Minutes of monthly meeting held Wednesday February 8, 2017,at 19.30
at St Aldhelms Church Lindsay Road in the Lounge Meeting Room.
PRESENT
Terry Stewart President
Bob Reid Chairman
Roger Allen Vice Chairman
Carol Parkin Secretary/Minutes Secretary
Tracy Holmes Planning Officer
Cllr. Mohan Iyengar and approximately 25 wardens and members.
APOLOGIES Cllr. May Haines, Mike Parkin, John Gunton, Paul Fearnley, Dawn Goodson, David Mauleverer, Charles Boyle, Linda Brook, Martin Heath, Christine Blake, Julie Reid.
The Chairman extended a welcome to those present.
Minutes of the January meeting
The Chairman pointed out that Cllr. May Haines had emailed that it was not just the Civic Centre reception area which was planned to be refurbished, but the whole Customer Services reception, of which 77% of customers surveyed had said was not fit for purpose. Since the last meeting the whole scheme has been scaled back, and we shall be looking at the new scheme.
With this correction, the minutes of the January meeting were approved.
Matters arising
Apart from the above amendment there was no other matters arising
Parking Charges.
The Chairman gave the latest update on the raising of parking charges.
The feedback has not just been from residents, but also from traders who will be affected by these charges and fear that they will lose trade. Saying this, the Chairman went on to say that he felt the Council were not going to go back on this decision. JS pointed out that this had been approved at last night’s Cabinet Meeting. TS said that the charges most affecting our area are the increases to the fees charged at the car parks in Canford Cliffs and Pen Hill which have doubled.
RP commented on the other issue affecting our area – namely the proposal to install parking meters at the bottom end of Western Road. There was a proposal by the Council, last year, to install numerous parking meters in our area, and this has now been scaled back to the area between Martello and Pinecliff Road. RP feels that if parking meters are installed in this area, it could open the floodgates and parking meters will be installed in the other areas which were originally proposed. This is the main reason the Assn. will object to this proposal. The first area of objection will be the Consultation. The second will be that the Council have stated that it will relieve congestion. The Assn. does not feel that there has been any congestion in this area and it is not sufficient grounds for installing parking meters. The third is that the reason for installing meters is when there is no off-road parking in the area. As there is a car park close to this area, it is not felt that this is sufficient grounds for parking meters. The last reason for objecting is that the Council are proposing to allow for possible congestion when the whole beach area has been redeveloped, and the Assn. does not believe that they can quantify this need at the present.
The members present showed their support of this objection by a show of hands.
Beach Road Car Park
The Council’s proposal is to sell half of Beach Road Car Park for development, and this will put extra pressure on on-road parking – namely Western Road.
When Nick Perrins, from the Council, presented the Council’s proposals for Beach Road Car Park at our December meeting, the views of those present were not overwhelmingly against this proposal.
There are a number of covenants on this land, and one from 1931 states that nothing should happen that could cause annoyance or disturbance to neighbouring residents. This may be a reason that could be used to restrict the proposal, although it is rather vague.
Once again the issue of the signage for Beach Road car park was raised.
RP says that we ought to get a feeling for the issue of what will happen to Beach Road Car Park at our AGM in April.
There was a show of hands of those objecting to selling off part of Beach Road Car Park for development (i.e. Flats). There were eight votes objecting to selling off for development of flats.
Next there was a show of hands of those objecting to selling off part of the Car Park for a Council-run resource such as a nursing home. There were no objections to this suggestion.
RP has suggested this to the council.
RA suggested that a care home may not be viable in the light of the number of closures of care homes across the country, and indeed in our area.
Mike Wrigley asked why, Dorset council had the amount of a reported £330M sitting in reserve as reported in the Echo, this was deemed ‘untouchable’. JS commented that there is a sum of £6M of un-earmarked reserves, the rest is earmarked. He has a breakdown of the whole £68M.
Closure of Public Toilets
The Chairman asked if our Assn. should be objecting to the closure of public toilets as most are no in our area. There was a general opinion at the meeting that we should be, if only as residents of Poole. The most important closures are those at the Ferry and those in Baiter Park.
There was much discussion on this matter. One member pointed out that as we are a tourist area, there ought to be adequate provision for visitors. RA suggested that the toilets on the green in Ashley Cross could be re-developed as a café, with a proviso that they maintain toilets for public use. This is something he has seen in practice in other areas.
Planning Applications
4 Brackenhill A further application to demolish existing dwelling and erect semi detached house. One objection has been received.
10 Nairn Road Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of two replacement dwellings. Letters of objection received.
11 Martello Road South Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of three-storey block of nine flats.
8 Dornie Road Demolition of existing dwelling and erecting two houses. Neighbours are objecting to this scheme.
2 Dornie Road Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two houses with garaging. Currently this scheme is supported by neighbours.
12 De Mauley Road Demolish existing semi-detached dwellings and erect two houses with garaging. Currently there are no objections.
6 Newton Road Demolition of existing building and erect semi-detached dwellings. Continued neighbourhood objections.
14 Pinewood Road Partial demolition of building and construction of two-storey rear extension to convert to six apartments and semi-detached house.
Continued objections to scheme as the extension is considerably larger to that originally proposed. This property is no longer being used as an HMO.
12 Pinewood Road The Chairman has seen a very strange bin store which can be seen from the road. This is a conservation area. The original plan was to have the bin store somewhere else, but it was moved and an amended plan was put in. This was unnoticed by the Council and the Chairman believes there Is going to be a review of this.
Decisions.
1 Beaumont Road Demolition of existing building and construction of three detached houses. Grant
11 Leicester Road Erect two four bedroom detached houses. Grant
A member brought up the subject of ‘land banking’.
TS replied that the Government is now proposing that if Planning Permission has been given and building has not begun after two years the Planning Permission will be withdrawn. He believes that there are eight brown field sites in Poole that do not have any Planning Permission and currently there is nothing that can be done about this, as the Council do not have sufficient funds to carry out compulsory purchase.
Canford Cliffs Promenade Shelter
This is currently being used by the beach lifeguards as a store. Behind this shelter are public toilets and to one side is a beach café/kiosk. It is proposed that this is developed as a restaurant, extra beach huts are built on top and the kiosk is demolished.
The Chairman asked for comments on this plan.
The first comment was that the only access to this site was down a chine (which isn’t lit) and there is no car parking.
RP asked if a financial plan has been carried out by the Council to ascertain that this is viable. RA asked who would carry out the development; the Council or a developer?
TS proposed that the Council be asked formally for their financial analysis of all the building costs and revenue to see if this is viable.
JS said that he would send a copy of the minutes of the Beach Hut Association’s AGM to the Chairman in order that he can see exactly what is proposed for the beach area. For instance, the promenade will be closed between Canford Cliffs and Flaghead Chines from September 4, 2017, whilst the work is being carried out.
Accounts
The Chairman and Vice Chairman had a meeting with the Treasurer and have made some proposals for next year’s budget to be agreed by the Executive and agreed at the AGM. The annual accounts are ready to be signed off.
Any other business
The Chairman explained that he had been invited to meetings with Mandy Payne from the council who set up meetings with residents and traders to improve Canford Cliffs Village Some positive ideas have been put forward at the meetings which are now carrying on since MP left the council.
Tesco are putting in plans for the four empty shops and will be moving in when planning goes through. At our AGM we shall have a presentation from Steph Stevenson from HNB the hairdressers in Canford Cliffs who is involved in the working party. RA suggested that BPCCRA could give a donation to the Traders to help with any plans they have.
The Chairman reminded the meeting that the Neighbourhood Watch AGM will be held on Saturday February 11, at Canford Cliffs Village Hall.
Planning Enforcement
JS reported that the Council proposes to save money by merging Planning Enforcement with the Enforcement sections of Environmental & Consumer Protection Services & Transportation Services.
Planning Enforcement is not a Statutory requirement but Poole has a dedicated Planning Enforcement team which was formed just over 10 years ago, and a Planning Enforcement policy. JS proposed a resolution that members do not wish to see any further diminution of the Planning Enforcement team. This was unanimously approved by a show of hands.
Spring Magazine
The deadline for the Spring Magazine is the first week of March, and copy for the advertising the end of the first week of March.
RA reported that advertising for the magazine is sold out and income from the advertising is £2,000 for the Spring Magazine. It is hoped that Tesco will take up advertising in the future.
NHS
TS appealed to members to respond to the reorganisation of Dorset NHS which has some worrying features, such as the closing of the Poole Hospital A & E, stroke and heart attack units, and moving them to Bournemouth Hospital.
Please see the website www.dorsetsvision.nhs.uk or e mail to ask for copies of the brochure involve@dorsetccg.nhs.uk or telephone 01202 541946.
The deadline for response to the Consultation is February 28, 2017.
The number of mental health beds at St. Anne’s Hospital, Canford Cliffs is increased from 67 to 94.
TS’s main concern is whether there is adequate funding for the Dorset changes, considering the current crisis in the NHS.
Fly Tipping
Jan Wilde wished to point out that the McCarthy & Stone site on Tower Road is now being used for fly tipping, since the hoardings blocking the site have disintegrated with time. The Chairman said that he would contact McCarthy & Stone to let them know and ask if it is their responsibility or the Council.
The meeting closed at 8.40pm.