Bournemouth Liberal Democrats

Biography

Ken who grew up and lives in Southbourne, can trace his family links in Bournemouth back five generations. He has always been actively involved with the community and for twelve years was a West Southbourne Ward Councillor. First elected in 1995 aged 29 he was then one of the youngest Councillors. Always interested in building, conservation and the environment he became Chairman of the Planning Board and also a member of the South West Regional Assembly where he championed the safeguarding of town's green belt. Ken is now Chairman of Bournemouth Civic Society, Treasurer of Southbourne Forum and Vice-Chairman of the Eventide Homes almshouse charity. Until recently he was Director of Community and Environment with a national support services company and now runs his own project management and consultancy business.

Know Your Representative

Second Term (1999 - 2003)

In March 2001 Cllr Ken Mantock opposed plans to sell the Winter Gardens, talking after councillors voted to sell it Cllr Mantock said that the authority was "a council that cares more about land values than about community values, arts values and cultural values".[1]

Later that month Cllr Mantock argued that the planning policy did not give authority for the concert hall to be torn down saying: "Our view is that if policy is going to be used in such a manner as it actually means demolishing the building, there's never been an opportunity for the public and any commentators, either for or against, to discuss the pros and cons of it," he said.

"They could say the plan is flexible enough in order to knock it down but the argument is purely then one for the planners and legal people."[2]

In April 2001 Cllr Mantock supported a petition which gained 25,000 signatures asking the council to change its mind about marketing the Winter Gardens .[3]

In August 2001 Cllr Ken Mantock opposed adding shingle to Southbourne beach in an attempt to reduce erosion, agreeing with Cllr West that an artificial reef could be a cheaper way of protecting the beach in the long term. Of the reef proposal Cllr Mantock said "This idea has been banging around for seven years and there seems to be, for whatever reason, a complete hostility to considering it"[4]

In a letter to councillors, Director of Leisure and Tourism, Stephen Godsall said that no work would begin on the beach until 2003 and more detailed design work would refine the proposals saying "Careful thought will be given to the size of sand and/or shingle required to the east of this point so that Bournemouth's reputation for miles of sandy beach can be retained.".[5]

Cllr Ken Mantock writing in the Daily Echo responded "I am pleased that they are finally realising the extent of public concern about the proposals. But I think the letter is a bit late. They are talking about different grades of pebbles but a pebble is still a pebble. I wish the letter had mentioned the reef."[6]

In December 2002 Cllr Mantock said that the refurbishment of the Pavilion could cost £30 million but leave Bournemouth with a venue that couldn't rival the Winter Gardens. Cllr Mantock said "There are certainly people who went along with selling off the Winter Gardens and using that money to plough into the Pavilion in order to provide a building that was comparable and better - and so far I've seen nothing that proves that that's going to happen"[7]

Third Term (2003 - 2007)

In July 2003 a proposed field studies centre for Hengisbury Head was debated at a special meeting at St Peter's School in Southbourne. The project attracted a government education grant of £1.23 million and 'Friends of Hengisbury Head' chairman John Cresswell backed the scheme as a "genuine and excellent attempt to provide something quite remarkable"[8]

Members of Hengistbury Residents Association said the building would be too big and would be against green belt policy.[9]

Cllr Mantock said; "It's a very contentious local issue. It's one with which we're keen to pioneer what I call the 'planning in the patch' approach.

"It means the planning board travelling outside the Town Hall and making its decisions as close to the site as possible so local people can come along, listen, take part and ultimately understand why a decision's made, whether it's a refusal or an approval,"[10]

The planning board was evenly split over the application, with chairman Ken Mantock using his casting vote in favour.[11]

In March 2004 Cllr Mantock supported campaigners attempts to remove a Castle Lane relief road from Dorset's planning policies saying "There needs to be a solution to the whole Bournemouth, Christchurch and Wimborne traffic problem but that's got to be dealt with by answers other than building a relief road straight through the green belt which doesn't provide the benefits it's supposed to."[12]

When Bournemouth's green belt designation came under review in August 2005 Cllr Ken Mantock, as chairman of the planning board, staunchly opposed government pressure to build more homes in the rural buffer zone; saying: "The barrier that physically separates us from other towns and the unique characteristics of our green belt could be lost for no greater benefit than more houses, which we believe we can provide in existing urban areas.

"The council to a man and woman agrees that our green belt is sacrosanct. It's going to be a battle, but Bournemouth's message to the men from the ministry is 'no way Jose'."[13]

On August 9^th Cllr Mantock acted swiftly to dismiss claims that the Boscombe seafront scheme would be rushed through, saying that he had no intention of calling another meeting until officers had had enough time to properly review the proposals "We are not in the business of rushing things through. Due process will be followed."[14]

On August 17th Councillor Mantock voted against development plans to Shelley Manor saying "It is crystal clear that this scheme is totally out of character with a listed building and conservation area. It does not comply with our planning policies. It may be an unpopular decision but it is the only proper and right decision."[15]

In September 2005 Cllr Mantock voted for the multi-million pound Boscombe Spa development to revitalise the Boscombe seafront which garnered wide support. Cllr Mantock said the scheme would "uplift Boscombe for residents and visitors now and in the future."[16]

In January 2006 Cllr Mantock expressed great concern over further government attempts to increase development across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. The South West Regional Assembly, which advises the government on how many homes should be built in the region, demanded 880 new homes a year in Bournemouth, 545 a year in Poole and 190 a year in Christchurch every year up to 2026. Cllr Mantock said ""It's not just Bournemouth that's getting stuffed, it's the whole of the county.

"If what they want takes place - and we will fight them at every opportunity - we will just merge into one vast conurbation. None of us is going to stand for it."[17]

In June 2006, civic leaders called upon Ruth Kelly, then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to review national planning policies amid fears that the character of Bournemouth was being permanently scarred by an explosion in flats developments. Cllr Mantock, supporting the move, said: "Large houses are being picked off one by one by developers and we have no ammunition to stop the destruction of leafy suburbs like Southbourne, Queen's Park and Talbot Woods.

"The very character of this town and what makes Bournemouth special is changing. It is potentially a very grim picture.

"What's needed is a change in national planning policy so we have the tools to do the job at local level. The current system is so stacked against us.

"When we refuse planning applications often we don't have a snowball in hell's chance of defending the decision at appeal and local taxpayers end up footing the bill.

"It's incredibly frustrating because we are walking a constant tightrope. Residents don't realise how much our hands are tied."[18]

In August 2006 the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) named the Lib Dem led council as one of the best for protecting green belt land and encouraging sensitive development citing the fact that the council had one of the best 'land recycling' records in the entire country. Cllr Mantock said the council was trying to restrict the numbers of family homes being demolished and back gardens being developed.

"We want to target development on proper brownfield sites like derelict, commercial and industrial sites rather than see attractive family homes in sylvan settings demolished.

"It's nice to receive praise but our land recycling rates were always going to be high because we have made a conscious decision to leave the green belt alone."[19]

In August 2006 Cllr Mantock called affordable housing in the borough an 'absolute imperative' saying that the town needed to find 700 units a year to deal with a backlog of demand.[20]

In September a man was hospitalised after being attacked and knocked unconscious on his own doorstep after confronting a drunken mob. Cllr Mantock condemned the attack as "totally unacceptable" saying "This is a dreadful incident and I hope the victim makes a speedy recovery.

"Everyone has a right to be able to live in peace and feel safe in their own homes. This is the last thing I would have expected in an attractive and settled residential community."[21]

On the 30^th September the Royal Bournemouth Hospital withdrew plans for an expansion and struck a deal with 'Troika Developments' in a 'shock' u-turn. The Hospital had cited its expansion plans as a reason to deny the developer's planning application for a £50 million office development and park and ride scheme that would leave the hospital land-locked. The planning board denied the application and the developers appealed the decision.

Cllr Mantock, insisted the council would still defend its decision at the appeal.

But said: "As far as I'm concerned, the planning board has been consistent throughout this whole affair but it's now clear that the roles and aspirations of some of the applicants have not been.

"Those who had taken a view that the Troika scheme was wrong are now confronted with an unlikely set of bedfellows."[22]