Bournemouth Liberal Democrats

Another Council Director put on Paid Leave

Top legal officer Joy Postings service director for law and governance was removed from her post and placed on "long-term leave" following a 15 month investigation into her conduct during the Beesley Planning Board Scandel.

It is alleged that Miss Postings failed to provide evidence to a national tribunal whcih showed that Cllr Beesley had sought her advice and recieved confirmation that his relationship with a planning consultant did not constitute a prejudicial bias.

Tribunal Case Summary: here

Council Capitulates as Stephen Parker is Reinstated

In a joint statement released by Bournemouth Borough Council and Mr Parker it is admitted that:

"Mr Parker made public the information contained in his email of the 11th of October with honest intent"

Mr Parker was suspended after criticising the Mouchel contract and was escorted out of the town hall by council officials among cheers from his colleagues.

The Council has withdrawn the suspension of Mr Parker and has informed Mouchel Limited, his new employer, of that decision.

Daily Echo article: here

Letter to the Advertiser: Imax is really a financial disaster - Lorraine Crouch

Lorraine Crouch

THE spend on the Imax building can only be described as criminal. £6.5million has been spent from funds allocat­ed of £8.5million already, plus £217,000 on interim plans and now another £2million to knock it down, using up the whole of the allocated spend.

That money can never be replaced. This is a financial disaster for the town.

Ensbury Park Road in a State of Disrepair - Councillor West Seeks Action

The menace of potholes are back and the council are leaving major roads to detoriate costing tax payers more in the long run. Roger West writes to Ian Kalra, Head of Highways to get answers.

Clampdown on 'rogue' mobile home park owners in Bournemouth

Cllr Roger West, Pat Lewis & Park Home Resident Pauline Jones at the Kingfisher Park Home Site

The practises of some mobile home park owners has subjected some residents to extradinary acts of harrassment. Park owners have allegedly disrupted residents plans to sell by flooding homes or setting bonfires to choke residents. MPs are considering whether more legal powers are needed to regulate park owners. Councillor Roger West who has consistently campaigned on the issue said that there should be more clarity in Park Home agreements. "Most homes to my knowledge change hands with no legal advice and therefore it is essential that the agreement is crystal clear" Ken Ayres chairman of Bournemouth's borough-wide Park Home Residents' Assoication said that councils, who license park homes, should have the power to revoke licences.

UNCORRECTED Transcript of Oral Evidence Taken Before the Communities & Local Government Committee on Park Homes - Monday 5th March 2012

Imax to be Demolished... Finally

Demolishing the building will cost the council £2 million. This comes after market testing revealed that private developers were too concerned with the state of the economy and the limited potential imposed by the location to invest in the site. Unwilling to wait for the market to improve Cllr Beesley said "the development market is not buoyant enough to take forward acceptable schemes at present".

The space will be used by BSO and Pavillion Dance it might also play host to beach volleyball, racket sports, and an open air cinema.

The plan involves knocking the building down to ground level, leaving the basement which has rooms and toilets in it, and the top deck at ground level will be reinforced so that vehicles can be driven onto it if an event is set up.

It will be called phase one as they realise a more comprehensive plan will need to be established.

The £10,000 Tax Allowance

The Lib Dem policy of no tax on the first £10,000 you earn is at the heart of the Coalition Agreement to be delivered by 2015. We've already taken the first steps to delivering this and from April most local people will be paying £27.50 a month less in income tax. The full £10,000 allowance will put £60 a month back in the pockets of ordinary people. It will take over three million low paid workers out of tax altogether. We believe these savings can't come too soon for local families. That's why the Liberal Democrats are campaigning to bring forward the introduction of the £10,000 allowance.

No one can offer easy answers right now, but we can pledge to fight every day to make things a little bit better for you and your family.

Sign the E-Petition to Help Bring Forward the Introduction of the £10,000 Tax Allowance

Coalition Plans to Extend Law on Communications Monitoring

The plans don't include access to the content of phone conversations, emails, or text messages but do include who you talked to, when and for how long. This information can be obtained without a warrant.

The key difference between the old Labour plans heavily criticised by Lib Dems in 2008 and the new coalition plans is that it will not involve one large centralised database under government administration but many smaller databases administered by internet service providers (ISPs).

Queen's Park Residents Campaign to keep Play Area

The council is looking to close the play area at Strouden Field, Queen's Park on the basis that it wants "an even distribution of play facilities across the borough"

On Saturday (3rd March) 50 people turned out to sign letters of objection.

Michael Rowlan, Parks Development Manager at Bournemouth Borough Council said that:

"there are currently three playgrounds within a very small area Bradpole Road, Mallard Road and Strouden Playing Field -while to the south there is a large area of housing with very poor access to play facilities"

"To ensure an even districution we will soon be developing a new play facility at Queen's Park"

Debunking Wind Farm Scaremongering

Wind Power Debate Reduced To Chinese Whispers By Tories - Feature Article on Conservative Claims by Dr Martin Rodger

Cllr Roger West takes tourism head to task for his recent comments on how the Navitus Wind Park might affect tourism.

Mark Smith Director of Tourism & Corporate Communications claimed that the wind park could cost Dorset's tourist industry 500 jobs in a recent Daily Echo Article based on the dubious application of the findings of a Scottish economic impact report.

Interestingly the study actually supports the case for building wind turbines saying that:

"Under all circumstances, the vast majority (93-99%) of those who had seen a wind farm suggested that the experience would not have any effect. Indeed there were some tourists for whom the experience increased the likelihood of return rather than decreasing it."

Council Urging Dog Owners to be Responsible in Wake of Wave of Complaints

Bournemouth Borough Council received 209 complaints of dog excrement needing to be cleared up off the streets in 2011 - a figure which is above the national average in itself. However in January 2012 there were 46 reports alone and so far this month the Council has received a staggering 86 complaints.

Stuart Best, Street Services Manager said:

"There is a growing problem of dog fouling across the borough to unprecedented levels. Council resources are having to be diverted every day from routine operations to go out and clear up after irresponsible pet owners who are failing to do the right thing. It's unpleasant, anti-social and hazardous to both cleansing staff and local residents. We would like to remind people to please use the bin."

Council Website Page on Dog Fouling

Lisa Succeeds in Drawing Attention to Sub-Standard Housing

Council Officers will work with landlords to see if improvements are needed in targeted inspections of rented accomadation in Boscombe.

Lisa Northover, former councillor and ward representative for Boscombe West, lauched a petition calling for increased inspections in response to the dire conditions of much of the housing. Lisa has said she's "pleased the council is taking action. We need proactive inspections, not just reactive ones."

Lisa's Petition: http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/signatures/inspect-all-dave-wells-housing-in-boscombe-within-6-months/4015

Channel 4 Dispatches: Landlords from Hell

Housing in Boscombe: Housing is the issue which underpins most of the problems in Boscombe. Poor planning over many years has led to a dominance of single person units and bedsits.