MINUTES OF THE BRANKSOME, CANFORD CLIFFS & DISTRICT RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE MEETING

HELD ON WEDNESDAY 14^th OCTOBER 2009 AT 7.30PM

IN THE LOUNGE, BRANKSOME ST. ALDHELM’S PARISH CENTRE

PRESENT:

Terry Stewart President

John Sprackling Chairman

John Gunton Magazine Editor

Stan Alfert Data Protection Officer

Val Short Minutes Secretary

Cllr Mrs May Haines Ward Councillor

Cllr Neil Sorton ditto

Ken Sanson Chairman, Sandbanks Assn

15 Members/Wardens

1. APOLOGIES AND ACCURACY OF MINUTES

JS welcomed NS & MH and all those present.

Apologies: Apologies received from Cllr Mrs Carole Deas (Flu) Bob & Phyllis Young, William Mutlow, Michael Bond

Accuracy: JS said that he would sign the Minutes as a true and accurate record of the meeting held on 09 September 2009.

2. MATTERS ARISING

Poole Pottery/Old Orchard/Quay Thistle Hotel sites update: JS reported that…

1. Quayside (former) Dolphin Quays development – No new developments

2. Poole Pottery factory buildings in Sopers Lane – ditto

3. Former Poole Pottery & Swan Inn site – ditto

4. Quay Thistle Hotel site – amended plans lodged on 24/09/09

5. Old Orchard House. 39-61. High Street – No new developments

Planning Enforcement, TPOs/Tree replacements – update:

JS reported

75 Canford Cliffs Road – Removal of fence and re-instatement of the boundary wall at the newly created entrance was due to be completed by 15/08/09.

15A Westminster Road – Lowering of both the railings and the fence adjacent to a highway to 1 metre or remove them in their entirety was due to be completed by 03/10/09.

Other current planning enforcement issues

Bella Rosa, 37 Haven Road – Retrospective application to erect glass screens to front and side of decking at front of property was refused on 03/07/09. Subject to ‘Written representation’ appeal (APP/Q1255/A/09/2108355) The deadline for statements/representations was 28/08/09.

2 Compton Avenue & 93 Lilliput Road – Hedging to be replaced but the Head of Planning Enforcement is seeking clarification to see if owners are waiting until the dormant season at the end of October.

51 Chaddesley Glen – A new planning application has been requested due to noticeable alterations to the double garage located to the rear of the property. The Agents had asked for the Cisco 642-414 proposal to be treated as a minor amendment to that previously approved on 27/12/07.

Community Working Group, Progress re Sir Michael Pitt’s recommendations & IDeA Report

JS reported that the 27 page Improvement & Development Agency (IDeA) Report has been posted on the BoP website. The report comments that the Local Planning Authority should engage with all residents and groups and not just those who are the most vocal.

TS said that Stephen Thorne is very happy with conclusions of the independent audit of planning processes – not such a clear set of recommendations as Sir Michael Pitt, but various ways of improving the Planning Committee, including re-arranging the layout in the room and improvements to sound so that everyone can see and hear clearly.

JS said that he would set out the 15 Key recommendations in the Minutes

Achieving outcomes

1. Ensure better awareness and ownership of the Core Strategy among officers and Members through a range of means.
2. The senior management team needs to ensure that the planning and regeneration service acts itself and is seen by other council services to act as a service to deliver the corporate regeneration agenda.

Integration and collaboration

1. Ensure that front line staff have appropriate information and training to apply the policy framework effectively and consistently
2. Plan and launch a comprehensive customer focus and engagement cisco 640-816 programme

Leading and engaging the community

1. Linked to the above, map out improved processes for engagement between planning officers and the asset management service to ensure that planning advice is being actively sought prior to the preparation of disposal details for council sites
2. Review the operation of the Planning Committee to improve the service it provides for the community.
3. Develop a more comprehensive approach to engagement with customers and stakeholders that is corporately led through officers and members
4. Consider the use of the existing Area Committees as an additional forum for engagement with the local community including looking at models of area committees elsewhere which deal with planning matters

Management

1. Ensure that the Head of Planning has the resources to complete the restructure and create sufficient support that allows him to play a more strategic role to lead the service through the required change
2. In line with recommendation 4 above, strengthen the service customer focus through a range of initiatives,
3. Ensure better monitoring of S106 obligations through a specific policy and processes, allocating responsibility for S106 monitoring to one dedicated officer, and the introduction of a corporate S106 monitoring group

Innovation, learning and excellence

1. Introduce processes for effective learning from appeals that were upheld, and from service complaints.
2. Adhere to good Human Resouces management practice by ensuring that all staff have regular one to one meetings and appraisals
3. Introduce mechanisms within the service to ensure that staff are actively listened to and are engaged in service improvements.

Shared knowledge and evidence

1. Poole should build on knowledge sharing and joint working with a wider range of developers and partners

RP reported that he had attended the Community Working Group (CWG) meeting on 30/09/09. Key points arising…

• Agenda and Minutes to be posted on BoP website in due course. Keith Pegram is updating site.

• Ward Walks planned by Stephen Thorne to get local Councillors out into the wards to review key planning, transport, environment, social issues. A Ward Walk took place toady; Residents’ Assns to notify issues of interest to their Ward members. As It is an exercise designed for listening rather than debating. it was felt that the event should be confined to Officers and Members.

• Quay Thistle development – request for special Planning Committee not progressed as yet.

• Web Access Module (WAM) being upgraded. Should allow Pre-Application meeting notes to be added to application files. CWG concern that this should be done before a decision is taken, not merely as an historical record. ST to investigate the practicalities.

• Trees on application sites – decisions are taken in accordance with British Standard; covers amenity value, visibility, health, life cycle, crown thinning etc. Key dimensions are, not less than 2m from the edge of canopies and foundations to be clear of root zone. Where existing footprint to be built on, can grant even if within assumed root zone or under canopy since no detriment occurs.

• Fines for illegal felling with costs for replacement go into the central pot and are not ring-fenced for replacement trees. (We might want to pursue this further?). Russ Fisher is the Senior Officer concerned. Trees on public land cannot be TPOd.

• Poole Newsletter – ST has agreed to develop a pilot. Terry S. has agreed to critique and when published on web, feedback will inform future issues. Likely to be quarterly.

• Resident Assn database still being drawn up; only want to include bone fide groups rather than (the many) ad-hoc local groups formed for specific issues. May want to push progress on this?

• Town and village greens – building on. Chinese wall in Council between Licensing Committee. that decides on appropriation of land to be developed and Planning. Committee. that decides on the merits of a planning application. Relevant to Branksome Rec. and Broadstone Rec.

• Householder Planning Appeals – HM Planning Inspectorate decreed that for small developments. eg. extensions, the Inspector will simply review the file papers as they were at time of original decision and will not take further reps. No ‘second bite at the cherry’.

• Planning Committee voting. Coloured cards now in use; R,Y,G to be stencilled on for the colour blind. Room arranged so that members face public. Method to be continued for the time being. Not recording votes but public free to sit in and note down votes. Medium term plan to get meeting web cam so that proceedings can be viewed on web. ST has agreed idea with Chief Executive but budgets to be sorted etc. Keith Pegram will action.

• Political-v-Quasi judicial role and membership of Planning Committee. Pro-rata political seats is common practice and no chance of changing in ST opinion.

• Flooding risks – lot of confusion in responsibilities from Environment Agency downwards. ST keen to get more clarity on roles/responsibilities/funding. Also the move for design risk from 1/50 to 1/100 to 1/200 year flood event needs to be clarified. ST will pursue and apprise us in due course.

• New information on Planning Applications – Residents’ Assns keeping up to speed. Decisions are due 56 days from a valid deposit of an application. Plan to use WAM to generate e-mail to relevant RAs when new/updated information received. Clearly depends on WAM implementation.

• AOB

D-Day plaque for Poole Quay now delivered and will be installed facing the Quay inside Dolphin Quays before 11/11/09.

Minutes – target to issue them a week after the meeting.

Ward Walks – NS said that he & MH had taken part in a Ward Walk with Richard Genge and a tree officer, they looked at Salter Road and Grasmere Road where new properties have to be built up 1m for flood protection, making them higher than existing properties. Chester and Eaton Roads are at present largely unspoilt and ideally should be kept that way. The most important aspects are landscaping and trees. Planners should require developers to leave space for good landscaping, often this is not the case. Also looked at Lakeside Road and Haven Road from Loch Fyne to Flaghead. The intention of the walk was to provide a general overview of the area.

Poole Beaches and Coastal Defences: The Poole & Christchurch Bays Shoreline Management Plan Review – Key Stakeholder Group meeting has been postponed to 26th November

Council Tax 2010/11 & Council’s Budget Monitoring report: In the absence of WM, JS reported on the financial reports presented at last night’s Cabinet meeting.

JS said that Cllr Leverett had outlined the assumptions and principles to be observed in the on-going development of next year’s Budget, one of which is that the increase in Council Tax will be levied at no more than 5%.

JS said that he would include the assumptions and principles in the Minutes (see below)

(i) the assumption of an on-going revenue contribution to capital of £1m per annum over the period of the MTFP (Medium Term Financial Plan) subject to work now on-going to review the capital strategy

(ii) to minimise the use of Supported Borrowing Approvals as much as possible further to (sic)

(iii) that Council Tax will be levied at no more than 5% in any given year over the period of the MTFP

(iv) that the balance of released reserves not needed for other purposes may be used to fund one-off costs pressures in 2010/11 subject to Cabinet approving the relevant requests for growth through Stage 2 of the on-going MTFP process

(v) the organisation will avoid building growth into the base budget position for 2010/11 that it could not reasonably expect to sustain over the remainder of the MTFP period.

The latest Council 2009/10 Budget Monitoring report shows a projected year-end surplus of £209k.

There is also a reduction in 2009/10 Capital Programme of £13,395m. This is the result of re-profiling of around £15m to future years (£8m Poole Bridge £6.5m in the schools area and 0.5m of waste strategy). There is no associated Personnel impact.

Chairman’s note: In his note to me WM says “Looking at the original Budget/Revised Budget/Year End Forecast three portfolio areas stand out….”

Children’s Services – Saving of (£353,000 net)

£109,000 Harnessing Technology – Contributions from schools

(£140,000) Statutory priorities Hot School Meals – Re-profiled into 2010/11

(£155,000) Statutory priorities Health and Safety contingency for urgent works – Re-profiled into 2010/11

(£167,000) Primary capital needs analysis, master planning and detailed design – Re-profiled into 2010/11

Local Economy including Transportation – Saving of (£114,000)

Due to a combination of both lower journey numbers and reimbursement rates compared to budget, it is now estimated that the Council will underspend by £114k on the £2.7m Concessionary Fares budget. However the reduction in reimbursement rates is a consequence of the Council removing the cap on

average fares an action that has resulted in a bus operator submitting a capacity claim amounting to £0.5m (this potential liability has not been factored into the forecast and is the subject of further discussions).

Resources – Saving of (£137,000)

As part of the July Council Budget monitoring report it was established that when resources within Service Units are identified as available due to the consequence of changing circumstance, be that due to one-off events or due to lower actual provisions for price or volume increases than was assumed within the base budget, they will be redirected in support the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

During the month there has been a further adjustment due to the provision made for energy costs.

Poole Partnership: JS reported that he had attended the Poole Partnership Steering Group meeting on 30/09/09.

A review of the Partnership Governance Arrangements is being carried and changes are being recommended which include “increased representation by elected members, non-executive directors and representation across the equality strands.”

During a discussion of the allocation of Poole’s Performance Reward Grant, members of the Steering Group representing the Bournemouth & Poole Primary Care Trust (PCT), Fire & Rescue etc cautioned embarking on any new projects which involved revenue expenditure as they are facing ‘zero growth’ budgets for the forthcoming year.

There was a lively discussion about joint working across the conurbation. Both the Police and the PCT have already combined their resources.

JS pointed out that a joint meeting of Poole and Bournemouth Partnerships in 2007, we were told that the Bournemouth Borough Council and the Borough of Poole had adopted a ‘Convergence Model’ whereby the presumption between the two Councils was that they would always work together unless there was any compelling reason why they should not. He went on to say that he thought there was scope for more joint working but Councillors would need to take the initiative because officers would want to maintain the ’status quo’. Predictably, John McBride took exception to this and pointed to the Multi-Area Agreement, Schools for the Future etc.

In response, JS pointed there has been no progress report from the ‘Jointly Commissioning Building Consultancy Services Working Party’. This was announced at the Cabinet meeting on 10/02/09 but no timescale for this initiative was set out in the officer’s report. He is sure that there are other areas where a similar approach could be adopted. For instance, Libraries etc, do we really need two Heads of Cultural Services?

JS said that members may recall that he mentioned that Comprehensive Area Assessments were being introduced from April 2009 at the Assn’s meeting on 08/07/09. To quote…

By way of background, the new system of Comprehensive Area Assessment introduced from April 2009 requires Local Authorities and other public agencies to account collectively for how well they are doing. An area risk assessment into the prospects for the area and the quality of life for local people forms a key part of the comprehensive area assessment.”

Martin Green (Audit Commission) gave an up-date and said that the results for all Local Authorities will be posted on the website on 10/12/09.

A small task group to include the Chair and representatives of the Borough of Poole, Dorset Police, NHS Bournemouth & Poole, Dorset Fire and Rescue and Poole CVS is reviewing Poole’s Sustainable Community Strategy. suggested that areas which need addressing are…

• · Impact of introduction of more personalised care in the area of Social Services
• · Un-anticipated ‘baby boom’
• · Changes in economy
• · Joint working across conurbation
• · More emphasis now on sustainability/equalities agenda
• · More emphasis now on Social/Community enterprise

Sustainable Communities Act – TS asked for an up-date.

NS replied that Poole and Bournemouth are working together on the Comprehensive Area Assessment which is designed to improve the whole community and improve efficiency and economy. Local govt need to prioritize tasks as there are so many requirements that they are fast approaching an ‘overload’ situation.

TS said that he felt Poole’s response to the Sustainable Communities Act was dominated by elected representatives, whereas this was supposed to be members of the public.

Canford Cliffs Village & proposal to plant trees in Haven Road: MH met with Warren Leaver, who is arranging for sketches to be put together showing a total revamp of the whole shopping area, and an initial draft proposal. MH will chase this.

Public Rights of Way:

Westminster Road end of Dalkeith Road – No further developments

Buccleuch Road to Lakeside Road – ditto

Bessborough Road – ditto

Possible Charitable Status for Assn: JS has still to set up a small Sub-Committee to look at this.

Canford Cliffs Play Area: JS said that it is not yet possible to deliver this project owing to the more immediate demands of the time-critical delivery of 22 Playbuilder play area improvements in other wards across the Borough.

Chairman’s Note: £30,000 has been allocated to provide a ‘natural play’ area for young children at Canford Cliffs Chine.

Use of Assn’s Capital Reserve: JG is still collecting ideas for possible use of capital reserve – so far suggestions include an extension to Canford Cliffs Library, art for public display and the sunken garden in Pinewood Gardens.

Public Liability Insurance (PLI) – JS is pursuing.

Mobile ‘Phone Mast, Elgin Road – No further developments

3. NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

KA reported…

St Ann’s Hospital (Erect two 2-storey buildings on site to accommodate a 12 bed Psychiatric Care Unit and 48 long stay bed spaces. New combined entrance & extensions to existing 1980’s acute ward block. Demolition of 1970 block. Associated car parking, hardstanding & landscaping)– Letter of objection lodged by Assn on 04/10/09.

10 Nairn Road (Demolish the existing house and erect 2 x 4 bedroom maisonettes with associated parking) – Letter of objection lodged by Assn on 10/10/09.

11 Leicester Road (Demolish existing & Outline application to erect a 59 bedroom care home (class C2) with associated parking (15 spaces), bin & cycle store (revised scheme) – Applications refused on 20/08/09.

12 St Clair Road (Construct 2 detached dwellings with associated parking. (Revised Scheme) – Application granted by the Planning Committee at their meeting on 17/09/09.

Other current planning issues

11 Westminster Road

(a) Demolish existing and erect a block of five flats with basement parking.
(b) Demolish existing and erect three detached two storey dwellings with integral double garages – Applications registered on 29/09/09

46-48 Tower Road (Demolish existing houses and erect 14 flats with basement and surface parking)

Application registered on 02/10/09

Land adj 1 Over Links Drive (Sever land and erect a new detached house (Revised Scheme) – Letter of objection registered on behalf of Assn on 03/04/09. Application was expected to be considered at the Planning Committee meeting on 17/09/09 but has been deferred.

19 Torbay Road – no further action until the application is submitted.

10 Wilderton Road (Demolish existing and erect a two storey, five bed detached dwelling with rooms at basement level and in the roof space with dormer and velux windows. A detached double garage with a dormer window (revised scheme). (Topographical survey submitted 14/9/09, as amended by plans received 26/8/09, 30/9/09 and 8/10/09). – To be determined at next Thursday’s Pllanning Committee meeting. Officer’s recommendation is to ‘Grant with Conditions’

21 Wilderton Road (Demolish existing and erect a two storey five bed detached dwelling with integral garage and basement) – To be determined at next Thursday’s Pllanning Committee meeting. Officer’s recommendation is to ‘Grant with Conditions’

7 Ventry Close (Erect a link-detached 3-bedroom dwelling (revised scheme) – ‘Written representation’ appeal dismissed on 23/09/09.

Land adj. 2 Mornish Road

(a) Conservation area application to erect a 5-bed detached house with integral garage, access from Mornish Road (Revised scheme) – Appeal allowed on 24/07/09.

(b) Erect a 5-bed detached house with attached garage, access from Mornish Road. (Revised Scheme) – Application registered on 29/06/09.

Canford Cliffs, Promenade 2 (a) Construction of 18 new beach huts – Application No: 08/24380/005/F & (b) Conservation Area application to demolish 8 beach huts (nos 99-106) adjacent to Canford Cliffs Chine. Application No: 08/24380/007/U The applications were registered as long ago as 22/01/08 &13/02/08 respectively. MH will keep the Assn advised of any further developments.

19 Sandbourne Road (Demolish existing and erect 5 apartments over 3 storeys with basement parking and associated cycle and bin store) – Amended plans lodged on 24/08/09.

20 Balcombe Road (Demolish existing and erect 3 detached houses (Revised Scheme) –

Application refused on 27/05/09) – Application subject to Public Inquiry (APP/Q1255/A/09/2107902) to be held on 10/11/09 at 10.00am at the Civic Centre.

4-6 Compton Avenue (Demolish existing and erect 2 blocks of flats (10 in total) with basement parking,

bin and cycle stores. (Revised Scheme Block A). Revised plans received 05.02.2008) – Application was registered as long ago as 18/12/07. Most recent posting on BoP planning Application website is a letter from the Agents dated 19/08/08 referring to the outstanding signed Section 106 Agreement which was due to be “issued to Poole Borough Council shortly.” The flats have been largely constructed but it appears that no further work has been carried out on this site since the demise of Ravine Lifestyle. It states at 3.2 ‘Distributions’ of the Administrators’ Progress Report for Ravine Lifestyle dated 21/07/09 that “Clydesdale, the secured lender also had cross guarantees in place over 57 Haven, 4 & 6 Compton, 101 Lilliput and Future 3000. Due to significant shortfalls for the secured creditors in these companies no further realisations were possible for Clydesdale.”

8 Shore Road – BPCCRA will continue to monitor possible tree work application. An entrance has been created on the Haven Road side of this property.

60A Kings Avenue (Tree Replacement Notices to replant 3 Scots Pines) – Confirmation awaited that the Council’s Arboriculturist visited both 60 and 60a to check tree issues and that letters sent to the owners requesting planting under Treework/Planning conditions.

4. REPORT RE CANFORD CLIFFS & PENN HILL AREA COMMITTEE MEETING – Steph Quinn, Project Co-ordinator, Age Concern Bournemouth, was due to give a short presentation on Project Purple, Poole, which is a new initiative in Poole aiming to provide a range of social and health

improving activities for the over 55’s across the Borough but this was cancelled at short notice.

‘For infomation only’ reports were presented re

a) Playbuilder Improvements to Alexandra Park

b) Prioritisation of Crossing Requests. Report re Pedestrian refuge in Penn Hill Ave to be presented at next meeting.

c) Planning Obligations Funding – Information. TS asked for further information.

5. ACCOUNTS TO DATE – JD reported that the total funds at the end of September amounted to just over £34,100.

6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Noticeboard at Canford Cliffs Library – TS reported that, since the refurbishment of the library the available space for notices, etc was not so good, so it was proposed to provide a freestanding noticeboard the cost of which had originally been £500, but had suddenly become £1,000. There is to be a meeting with Cllr. Atkinson, TS & SA on 10/11/09.

SA commented that, if the Assn is to make a donation towards the cost of the board, this should clearly show some recognition of this. A donation of £1,000 was approved by all present but JS said that he had asked the Canford Cliffs Land Society if the Society might be willing to contribute £500 towards this.

The Axe Factor – JS said that the Daily Echo has launched a campaign called the Axe Factor, looking at the financial pressures on councils and other public bodies and savings they could make. A two page spread looking at Bournemouth Council will appear tomorrow (Thursday), with a similar feature on Poole next week.

The Assn had been asked to put forward suggestions. Suggestions received prior to the meeting included

• Reduce the number of Poole B.C. employees by 5 or 10%. This would be in line with other businesses.
• Avoid employing expensive Consultants. Hopefully there’s enough ‘brain’ power already within P.B.C. to sort out their own problems.
• Reduce the number of the co-ordinators, out-reach workers involved with racial integration etc.
• They could save a lot of money at Hamworthy Outdoor Education Centre. It is losing more money this year than ever before
• There are probably office jobs that could be cut or scaled down (i.e. from full time to part time etc)…but we are not in a position to assess specifics….but given that labour is the biggest ongoing cost scaling to part time is always a way to cut costs without dropping the job…but I doubt they’d entertain that option!

And a plea for a service to be started/restored – removal of weeds from Poole’s pavements. Strong enough weed killers are now banned from our streets (illegal apparently) and weeds can only be removed manually. It is feared that the “streets will get worse and become quite tatty etc!”

TS mentioned cost of cycleways, Penn Hill crossing and public art – none of which are funded by council tax

Peter Dulieu thought that the Poole News was a waste of money, but that NS said that the cost is now being partially offset with advertising and commented that residents appreciate knowing how their money is being spent.

Roy Pointer thought that we should challenge the rise in council tax. No justification for increase in the current economic climate. Significant savings could be made by having single units for several large depts.(e.g. IT) for the whole conurbation. MH commented that this could create problems of confidentiality for the two authorities.

Town Green Application for Whitecliff Recreation Ground and Baiter Park – This was registered by Parkstone Bay Assn (PBA) with the Council on 09/07/09. PBA would welcome the Association’s support for this application.

JS said that the Branksome Rec application is to be concluded first because it was the first to apply.

This will almost certainly go to a formal inquiry and the estimated cost is £25,000.

The Open Spaces Society believe that the Town Green status would NOT prevent the present maintenance regime or enhancements to improve public enjoyment of the open space but this is based on the opinion of Paul Clayden (Open Spaces Society 2007) and has no weight in law.

TS said that he had discussed this with Cllr Don Collier as it is a Licensing Committee decision. There have been other applications for Town Green status. There is a three month delay from submission of the application which creates fears of a hidden agenda. DC has promised to arrange for clear guidelines of how this type of application will be processed.

TS went on to say that we should try to protect parks and open spaces and would therefore support other Residents’ Associations, if asked to do so. It was agreed to support PBAs Town Green application for Whitecliff Recreation Ground and Baiter Park in principle, although it was felt that there were higher priorities for the Council to resolve first, not least next year’s Budget.

If the Poole Town Football Club (PTFC) Stadium is built on Branksome Rec it will be in breach of Policy L9 of the Poole Local Plan. Local residents are forming an Branksome West Residents’ Association. There is to be a special Planning Committee meeting on 26/11/09 at Lighthouse to determine the PTFC application. One compromise being suggested is that 17% of Branksome Rec should be allocated for the Stadium and 83% given ‘Town Green’ status.

6 St Osmonds Road – Rose Rogers believes that this property has been sold to Dave Wells. There appears to be lots of young people there which is causing local concerns. RR said that Andy Dearing, the Head of Planning Enforcement is investigating.

There being no other AOB, JS closed closed at 8.45pm.

Date of next meeting: The next meeting is Wednesday 11^th November 2009 in the Main Hall at Branksome St Aldhelm’s Parish Centre (Entrance via Lindsay Road)

Next Area Committee Meeting will be on Wednesday 118^th November at the Civic Centre.