

Some of the present concerns it hopes to address are:-

Please see TMSTH Area Forum Meeting Minutes 20th February 2020 for present concerns.

Item 9 General Questions and Answers

Question 1: Ex Cllr J Trickett. Previously, out councillors used to survey the area for potholes and report – the whole area is now full of them. What has happened to the Road Rescue Fund?

Answer: Cllr Northover. See front page of BCP website – Budget Update. Agreed 2 days ago and very stretched. In 2010/11 the budget was £750 million. Each year since then it has been reduced by £103million. 60% goes on older people and children social care.

Strategy:-

• Environment

• Dynamic places

• Brighter future

• Fulfilled lives

Budget:

• + £3 million on Children and Youth Services

• + £11 million on adult Social Care. Wages are taking up much pof this so we need to try and intervene earlier with the elderly

• + £11 million on the Climate Emergency and Coastal Protection

• +£150k Art and Culture

• +£50k. for consultations

• Potholes – more money will be made available, but Christchurch is worse off than us.

Comment: J Trickett. You can’t allow Bournemouth to be ignored or all the previous good work will be wasted.

Answer: The budget has been increased.

Question 2. If all the potholes were done properly in the first place it would be ok. Throop and Holdenhurst have a bodged job.

Answer: Cllr Borthwick. Flooding causes potholes. Queens Park Drive has already broken up. The Council uses a special machine, but the amount of rain getting into the asphalt is difficult. The budget the new administration has produced is good.

Question 3: How many holes do we have to have before they will resurface?

Answer: Cllr Borthwick. Please advise him of potholes.

Question 4: Street lighting Near Post Office at Strouden.

Answer: Cllr Borthwick has written to Southern Electric again and they are supposed to be repairing the lamp. There should be an inspection next week and the problem will be sorted.

Question 5: Flood Committee Meeting – discussed the bridges in Poole and Hamworthy. Iford does not seem to be worried. It is 6 months to the next meeting and there will be community engagement.

Were Wessex Water and the Environment Agency at the Flood Meeting?

Answer: Yes.

Question 6: Microphones supplied for Forum meetings are not good. Decent ones can be purchased for around £100.

Answer: Forum will look into it.

Meeting concluded at 9 p.m.