Bournemouth Liberal Democrats

Councillor for Redhill & Northbourne

• Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats
• Governor of Kingsleigh Primary School - http://www.kingsleighprimary.co.uk/
• Member of East Dorset Friends of the Earth - http://www.foe.co.uk/groups/eastdorset/index.html
• Member of Dorset Humanists - http://www.dorsethumanists.co.uk
• Champion for residents living in Park Homes
• First elected to the Council in May 1999
• Working with the Council to help reduce the impact of pluvial flooding

Website: http://rogerwest.mycouncillor.org.uk/

Contact Details

Address: 8 Doveshill Gardens, Bournemouth, BH10 5BU

Telephone: 01202 389916

Email: roger.west@bournemouth.gov.uk

Surgery Times

First Tuesday in the month from 11am - 12 noon at Ensbury Park Library.

Committee Membership

• Administration & Resources Overview & Scrutiny Panel
• Council
• Planning Board

Personal Message

I am a ward Councillor who works within the liberal democratic principles of an open democratic society. This is at the core of my approach to any issue. However my views are coloured by being a Humanist, Friends of the Earth, and the Earth Charter. I am against nuclear energy and any more money being spent on the Trident. I am a European in the sense that Sir Graham Watson MEP is. We are stronger by being involved in Europe. I am a war baby who was bombed out of his home twice and very rarely do wars solve anything. When it comes to education I believe in the mantra "Every Child Matters". I think that faith schools are divisive.

Know Your Councillor

First Term (1999-2003)

In April 2001 Cllr West was part of a group of 7 councillor dubbed by the Echo 'The Magnificent Seven' who collected almost 1,500 signatures demanding the saving of the Winter Gardens concert hall, he was among the 23 councillors who voted against closing the building.[1] Later in November 2006 Cllr West called for cross-party support for the new Winter Gardens and an end to the negativity saying "If we're going to look at this like a bunch of accountants we're never going to get anywhere.

"Let's get behind this and give the youth of this town a chance. We should be investing in people, not in buildings."[2]

Second Term (2003-2007)

In January 2004 Cllr West supported the conversion of BIC swimming pool into exhibition space saying "We need a different BIC than the one envisaged over 20 years ago."[3] The BIC is now one of the leading conference venues of its type and the largest on the South Coast

In June 2004 Cllr West organised a meeting of more than 100 park home residents from across Bournemouth to form the Bournemouth Park Homes Residents Association, the meeting was such a success it had to be expanded into three rooms to cope with the demand.[5]

In September 2005 Cllr West opposed plans to demolish a convent and replace it with 57 flats saying "The flats will tower over the bungalows in Howeth Road and ruin the appearance of this very important tree-covered valley side" He helped distribute 200 letters to residents about the plans.[6]

In June 2006 with a boom in flat development Cllr West said "Flat development is possibly the only way forward in Bournemouth because we are so constrained by lack of space.

"We can still have high density development but the emphasis should be on building quality apartments with decent sized windows, balconies and storage space. Current developments are appalling.

"The idea that we can't build in the town, while protecting the green belt, is nonsense. We can't have it both ways. We need to look at the continental way of life and provide homes where families will want to live, not cramped two bedroom flats.

"My wife happily lived in a flat in Paris with large windows that opened out and storage space in the basement. It is a lovely way to live if the emphasis is on quality and not quantity."[7]

In August 2006 Cllr West opposed the proposed Exeter Road restaurant and cinema development saying "We have to move this town forward and be more imaginative. For the sake of the environment we cannot clog up the town centre with cars. I will not support this scheme unless it has a shop mobility centre."[8]

In November 2006 Cllr West was "horrified" by efforts to replenish Southbourne beach which was described as "a complete disaster" by surf experts and beach lovers when shingle was deposited on the beach. Writing to the council's chief engineer Cllr West said "We were told, council members and the public alike, that it would be sand that was going to be pumped on to the beach… Wading in to the sea is now a dangerous exercise and the profile of the beach is now very steep when entering the water. One gets very quickly out of one's depth, which is dangerous to bathers, particularly children."[9]

Third Term (2007-2011)

Cllr West brought up the beach situation again in November 2007 as chairman of the environment scrutiny panel. The Conservative deputy leader admitted that the scheme had "gone horribly wrong"[10] but the Conservative group was infuriated saying that his comments were irresponsible. Cllr Claire Smith then Lib Dem leader said: "This is ridiculous. It is a witch hunt against Roger.

"He is saying that the contractors got it wrong and asking what we are going to do about it. That is acting like a good councillor as far as I am concerned. He is being penalised for sticking up for his residents." [11]

Cllr West was hit with a 5-2 vote of no confidence and was kicked of the environment scrutiny panel, the first ever in the council's history. Cllr West was inundated with support. Cllr Ron Whittaker, independent, told the meeting: "I haven't known anything like it in 35 years. I'm appalled, and saddened, and frightened."[12]

In January 2008 Cllr West championed a scheme to put councillors' business and personal interests online saying "It is important the public realise we are in a free and democratic society.

"For example I am very happy for people to know I am a member of Friends of the Earth, and that I am also a member of Dorset Humanist Society.

"The general principle that our business interests are there for all to see is right."[13]

In May 2008 Cllr West found that the Warmfront scheme which gave people grants towards new boilers were quoting people up to £1,000 more than local firms. Cllr West said that that scheme had been "scandalously badly-managed"[14]

In April 2009 Cllr West expressed his support for the Poole Bay wind farm project and said that he would like to see the wind farm linked to a proposed European supergrid to import and export green renewable energy as and when it was produced across the continent.[15]

Cllr West opposed 'radical' cuts to public services in October 2009 which included losing sports development support, closing cliff lifts and Kings Park athletic centre.[16] He argued that the town centre's master vision project should be put on hold in order to protect valued services.[17]

In December 2009 Cllr West called for a more transparent council vote recording saying "At the moment how we vote individually as councillors is not known unless a recorded vote is called for, which requires the agreement of 12 councillors.

"I think we should always be accountable for the way we vote and that residents should expect to be able to find this out easily, as we can do for our MPs."[18]

As a member of the Dorset Humanists Cllr West supported efforts to the practise of starting council meetings with a prayer believing the practise was divisive and alienated non-believers.[19]

In January 2010 Cllr West filed a complaint against Cllr John Beesley, then chairman of the planning board, for allowing a potential conflict of interest while deciding planning matters. The complaint related to cases where planning consultant and close friend of Cllr Beesley Tony Ramsden acted on behalf of applicants in planning applications. Cllr Beesley did not remove himself from planning board meetings that considered the applications of Tony Ramsden's clients and declared only a personal and not prejudicial interest - Cllr West considered this to be wrong considering the closeness of their relationship. [20]

In July 2010 Cllr West opposed government funding cuts of Bournemouth Borough Council. Cuts were made in many areas including adult social care, initiatives to address antisocial behaviour, the Dorset Road Safety Partnership and initiatives aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy. Cllr West called cuts in school travel plans and healthy schools initiatives "complete madness"[21]

In November 2010 Cllr West lodged an official complaint alleging that executive director Tony Williams tampered with councillors' report on Boscombe's artificial surf reef. The councillors' group unanimously decided to keep the £150,000 retainer from the surf reef contract unless the contractor met the original performance criteria. Instead Mr Williams presented them with a report recommending that £77,500 be paid to the contractor to come back regardless of whether they manage to improve the reef's performance.[22] Cllr West commented that "It is the councillors who are responsible for our actions to our residents. This action by Tony Williams is wrong and must be contrary to our officers' code of conduct."[23]

Fourth Term (2011-2015)

In October 2011 Mouchel announced that it made a £4 million accounting error, leading to a mass selloff of Mouchel's shares. Cllr West, said that by continuing to partner with Mouchel residents were 'boosting the coffers of a failing company'.

"Although Mouchel were assessed by our risk management team when the contract was first agreed - even though at that time there were concerns about its long term future - it seems to me now that this risk has dramatically changed and we would be foolish to continue to get more involved with them without another risk assessment,"[24]

Later in the month Cllr West supported Stephen Parker as he was suspended for raising concerns about the merits of the Mouchel partnership in an email sent to council members saying that the move by the council to suspend parker "follows a pattern of trying to stifle debate if anyone attempts to challenge either our leader or deputy leader"[25]

In December 2011 Cllr West, a proud member of the Dorset Humanists, supported moves to remove traditional prayers at the start of council meetings saying that he regarded it as "divisive".[26]

In January 2012 Cllr West opposed plans to change the standards regime so that only councillors could be chairs and vice chairs of Standard Committees and that public members of the committee would not be able to vote. Cllr West said the public would not stand for "councillors checking councillors"[27]

In March 2012 Cllr West campaigned for the equal protection of park home residents under the law to a parliamentary committee saying that there should be more clarity in the agreements between park owners and their residents.[28]

In July 2012 the Daily Echo reported on a 2010 report prepared by council auditors which showed serious failings in the way the council paid its staff concluding "there is a fundamental lack of control, which exposes the council to major risk." The report had been put online but it wasn't included in councillors' papers.

Cllr West said "it's scandalous that this report has been hidden from elected members since, it would appear, July 2010.

"This is not the open and democratic society that I thought we were all striving to attain. What's even more important is that this report shows the council has been placed at high risk."[29]

After his comments Cllr West was kicked off the audit and governance committee by a 4-3 vote of no confidence. Cllr West said "I'm angry and very disappointed. I passionately believe in a democratic society. As locally elected councillors, we should be able to speak our minds."[30]

Declaration of Interests