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Minutes of a Meeting of the Executive Committee held at 18 Sandbourne Road between 1.00 and 2.10pm on Monday 24th January 2022.

Present: Ken Mantock (Chairman), Jean Bird (Vice Chairman), Jean-Daniel Kursner, Sally McGrath (Membership Secretary), John Soane (Built Environment Officer) and Elaine Cooper.

Apologies: Paul Newsome, Alex McKinstry, Philip Stanley-Watts, Hilda Brownlow

  1. Minutes. The minutes for the meeting held on 22nd November were agreed.

  1. Matters Arising from the Minutes.

  • John S would check on plans for 1 Baring Avenue plus revised plans for The Woodrisings, 10 Branksome Wood Road.

  1. Built Environment.

  • Cleaner, Greener, Safer Bournemouth. John has posed a question to Council on 11th January and a promising reply had been given by Cllr Nicola Greene. A follow up meeting with her by John, Ken and Elaine would be arranged. The Echo had featured reports noting our concerns re standards of street cleaning, grass cutting, over-flowing and poorly sited refuse bins and graffiti

  • Local Plan. A fresh consultation document had just been published by the Council with responses need by 7th March (a tight timescale!) so the sub-committee of Jean, Elaine, Jean-Daniel and John S would meet shortly to review and comment on the latest document. Alex had already highlighted a threat of housebuilding on Lingdale Road play park so he and Ken had signed the online petition. It did appear that the Council were using a different methodology than the Govt had been insisting which meant a lower rate of annual housing targets which was a good thing if accepted.

  • 16-20a Belle Vue Road. JD attended the Mayoral tree planting on 27th November but the weather was so bad it was not a long session and with little chance to chat and exchange ideas. There had been no feedback from Southbourne Heritage Forum re blue plaques, conservation area status orlocal listed buildings which JD and Alex had offered to help progress.

  • Southbourne Crossroads Car Park and Area . The plans were awaiting consideration by the Planning Committee but the proceed of the land sale appeared in the budget for 2022. There had been no feedback regarding our offer to help fund a heritage interpretation board here abouts.

  • Firvale Road Redevelopment. John S would check the latest plans for this comprehensive redevelopment. Fortitudo had revised the scheme but it still featured a very tall multi-storey block.

  • Purple Flag. Bournemouth had won again its Purple Flag award for excellence in the night time and evening economy.

  • Glenferness Avenue Cycle Lanes. We had supported the local residents’ association’s objection to new cycle lane that featured tree felling and bridge widening.

  • Planning Service Improvements. The Planning Department was still under real pressure and transformation was ongoing. Backlogs in dealing with applications had been reported in The Echo.

  • Boscombe Arcade. The Council have purchased the Arcade and have started its restoration.

  • Future Places. The Council have set up a new organisation to undertake regeneration projects across the conurbation. Alex asked a qustio at the last Council meeting re it Directors and declarations of interest.

  • Winter Gardens. It appeared that revised plans were being mooted covering both the Winter Gardens and the BIC sites.

  • The Lansdowne. The Chime Forest feature was being commissioned and ideas for reminiscences/words/sounds/music for it were being sought.

  1. Heritage and Conservation.

  • Civic Design Award Scheme. Still no reply from anyone at the Council so this would be an agenda item for the next meeting with Caroline Peach

  • Lucerne Watch. A request for ideas for a new site of the Lucerne watch once it had been repaired had been feature this in the newsletter.

  • Barnes Bequest. A further £668.19 had been received from Keith’s executors. The Bequest was featured in our recent newsletter and a suggestion had arrived from a Boscombe member suggesting we help toward the saving and re-siting of classic wall tiles from the former Keith Spicer building in Cleveland Road to Springbourne Library.

  • City Status for Bournemouth. Our email setting out our lack of support for the City status bid had been submitted to the Cabinet Office and The Echo had reported this.

  • Stour Valley Park. There was an on-line consultation on 27th Jan.

  • Throop, & Holdenhurst Villages Area Public Workshop. A consultation was taking place at St John’s Church Hall on 29th Jan.

  • West Cliff Victorian Shelter. A query received via the website had been passed on to the local ward councillors.

  • Burlington Hotel. A query received via the website re the hotel’s history had been passed on to Bournemouth Library and Alwyn who had both replied comprehensively.

  • Savoy Hotel. Interesting and encouraging plans for the restoration and improvement of the Savoy Hotel had been highlighted in the Echo. JS would check the plans.

  • Builders of Bournemouth. Ken was reading a new history of George and Harding and would give a review to Colin Harding. The book is proving really interesting with excellent photos and illustrations.

  • Westover Road. The Echo recently reported that the Council were bringing forward new plans to regenerate/improve Westover Road. We needed to find out details.

  • Dolcis Building. Our and the 20th Century Society’s objections to additional floors to this classic art-deco landmark building in Old Christchurch Road had been highlighted in the Echo.

  1. Planning. See John Soane’s written reports for November:

  • Spyglass and Kettle Pub, Southbourne Overcliff Drive. External bar and pergola. Object

  • 1 Upper Terrace Road. Five/six Storey block of flats. Object.

  • 44 Charminster Road. Conversion to six flats. Object

  • 379-383 Wimborne Road. Three storey block of student flats. Object

  • 133-135 Cranleigh Road. Infill development of flats. Object

  • 506 Charminster Road. Extend house and convert to five flats. Object

  • 4 Stour Road. One and a half storey extension. Support

  • 64 Irving Road. Infill development of two bungalows. Object.

  • Hengistbury Head. Iron Age Round House. Support

See John Soane’s written reports for December:

  • 22 Egerton Road. Extension and conversion to three flats. Object.

  • 46 Hawkwood Road. Bedsit. Object

  • 217 Old Christchurch Road. Three storey block of five flats. Support

  • Bobbys, The Square. New signage and replacement elevation. Support

  • 42 Poole Hill. Block of flats and office. Support.

  • 5-7 Priory Road. Flats. Object

  • Savoy Hotel, West Cliff. Restoration and investment. Support

  1. Planning Committee. December and January meetings had no Bournemouth

plans on the agendas. Meetings take place on 3rd and 17th February plus 8th March.

  1. Communications Timetable. The Christmas/Winter newsletter had been written by Ken and sent out by Sally. It had also been sent around contacts and interested parties and the Council by email. It was agreed to reimburse Ken £114.60 paid to Marquee Print for Committee Member name tags and badges which had been issued earlier in the meeting. It was noted that rather than have the AGM in March/April it would be better to incorporate into the summer event that marked our 50th Anniversary. Ken would contact Peter so the Annual Financial Report for 2021 was included in the next mailing/Newsletter to members.

  1. Civic Voice. More good national campaigning and efforts to improve planning at local and national levels.

  1. Membership Officer’s Report. Sally reported three new members. JD reported that he had hand delivered the recent newsletter to all the Southbourne members. He was working on a poster and meeting with Southbourne groups and councillors. He suggested we have a quarterly meeting with local members and explore Facebook.

  2. Webmaster’s Report. All and up to date and all enquiries being followed up.

11. Treasurer’s Report:

  • Current Account. £43,209.32. This included the £668.19 from Keith Barnes estate.

  1. Caroline Peach Meeting. Ken would chase up a meeting in February and agenda remained:

  • Cliff End Hotel

  • Electric car-charge points

  • Recycling facilities

  • Local Plan

  • Civic Design Award Scheme

  • West Cliff Hotels (Cottonwood etc)

  • Graffiti on private land

  • Throop Mill and Hicks Farm

  • Southbourne Conservation Area and Heritage Assets inc blue plaques and HIB

  • Dorset Council and BCP Council Heritage Assets HLF project

  • Environment Policy – clearing public areas and graffiti on private land

  1. Society 50th Anniversary in 2022. Ken noted:

  1. Summer Lunch/Garden Party. Looking to do this a Sat or Sun in Summer with AGM at start then guest speaker – Cllr Nigel Hedges/Colin Harding?

  2. Commemorative Booklet. Alex?

  3. Commemorative mugs, pens, mouse mats. Ken progressing

  4. Enhanced Membership Drive. Sally and JD in hand

  5. Focus on the Natural Environment to balance Built Environment. To do… volunteer needed to take this on.

  6. Planting Trees. To do… volunteer needed to take this on.

  7. Approach to Youth. To do… volunteer needed to take this on. John Soane/JD?

  8. Retail Heritage Competition. To do… volunteer needed to take this on.

  1. Any Other Business.

Lansdowne – Sally reported that since the Lansdown improvements had taken place the relocated bus stop at Old Christchurch Road was unsafe and inconvenient. 2 Shops had been killed off and the flowershop lost to another location. Parking is no poor.

Public Benches in The Square – Sally reported that since the German Christmas Market in The Square public benches removed to allow its setting up had yet to be returned to their original sites including the bench that the Civic Society paid for.

  1. Next Meeting

Monday 28th February at 1pm at 18 Sandbourne Road, (at the invitation of Jean)

Ken Mantock

28th February 2022 Chairman

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