Chairman’s Report to AGM 2023

Bournemouth Civic Society – Notes of the Annual General Meeting

Held at The Church Hall, St Ambrose Church, West Cliff Road, Bournemouth

at 7pm on Friday 1^st September 2023

Present: 15 Members

Chairman’s Welcome: Ken Mantock welcomed members to the 51st Anniversary Annual General Meeting. He noted that it had been a busy, productive but challenging year for the Society. Busy and productive in the regular meetings and work of the Committee, the commenting on plans and engagement with the Council and others to foster better planning, but challenging in the search for new committee members and officers to replace those lost over recent years or those would be standing down. These matters featured later on during this meeting.

Apologies for absence: Hilda Brownlow reported that these had been received from: Paul Newsome, Peter Jackson, Bill and Wendy Cooper, Ian Dickens, Averill Holcroft, Chris and Edwina Ballard, Arthur and Carole Sweet, Jean Bird, Alwyn Ladell, Eileen Barker, Alex McKinstry and Phil Stanley-Watts.

Minutes of the 2022 Annual General Meeting: The Minutes of the meeting held on 24^th July, copies of which were circulated in July along with the AGM calling notice, were accepted as a true record of what took place.

Chairman’s Report: The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and highlighted the following matters as having been to be of interest to the Society in 2022/23 and on which it had made its views known:

• BCP Council had seen in May this year its first set of elections since being established and a new administration were now in power. As it was only little over three months since that change it was too early to comment on whether the good values we reflected on at the last AGM that we missed from the former Bournemouth Council of the then BCP Council would be in evidenced: positive polices regarding town planning, conservation, design and regeneration. Time would tell, especially with the Cleaner, Greener Safer initiative that we were so concerned with. But with a huge financial black hole in the Council’s budget difficult decisions must be expected across all its services.

• In the Town Centre we had welcomed further plans for development of Bobbies but did not admire proposals for the Beales building that promised many flats but no car parking nor the House of Frazer building that suggests student flats, nine retail units and a nightclub. The Royal Bath Hotel has recently been repainted so this we hope is a sign of improvement of this landmark whilst across on the West Cliff the transformation of the Savoy to The Nici has been amazing and shows what can be achieved with time, money and a positive approach.

• The worst decision of the year in our opinion was the granting in November, by the then Planning Committee, against Officer recommendation, of the massive and far too tall for its site Fortitudo scheme in Firs Glen Road. Tall buildings of this height might be acceptable at the Lansdowne but not in the heart of the town centre. We met the developers of Holland House in Oxford Road in February and were generally warm to their well thought out proposal and separately engaged with the Council on its Tall Buildings Study in May.

• We welcomed the plans for the Lansdowne College site which have recently been approved and also back in October funded a Blue Plaque in Holdenhurst Rd to commemorate the BBC’s 100 years and the Society’s 50^th anniversary.

• The award of £18m from the Government to assist the Council with repairs to Bournemouth Pier, reinstate the East Cliff lift and promote improvement of facilities along the seafront can only be welcomed. Separate plans being mooted for Happylands at West Beach look promising as does the continuing restoration of The Russell Cotes Museum. We did not support the long term siting of the Topsy Turvy House in front of The Pavilion.

• We thought it short sighted that the Council did not offer free parking on certain nights to boost Christmas shopping last year and only several weeks ago the huge cost of parking has been highlighted as a deterrent to shoppers who instead shop out of town or at Castlepoint.

• Around Southbourne we continued to support residents fighting off planning applications for flats in Belle Vue Road, the Overcliff and Southbourne Cross Roads. Sadly the latter was allowed on appeal. Plans for the former Bistro on the Beach complex have been approved but in the meanwhile, with rising building costs, the temporary facilities there are likely to remain for some time to come..

• In Boscombe the regeneration proposals are still being worked up and discussed but there has been little action on the ground. Within the last couple of weeks new plans to re-purpose The Arcade for eatery uses has been suggested.

• Throop and Holdenhurst are always a concern as being forever on developers wish lists for building so we joined locals in their opposition to repurposing open green belt land for housing.

• Within Talbot Woods we supported residents in opposition to redevelopments plus also argued that some schemes just needed better designs to become acceptable.

• We supported Bournemouth University’s “Coastal Communities, Coastal Voices” HLF bid and continue to have good links with them

• The Committee members were thanked for their continued support and work especially firstly those who were standing down at this AGM:

• Jean Bird, Vice Chair, who had hosted the monthly committee meetings at her house for so many years,

• Peter Jackson, Treasurer, who had kept the accounts and dealt with all financial reporting for many years,

• Paul Newsome who had stood down as Minutes Secretary in December due to ill heath,

• Elaine Cooper who had added much with her planning knowledge,

• Hilda Brownlow who brought a wealth of community and justice experience to our discussions,

• Debbie Dupont who kept the website up to date.

• JD Kursner had worked tirelessly to develop our members in Southbourne,

• And the Chairman himself who after two terms with the Society, ten years in the 80’s and 90’s as Hon. Secretary and from 2007 as Chairman, who was also standing down.

• Thanks also to those on the Committee who had indicated a will to stay had others come forward to fill the current and upcoming vacant roles:

• Sally McGrath kept the membership records up to date and dealt with all postings to members,

• Phil Stanley Watts gave an insight into Boscombe.

• John Soane who for very many years has been Built Environment Officer and has checked and reviewed what must be thousands of Bournemouth planning applications that one discussed by the Committee were sent on to the Council as our monthly digest of comments.

• Huge thanks were recorded for all the Committee members past and present.

• The future – This was covered later in the meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: Debbie Dupont noted that the Treasurer’s Report had been circulated with the AGM calling notice that was issued in July. The Accounts covered the period up to 31^st December 2022 and had been examined and signed off by the Auditor. She ran through the main items of expenditure and income during the year. Having been proposed by John Soane and seconded by Elaine Cooper the Treasurer’s Report was received and adopted. Thanks were also paid to Treasurer Peter Jackson and Examiner/Auditor John Bartlett.

Resolution from the Executive Committee: Members had received notice of the following resolution made on 26^th June 2023:

• With great regret it is agreed to recommend to the members that the Bournemouth Civic Society begin the winding up process and make arrangements for same via the AGM and the follow on meeting, both to be arranged for in September.

• The current committee also agree to recommend to the members at the AGM that the Society’s funds, once all dues are settled, be transferred as a donation to the Russell Cotes Museum. Conversations would take place with the museum to see if they could create a local history room. This having been proposed and seconded, was agreed with nine voting in favour, one abstention and one against.

• Consequent on the AGM agreeing the recommendation the Charity Commission be advised that the BCS is winding down.

• And the Society’s historic records be passed to Bournemouth Libraries Heritage Section

On behalf of that committee it was proposed by Ken Mantock and Seconded by Hilda Brownlow.

Members present were advised that:

• The Spring 2023 Newsletter issued in January advised members that BCS was in peril due to lack of Committee members and were asked for help as a call to arms.

• The call to arms was shared with Radio Solent.

• The call to arms also posted to Bournemouth History Facebook page

• On 18^th March a direct call to arms was sent to members and indicated replies were needed by 23^rd April so the AGM agenda could be agreed.

• Our 18^th March the call to arms was shared with The Echo and a feature appeared on 25^th April.

• The Echo feature of 25^th April was emailed to all members on 11^th May

• A further and final email was sent on 6^th June to all members and also to those who had responded to the feature in The Echo of 25^th April.

The facts were noted:

• Insufficient offers of help/new committee members had been received it is not be possible to fill the soon to be vacant committee member and officer roles with a quorate committee of 6 members including two officers.

• There was a possibility that two current officer roles (Membership Secretary and Built Environment Officer) together with one or two of the current without portfolio committee members may retain in position, but this is insufficient for the quorum. There might be a new Newsletter Editor coming forward.

• As an organisation and a registered charity, the BCS must have a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Web Master, along with the other officer roles noted above but there have been no volunteers to take these roles on.

• It was therefore with great regret agreed by the Committee to recommend to the members that the Bournemouth Civic Society begin the winding up process and make arrangements for same via this AGM and the follow on meeting in September.

Discussion took place and questions were answered most notably about ensuring that if the Society’s funds were being transferred to the Russell- Cotes Museum, as a relevant Bournemouth based charity with similar aims and an appropriate recipient of the money, then it was essential that the donation was ring fenced toward one or more specific local projects rather there rather than be lost in general maintenance income.

It was agreed that this was and always had been the aim and wish of the Committee and very preliminary conversations had taken place and a number of projects identified including the restoration of the hall fountain, restoration of the Irving Room and reinstatement of the Wendy House formerly used by the Russell Cotes grandchildren.

This was accepted by the members present and it was also requested that the Russell Cotes invite members of the Civic Society to an event to acknowledge its involvement in funding whatever project is finally approved.

Members being content with this clarification, the resolution was varied as follows:

• With great regret it is agreed to recommend to the members that the Bournemouth Civic Society begin the winding up process and make arrangements for same via the AGM and the follow on meeting, both to be arranged for in September.

• The current committee also agree to recommend to the members at the AGM that the Society’s funds, once all dues are settled, be transferred as a donation to the Russell Cotes Museum on the proviso that the funds are ring fenced and used on one or more local and specific projects. Conversations would take place with the museum to see if they could create a local history room.

• Consequent on the AGM agreeing the recommendation the Charity Commission be advised that the BCS is winding down.

• And the Society’s historic records be passed to Bournemouth Libraries Heritage Section

Having been proposed and seconded the amended resolution was carried unanimously.

The Chairman reminded members present that as the resolution had been carried by more than a two thirds majority, as required by the Constitution, a further meeting will now take place on 22^nd September at 7pm to vote on the same resolution.

If passed by a simple majority at that meeting steps will follow by the current Chairman and Treasurer, together with relevant other members of the Committee to wind up the Society including dealing with all relevant matters, notifying the Charity Commission and having discussions with the Russell Cotes Museum as chosen charity to receive the Society’s remaining funds on the terms agreed, once all dues are settled.

Any Other Business:

The Chairman was thanked for all he had done over the years and especially for the efforts over the past year to seek a solution to recruiting new Committee members and officers in order that the Society not close.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 7.35pm