BCP Council, England Our BCP Council Live Q&A's, 9 Feb 2022

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From YouTube: BCP Council's LIVE Q&A

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Join Deputy Leader Cllr Philip Broadhead for our regular BCP Council LIVE Q&A session broadcast across YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. Join us at 1pm on Wednesday 9th February 2022 with your questions.

A

Good afternoon my name is drew melon, I'm the leader of bcp council and really glad to be with you for another one of our our sessions today. um So this is one of our normal sessions, so it's it's a half an hour session where anybody can ask any question that they like. um So please put those those comments in whether you're on facebook, linkedin, twitter, uh youtube, etc. Really, really glad to have you here. um We've been doing a number of theme sessions uh recently, but um it's a really keen to carry on doing those.

A

So again, if anybody's got any ideas of of different areas, you'd like us to go into more detail on by all means. um uh Please let us know um we usually start off with a covered um sort of update effectively um we're not, um I think, we're moving into a slightly different stage of the pandemic now, so I'm going to be less um just repeating our numbers here, but all I want to sort of point back out to is the fact that vaccinations have been so successful in what we've done.

A

What we're trying to do now is to move some of our messaging a bit more towards those particular groups of people who who haven't completely got their free vaccinations yet so and having messaging around that so a particular message- we're looking at at the moment is around you know younger people who you know might want to go on holiday throughout the summer.

A

There's still only a certain amount of time, so you can actually get all three vaccinations in and the more vaccinated you are and then the more places around the world you'll be able to travel to as we're easing our restrictions. Different countries are still you know undergoing their own, their own process so encourage as many people as possible to get vaccinated and we'll be able to get back to normal lives. Okay, I will let me get to to some of the questions and that we've already got um uh already got coming in fine.

A

So, okay, yes, so we've got um a comment from raymond uh chillcott around and broken streetlights um I'll. Take that away, and we will. We will look um I'll personally, look into that if you've been trying to report it. um What hopefully, one of our colleagues will do here now is to put up a um you know our reported email address um so that we can anybody who can can report things we can get them get them looked at yeah. Thank you. Bcpcouncil.Gov dot, uk forward, slash report it, but raymond.

A

We will look at that um specifically interesting enough. We just actually um this morning, I've just come from cabinet where we've um and passed our budget, um which we now take to full council for final voting, significant over three million pounds of investment raymond in stuff called cleaner, greener, safer. So it's about um how we, you know tied up our areas, make them look, look uh look cleaner um and also have more um community safety officers and an extra 10 people on the street um as community safety officers.

A

So a lot more money for for for stuff, like um that, um okay yeah. In fact, one of our colleagues has suggested um uh that um so we've got um a question from um uh steve, burr the brunt. Sorry I was trying to reach an endless, and perhaps we will have a look at uh have a look at that. It's how much of the council tax going up by and what are you doing about the um uh drug uh I'm assuming?

A

That means dealing going on enchantments in broad day, like mostly really really important uh question, and let me spend a bit of time on on both of them. Steve. I've just talked about the budget going through cabinet today.

A

um What we're doing there is we're freezing the council tax uh effectively, so um uh councils get the opportunity to increase council tax by 1.99 um and we're freezing that actually. So we we had the second lowest council tax rise in the country uh last year um and we're now um we're with freezing council tax this year. So what that's meant effectively is we've saved seven million pounds of council tax last year and four percent uh sorry, four million this year, so eleven million pounds uh of counter that's not collected in two years.

A

um What we are collecting um is the the councils have to collect the government's adult social care precepts, um and that is four percent, um and then you get things like the priests, police and crime. Commissioner precept and depending on where you live in the congregation that the town, um council um and parish council precepts. So um it'll say quite clearly on your bills: uh council tax is being frozen um and uh foreign police precept. You know, as it is etcetera um the second part of the question. I think this is really really important.

A

I've just alluded to it again in that earlier answer um is around uh a clean agreement after our pride in place um objective, so we're working really closely with the police and crime commissioner, uh david cydwick to make sure we've got a more joined up approach to anti-social, behavior and part of my award is in charminster, so I know very well what you're, what you're talking about, and we've been involved with the police in charming stories, local councillors, for for a long time, what we're now doing is bringing forward.

A

um One of the things that they want us to do is to invest further into our community safety officers. So these are um uh people they look are often like. um You know, uh police officers to to an extent into in terms of them being uniform. They have powers um delegated to them and they're at our disposal to then go and actually um work in areas that we think are really really important. um So so absolutely steve.

A

This is if this budget gets um gets passed, there'll be 10 extra people across the convention to be doing exactly what you're talking about um last year, we brought six extra people forward and we're going further this year, so um we've more than doubled in in two years the amount of uh community safety officers. So thank you ever so much for your question.

A

We, you know, hopefully answered it about council tax and said it's a real priority for us in terms of antisocial behavior, and I know it is for the um police and crime commissioner, too.

A

Okay, um so we've got a question in from youtube about recycling. Things go up um 360 litre bins, instead of a current 240 liter bins, a lot of oven, flowing bins, um okay, yeah! No, no something! I so do you understand? One thing I will just um point out is it is possible um to acquire an extra bin in in a lot of circumstances? So, if you're regularly exceeding your um your uh your bin capacity and then you are able to get an extra bin um so by all means.

A

If anybody would like to contact us to to know about that, my email address is drew.mellor. At bcpcouncil.gov dot, uk um we've we've talked about a wider equalization of all the bin sizes and and services across um across bcp. For instance, we um in our um there's not food waste and collected in in pool at the moment where it is in other parts of the the connection. This morning, a cabinet.

A

We also published our um and approved our updated corporate strategy, um which it talks about having an ambition to to level up across the connervation around um things like food waste and recycling etc. um So, um and what I'll also do is I'll look into um if there's, if there's any work planned around uh moving to 240 liter bins up to 360., but hopefully that is of some use if your bins and bins are overflowing.

A

Okay, right, yeah, fine, so michael connolly has asked a question about um lister. Picking effectively, really poor at the moment requires doing on a regular basis gives him poor impression entering the talents yeah. I can understand. I understand, michael what you're talking about so last summer. We did a pilot in uh in poole town center, where we worked with the paul bidd business improvement district um and we looked at ways of actually going in and work. You know walking with them to see what actually needed to be uh to be cleaned.

A

More we've done some deep cleans and we've looked at some of the street furniture. Some of that we can repaint and and and get looking good again. Some of that we can. We have to have to move so we did it. We did a street furniture all day that was really successful um and been really well received. So what we're now doing is using the budget.

A

We've just talked about the extra three million pounds into cleaning green safer um to to roll that out across uh initially just the other town centers and then the other, the other districts as well. So um it's absolutely something we're committed to doing um where there is material more money going into it than it's ever gone into it um before, and we think we can really make a difference. um The phrase I've often used uh is about. It needs to feel different. He needs to feel like it's cleaner, greener and safer.

A

What we've tried to do is be you know, really ambitious and creative about use of our. You know how we can find money to invest, we're doing that we're putting new money into to do this, michael, so, hopefully, that um you know you should start seeing and seeing an improvement um there.

A

Okay, okay, so uh laura laura phelps um question about how much are carers set to see in their wage increase, with the high rise in adult social care on our on our council tax bill? Okay, so um so effectively. So what I'll just talk a little bit about um what how adult social care and the council tax bill um you know is, and I've talked about the precept before the gut. The government um collect adult social care precept which we then um use to fund fund care effectively.

A

So um so we were allowed last year to take a three percent uh rise in adult social care um uh precept and uh and going forward it's one percent a year effectively and that extra allowance we're allowed to take last year um was designed because um a lot of adult social care and teams were really struggling because of the pandemic. Effectiveness of the government gave us more ability to to collect council tax.

A

We took the view as a council and we're one of the outliers in the country to do it, but we thought it wasn't the right time to put that um council tax rise onto our on to our you know, bill payers uh coming out of a pandemic. We thought it's really important to keep as much money into people's pockets as possible, so we didn't take it last year.

A

We deferred it for for a year and that saved seven million pounds um this year we are, we are taking we, you know we are we're only allowed to defer it for one year, um so it's use it or lose it effectively. So we are taking it this year um with our widow's annual one percent. So you mentioned about a uh a high increase in council tax um bill. um It is actually you know.

A

Over the two years we have had one of the lowest council tax increases in in the country and 11 million pounds of council tax not not collected. um We have got um price pressure in um wage inflation uh across across carers, and you know it's something we're really actively actively looking at.

A

We know we need to be more competitive, so one of the things we're doing is looking at how we can train train more carers, how we can bring people in and and sell it as a fantastic career and a really rewarding career as it is. We also talk about in our budget how we are going to be moving forward pay across across all council workers, um as we harmonize across and there's a in.

A

I believe it's two years times, but effectively a nine million pounds um annual impact of that so where people will be going up above and beyond um what they've been currently have been.

A

um So there is extra pay going into frontline workers, there's extra money going into um bringing more frontline workers in and with also bringing in a transformation piece of work which tries to work out how we can use some of the best and innovative ways of doing this to one keep council tax bills continue to keep them down long long term, but also to provide fantastic service to people.

A

So there is wage wage increase and wage rises going in, and I hope that I've answered your question about um council tax council tax increase as well um right.

A

Okay, um so laura phelps has asked a question around um the ashdown: athletics track improvements and that's a lot of that's not actually something, I'm I'm aware of. So what I'll do I'll take that away and with the portfolio holder for um active health, mohan oyenga and we will um one of us will come back to you laura. So so let me let me have a look at that.

A

um Okay, so then jamie dunn, again, you know regular question about upton upton country park um and fantastic. This is just highlight here, um so jamie has campaigned um for a long time around and doesn't want um there to be parking charges in up to the country park. um You know we really appreciate that debate and uh anybody is welcome to a statement or or ask a question at full council meetings.

A

um So so you know if whatever your issue is, if it's something you feel passionate about by all means, come and talk to talk to me, but if you want to go through formal channels, um you've got the ability to uh ask questions at full, full council in terms of up to country park. So um I know in in paul when I, when upton country park, wasn't part of the pool borough council there's over four hundred thousand pounds uh a year. uh That was a cost.

A

You know um to the council, and so what we wanted to do, and and I've absolutely fought for and do still believe is the right thing to do is to try and we need to make it more sustainable. um So what we did was we introduced limited uh car parking um charges in action been really successful.

A

um You know still people have really used used the park and now and effectively you don't have to pay to go into a park, but as a lot of other venues do um by paying, if you want to, you know, drive that by car you pay a small uh chance to to go there. So we disagree jamie, don't we on it? You know, I think it's exactly the right thing to do.

A

I think that's a great way of making people who use parks and make them more sustainable so that the wider council taxpayer doesn't have to subsidise them. Appreciate you. You don't agree with that, but really thank you for your question to council um coming and coming forward and anybody else. I really would encourage anybody to um to ask questions to counsel. If there's a issue, you're really interested in you'll get you'll get an answer on the night.

A

Okay, fine! Let me find some other questions now. Will there be more bins placed in the mozzarella uh tim a decade? Would there be more bins placed in the maldon winton area, um so they would be putting extra waste bins in the area but haven't put any in in more down um yeah. The simple answer to that question is: is yes, um what we're trying to do is to and you'll see on the sea front, actually, probably the best best example um and some of the town centres. um We've put.

A

We've done a couple of things. Actually we put a significant amount of more bins in from town centres and it has made a difference. You know there is a lot less litter than there was uh two summers ago so so bluntly, and obviously we know that works um so we're now rolling out if our budget gets approved. Some of our council tax trees, um we've investment into clinical inner safer, gets approved at full council. Then we will be able to put more um more. You know more bins across the connotation and sometimes it's more bins.

A

Sometimes it's bigger bins, um particularly. We have we're looking at a scheme where we're looking at, I think they're called subterranean bins which, which is um uh buried. You know underground bins because quite often they're quite unsightly. You know it's great. We've got loads of bins, but we're so we're so with our cleaner, green and safer program. If it gets approved, we're absolutely looking to um to put more bins in across the connotation one other thing we did it's a little bit controversial. We were we um experimented on some of our messaging.

A

You know around around litter um and had an award-winning campaign which massively impacted the level of litter um that was left, which was talking about being a bit more direct with people. I think you know it's. um Is this been full, we'll just go and find another one, there's enough of them about a little bit more direct way of speaking to people than um councils would do it historically. We wanted to try because we want to find different ways of doing it. It's worked really well.

A

I don't think we use all of that messaging all the time, but we are. We are tim. Thank you for your question. I will make sure that um council, anderson and council dunlop know you've asked it um and but we but yes effectively. If our budget gets passed at full council, which is a week on tuesday, um then there will be more bins uh in in areas like um winter and more down. Okay, um okay, fine.

A

So, okay, so graham film was asked a question about um oakdale and the roadblocks in in hotel. So um we ran a really, hopefully really useful and interesting session uh in terms of our wider transforming travel program. um So thank you to everybody who engaged with that and we try to talk a little bit more sort of unpack. Why we're trying to do this? You know and the way government are keen on increasing, walking and cycling.

A

Why we're keen to to move it forward, um but but what would an important message, but I think we really needed to get across is how it's actually pro car, uh often rather than anti-car. If we're able to create more um your travel, your choice, we've called it effectively.

A

So if we're able to say anybody who wants to travel by foot or by bike and then that freeze up road space for people who do need or want to use, use the car, so um what we've done is uh we've we've inherited a number of you know: etro's emergency travel orders and then we've listened to the public, mostly um and uh in terms of whether there's a reason to change them.

A

um When we have, we know, for instance, we did, we had a decision called in in oakdale um around tottenham road, um which we then listened to the public opinion and then reopened them the majority. So in hotel we have um got you know where we haven't overturned these decisions um for ones that left. We still very really want to hear from people about how they're working um we're committed to um we.

A

You know this is a travel program where we want to invest money into uh walking and cycling, and but it you know what we need to do to get to a situation where people can really. You know, walk cycle and free up road space for those who want to need it. So, graham, thank you. You know if you, if you haven't already um put your comments, informally um in terms of about what anything that's affecting you again.

A

My email address is drew.mellow bcpcouncil.gov.uk and I could direct those um to the to the right place, but a little bit about we have actually, you know, reopened some of the roads in oakdale and we've also, um you know, there's a reason, we're doing it and you know um we're committed to doing it as well. uh Walking walking cycling agenda, okay, yeah, fine, and actually so I haven't seen this question, but but this is a really important point: um daniel rose answers underneath um which, which is you know, sort of helpful in that discussion.

A

um We are hugely congested as an area, and so all those people who need you know um so, whether it's just the people of disabled, whether it's older people, but it's people who just just want to use a car. um You know which is absolutely they're right and we'll protect that right um in doing that, that is hugely congested. um You know and we are by far away one of the most congested parts of the country. So what we're? Actually you know doing, is keeping a lot of those a lot of those roads.

A

um You know there's a hundred million pounds worth of investment in walking and cycling uh infrastructure and bus infrastructure, so 80 million pounds of that has come from the government. So that's money, we've won from from the government um and it's you know quoted again in the leveling up paper. So it's it's a you know: 100 million pounds of investment in this area to help people get moving again. So daniel there's a huge amount going. You know, sort of unprecedented.

A

I mean undeniably unprecedented amount going into that we're trying to really our job there because of the comment, um unless we get graham's name yeah uh previously, it's it's a real tension about this, and you know one of the things that we thought was was lost. Potentially in the um discussion of this topic uh by the previous administration. It just seemed too too anti-car and you know it shouldn't be so binary. It shouldn't be, it's pros. You know, cycle walking or or pro car it should be about well, actually how can we get your travel?

A

If you want to you know, if you want to travel by car, we need to free up um enough road space for the the the network works properly, we're investing in it. Government put 80 million pounds, we're putting 20 million pounds in with dorset council, and but we need to do that, while still respecting you know, people like graham's um viewpoints for finance road closures. Really it's really challenging.

A

um Okay, let me see if we've got some other other questions, yeah, so wendy davey an important question about uh graffiti. um The first thing uh wendy is this is complicated because if it's on private land, it's much much harder for us to uh to impact and deal with, because we have to go to the we can't we're not allowed to just go in in most circumstances to just go and and repair it effectively, because it's the responsibility of whoever you know owns the owned for land.

A

If it's in our you know, if it's in public space, which is in our space, we're absolutely and part of the extra three million pounds we're putting in means, we should be better able to react to it. We put the reported um message up earlier on so I'll. Ask colleagues. Thank you very much. That's really really helpful um uh yeah. So if you, if you see it, please report it immediately, don't presume somebody else has reported it.

A

Please tell us about it um and then we, if we can do something about it, we will um but we, but we absolutely need to um you, know, address it more and more quickly. So, even if it is on private land, we can have more resource now to actually go back to his private landowners and um and and work with them to try and you know, come up with a come up with a solution. There alex slant is launched, yes, uh youtube question: will the road sweepers be cleaning side roads?

A

More often the main roads are done daily, wimbledon and a lot of side roads haven't been swept in in a couple of years. Yeah I mean bluntly again so um there's a couple of things. I'd like to just talk about here here alex. Yes, we are investing.

A

You know this extra money, we've already put some money in and this extra three billion pounds will give more money and for more road, sweepers and road sweeping crews effectively, so that you will, you should start noticing a higher standard of road uh cleaning generally, and we think it's really important. You know we we've got such a beautiful natural environment. We've got one of the most. um You know amazing places.

A

You know, I think one of the most amazing places you know in the country, if not europe, um but so we've got a responsibility to make sure it's clean, make sure people are proud of it and that does extend to um the litter we talked about earlier. It does extend to this to the side roads as well, so so alex yeah.

A

The absolute answer is yes: there is more money going into road sweeping well, there's a particular um part of this as well and you're not talking about christchurch, but, um for instance, we inherited some very different levels of road sweeping across the across the connervation and in particular in christchurch the road um there's significantly less uh road sweeping um going on. So what we've now done is we've leveled that up so that's already there.

A

So there's an extra crew in christchurch, an extra road sweeping vehicle, that's money we put in pretty much immediately to level up in a christchurch we're paying some of the highest council tax um in in the country and now, actually you know from our they're saving uh in the region of 260 pounds a year. So we've proven you can save. You know um 260 pounds a year on council tax in christchurch and have more services there.

A

So that's what we're trying to do we're trying to make sure it doesn't cost us much, but we're delivering more and- and we are, we are trying to do that alex. So, if there's a particular road to alex, please um you know, let us know really keen to hear about it. We can talk you through about you know when it is being swept.

A

Often we don't notice it um or because there's actually quite a lot of roads we've been going on, but if it's something that really you know you think's missed or you think we haven't given enough priority to. We really really want to know about it, alex so again report it or or email me, and we will. um We will pick that up for you, but thank you very much alex um okay.

A

Yeah, so we've got someone care which I won't repeat there, because I've already had a bit of a discussion on that. um Okay,.

A

um Okay, so marina ross had asked a question about the uh park and ride perhaps go to bournemouth rather than boscom. Most tourists want to see bournemouth town. I feel this would help congestion in the summer. um Okay, rubina. Thank you. Thank you for that, and so so what I think is worth saying is we think park and ride is a really useful part of the solution.

A

You know, I think we all saw how congested um the roads were a couple of a couple of years ago in the summer, and we we wanted to do something about it. So we and we put in a with two parking rides effectively september, one in uh king's park in bournemouth uh and one uh just near the civic center in paul. um So and they were, you know, successful, very used and we'd really like them to be used more this time.

A

um So so what we've done is we've we're keeping them, and you know if our budget gets approved again, there's a million of around about just over a million and a half pounds in pounds in what we've called summer readiness, and so that is money to make sure we're ready for the summer, and that includes committing to park and ride again, um and you and you're right it does. You know effectively help congestion a lot um your specific point around. Why doesn't it go to bourbon? I know I know and look.

A

I can I'll actually have a look at look into this, but the my understanding was very much that we've got a huge hotspot in bournemouth anyway in terms of people, so we're trying to make sure that the um when we've got the ability to direct people um into into different places, we can direct them to quieter parts of the beach.

A

So I know um that uh if, for instance, we just immediately put everybody, you know we picked up from the parking lot and put them into the um the real hot spot of the the pier by bournemouth. That's that's, who wouldn't be conclusive, um but but we can I'll, take it away and I'll ask them and see. um You know what what sort of um routes and options we've got. One thing's really important in the whole congestion about specifically about the beach is our beach checker app.

A

um So you know, as we're coming up to you know, to to warmer weathers, hopefully not too far away, really encourage as many residents as possible to download that. So we can actually see where our beaches are, where our hot spots, both in car parks beaches, effectively we're going to try and do more and more with that happens as we go. um But reena. Thank you for your question. I hope you have explained one we're going to keep the park and rides and we're committed to doing that.

A

There'll be parking rides again this summer um and two uh you know, that's why it tends to. You know, focus on some quieter areas, but I will take away um your point. Rowena and- um and just you know see if we can refresh the conversation about um the roots there: um okay yeah, so I've talked a lot about the um about the budget so and and some things in there we did do a budget session a couple of weeks ago.

A

What would be really um hopefully helpful is um if I can ask one of our colleagues to share the link. I saw we've done that actually in the in the chat, but if we- but if we do that um here as well share the the link to the the budget be really um welcome people to sort of dig into it um uh yeah. So it's bcp council, dot, gov, dot, uk forward, slash council tax 2022., um and um you know that you can look into more detail any questions about that contact.

A

Your local councillor, contact me and we'd be really really keen to have anybody's feedback. um That budget goes to full council. It's been approved by cabinet today goes to full council uh a week on tuesday. So hopefully that should be. uh You know really some positive news there. um Okay, let me.

A

Okay, so carl jones asked question about: could the king's park location for parker had not be really going to relocate it towards the airport would ease traffic to the a338 yeah carl? We did we did we didn't explore. We did explore that and it's under constant review. um What we were looking to do last summer particularly was um stand something up quite quickly um and we were. We were ready and able to stand set up at king's park, um and it's also you know it's it.

A

There's a judgment call about at what point you start sort of stopping. You know asking the traffic to to come in um and- and we thought it worked quite successfully- we didn't. We did some surveys and not bluntly, not enough. People knew it was there. So what we're going to try and do there this year, rather than change it around again, we? What we want to do is to be better at publicizing where it is, um but carl you know that's why we've done it.

A

That's why it's there and we're going to commit to it for now there, because I think it's more important that people get used to it. Being there you know effectively, but carl thank you for his suggestion um and uh you know we keep it uh under wraps. um Okay, so I've got a question from uh jenny.

A

I think we're still on park and rides here and this one's specifically about about crequel, um and uh so we I you know um this council didn't build for the park right at crick morrison, there's an argument to say that it was um done and and in a place that wasn't hugely required, and so it's not something. That's really worked hugely well consistently.

A

um So what we've done actually and what, as you'll see what's up there in a moment, jenny is we've leased it out to to the nhs for their testing facility, um and that is going forward up until next christmas effectively and that's the current that's current plan. So so um nhs have asked us if they can retain that site um for for the next next year um and when we're obviously trying to help wherever we can so we've suggested that they that's fine.

A

So um so jenny, that's you know it's not a specific answer to your question. um It's a bit. I guess twofold: one there's not enough patronage, not a few people wanted to use it regularly, um we're in discussions.

A

You know going forward and we're really keen to have discussions with large employers who might want to use that and then very low people, interpol um and we think if we can really use it properly as a park and ride it can make a really material difference in pool, but for the next um you know for this year for the rest of this year, we're looking at that being a um you know: it's just a testing facility.

A

Okay, I think that's, I think, we've gone past our time now. So so. Thank you very much for anybody who has commented um if I can I'll just leave my email address up again, so it's drew.mellow at bcpcouncil.com. So there's anything else. You you! You would like specific answers to. Please please email me um and, as I said at the beginning, I'm really really keen to um to hear any other theme sessions. So any other things you're really keen to like we talked about the budget. We've talked about anti-social behavior.

A

um We, you know, we've talked about the local plan, um so anything else. Let us know we'll, do it we'll run sessions on it on the local plan. You know we're really pleased that we're announcing um today, some some more detailed consultation and we've been really passionate about doing face-to-face consultation and we're now able to put a number of face-to-face consultations in around the local plan as well.

A

So please look out for those, and just before I finish, what we're doing with a local plan is rather than put someone together and present it and say this is what we want to do: we're actually adding an extra section of consultation. We're saying so look here: are all the sites who's? What who has ideas we're going to listen to that feedback, we're going to put it together and then we're going to come out with what we think is a local plan. So please look out for those sessions as well.

A

Okay, um hopefully that was used for half an hour uh really. I always really appreciate it. It's great to have the uh the comments and the feedback as well, so anything else you'd like us to do. Let us know but um stay safe, stay well, and thank you very much for your time. Everybody bye.