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Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
This right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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Contents
News from the Airport
Operation Snap
Dorset NHS
Roadworks
BCP Climate Emergency
Armed Forces Covenant
County Lines Drug Operation
A familiar Story
The Latest Scam
Neighbourhood Watch
What's On
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News from the airport
Passenger numbers for this year are on target which is set at 800,000 compared to 690,000 last year.
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This included three new TUI routes (Crete, Kefalonia and Antalya) and the new Ryanair routes to Paphos and Dublin.
Loganair’s Jersey and Guernsey routes were falling a little behind. However, they remain committed to making their presence work at Bournemouth and are actively promoting the routes.
The Ground Handling operation has been brought in-house from the 1st April 2019. Staff have been transferred over and appropriate equipment has been purchased. This means that almost every part of a passenger’s experience in the airport is now managed in-house. Good feedback has been received from the airlines following the change.
The Departures Premier Lounge has been delayed. Plans are still being finalised with the objective of providing the best facility in the right location.
The History Wall has been blown down by the strong winds. It will be back in place as soon as possible.
Car park works to create an additional 200 spaces continue. A “Park & Ride” is being considered.
It is anticipated that the new link road will ease traffic congestion on Parley Lane.
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Dorset Police has announced the launch of Operation Snap, a secure website through which residents can upload dashcam or otherwise filmed video and digital photographs of road traffic incidents which they have witnessed.
It can be accessed via the force website Residents are urged to read fully the extensive question and answer section on the website before uploading digital material, and also to remember the following:
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The secure form is for traffic offences, it is NOT for submitting footage of road traffic collisions or any other offences, or for parking issues.
They must be able to provide the registration number of the offending vehicle.
They should be prepared to sign a witness statement and possibly give evidence in court.
Statements for Operation Snap can only be accepted from persons aged 18 or over. Residents who are under 18 should report the incident by email to 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk
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Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said:
I’m very pleased there has been a sustained drop in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Dorset’s roads over the last seven years and I hope this system will provide yet another tool to help us continue to make our roads even safer, by empowering responsible motorists to help the police take dangerous drivers off the road.
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Our local NHS and councils are planning how to improve health and wellbeing in Dorset. This is being done in line with the NHS ‘Long-term Plan’ and continues from the five-year plans that have shaped services up until now. This round of planning provides an opportunity to build on the work to date and think of more innovative ways to meet the needs of communities.
It won’t just focus on health services, it will look at a variety of things that affect our health such as stopping smoking and doing more exercise, living in healthy communities and making the most of our natural environment.
You are invited to share your views on the main priority areas for improvement being considered for Dorset. Please take part in this survey and share your views. The closing date of the survey is 18 August 2019. For more information and to take part visit here
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Human Papilloma Virus
From September boys in school year 8 will be offered the free Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for the first time, which can help prevent several cancers.
If you’re a parent of a child aged 12 or 13, look out for information from your child’s school about the vaccine and timings for the jab. If they miss out on the vaccination for any reason, talk to the school nurse or immunisation team about getting the vaccine later.
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Yet More Roadworks
The latest B3073 Blackwater Junction scheme aims to:
- Improve the on and off slip roads to the A338
- Improve cycle and footpath facilities on the B3073
- Increase junction capacity by widening the road on both sides to create an additional lane
Phase one started on Monday 1 July 2019 and involves structural works on the embankment of the south west area to enable the carriageway to be widened.
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Later phases of work include:
- Phase 2: south east area – structural works on the embankment will be carried out to allow for carriageway and footway widening. A new noise fence will be installed, and landscaping works carried out
- Phase 3: north east area – a new A338 on-slip will be constructed on the north side of the electricity pylon. Work will also take place to widen the carriageway and footpath
- Phase 4: whole junction – new islands and traffic signals will be installed. The whole junction will be resurfaced at the end of the scheme
These B3073 improvements are scheduled to last until Spring 2020. For more information visit here
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BCP Declares Climate Emergency
A motion asking BCP Council to formally declare a ‘climate emergency’ has been agreed. It declares that climate change is a serious risk to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s future.
In passing the motion the Council pledged to make BCP Council and its operations carbon neutral by 2030, and to work with the wider community to look at how early the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole region can be made carbon neutral, ahead of the UK target of 2050. Councillors called on Central Government to provide the powers and resources to help make the 2030 target possible.
As part of the motion, Councillors agreed that BCP Council should work with governments worldwide to determine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C. A full report outlining the actions the Council will take to address this emergency from 2020 – 2030 including clear quantifiable milestones will be submitted to Full Council in December 2019.
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And Signs Armed Forces Covenant
Both new unitary authorities of Rural Dorset and BCP Council have signed the Dorset Armed Forces covenant. The covenant is a pledge to treat those who serve or who have served in the armed forces and their families with fairness and respect in their communities, economy and society they serve with their lives.
The overarching aim of the programme is to raise the profile of and to embed the Covenant in the day to day activities of all relevant organisations across Dorset, ensuring that all members of the armed forces community are treated fairly and equitably.
The programme will oversee the formation of 13 Family Information points primarily located within libraries that will allow access to information and advice to the Armed Forces community across the whole of Dorset.
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Dorset has a large military presence, with 3,150 serving personnel across 4 bases. It is estimated there are around 1,575 spouses and 2,389 children related to those personnel.
The county is also home to two per cent of the UK’s veterans. The total number of members of the Armed Forces Community in Dorset is more than 100,000, around 12.9% of Dorset’s 771,900 population.
This means that at least 1 in every 7 people in Dorset should have the capability to benefit from the provisions of the Armed Forces Covenant.
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Cllr David Walsh, Dorset Council’s Member Champion for the Armed Forces and Chairman of the Armed Forces Covenant Programmes Board., said:
Having had personal experience of being a member of the Royal Air Force I know how important it is that support is not only available to Dorset’s vast Armed Forces Community, but that all information, services and support available is better understood and promoted, assisted through our one-stop-shop Veterans and Armed Forces Family Information points based in our local libraries.
I feel a huge sense of relief that finally, through working closely with partners across Dorset, more is being done to support our local military community and that we are delivering on our promise, ‘to ensure that all those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
To find out more about the Armed Forces Covenant Programme visit here
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County Lines Drug Operations
Dorset authorities are asking residents to look out for signs of county lines and help protect young people from being exploited by criminals.
Dorset Police, NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group, Public Health Dorset, the Youth Offending Service and Dorset Council are working together to tackle child exploitation, including county lines – which involves drug dealing networks using children to connect urban and rural areas across the UK.
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Some of the signs of exploitation and county lines involvement are:
• A child or young person going missing from home or significant changes in emotional well-being
• A person meeting unfamiliar adults or a change to their behaviour
• The use of drugs and alcohol
• Acquiring money or expensive gifts they can’t account for
• Lone children from outside of the area
• Individuals with multiple mobile phones, tablets or ‘SIM cards’
• Young people with more money, expensive clothing, or accessories than they can account for
• Unknown or suspicious looking characters coming and going from a neighbour’s house
• Relationships with controlling or older individuals or associations with gangs
• Suspicion of self-harm, physical assault or unexplained injuries
If a child or young person is showing signs of mistreatment, seems to be travelling long distances or is unfamiliar with an area, the best advice is to trust your instincts and report your suspicions to the police online or by calling 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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A report presented to Dorset Council Cabinet on 30 July outlined its financial position at the end of the first quarter of the financial year. We asked and were told that similar information for BCP will not be available until September.
Remember that underspend on producing management information we told you about last month? As any IT professional will confirm, disparate systems deliver disparate data and produce a maze of time-consuming integration issues.
Significant savings have been achieved by Rural Dorset over recent months as a result of Local Government Reorganisation. Despite this, the council is currently forecasting an overspend for this financial year of £7.1m on directly controlled budgets, and up to £5.5m on funding for schools and education. There are no surprises, its vulnerable children and adults who are causing the overspend.
Extensive work is underway to address the forecast overspend and to deliver a balanced budget by the end of the financial year. This is a familiar story and unfortunately, we do not know if similar things are happening in our own area.
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The Latest Scam
Action Fraud has received 63 reports about a scam in which fraudsters target people with offers of “low cost” loans or “free” government grants.
What the victims aren’t told is that the money they’ll receive is an advance payment for Universal Credit.
The criminals use the personal information they’ve obtain under false pretences to make a loan application in the victim’s name.
After the fraudsters have taken their “fee” from the advance payment, the victim is then left to pay back the total loan amount.
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- Never share your personal or financial information with someone you don’t know and trust, especially if it’s in response to an offer of “free money” or a “free grant”.
- Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) staff will never approach you in the street or ask for your personal/financial details over social media.
- If you have concerns about your benefits, you should visit here
- If you suspect your identity may have been stolen, you can check your credit rating quickly and easily online. You should do this every few months anyway, using a reputable service provider and following up on any unexpected or suspicious results.
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Neighbourhood Watch has launched a landmark new survey to understand the impact of cybercrime on communities across England and Wales. Traditionally Neighbourhood Watch has been focused on keeping people safe in the places they live but with the advent of new technology, it’s clear people can be at their most vulnerable when they occupy online spaces.
Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre run by the City of London Police, revealed that last year cybercrime victims lost £28m to online criminals. It reports more than 12,000 cases of cybercrime every six months. With the threat from online criminals only ever increasing, it is essential we understand the impact this type of crime has on members as well as their understanding and perception of cybercrime.
The survey, designed in conjunction with cybersecurity company Avast, takes just 10 minutes to complete and one lucky responder will be in with a chance to win £50 worth of Marks and Spencer vouchers. The survey can be completed via the following link
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Play Areas
The play areas at Mudeford Quay and Endfield Road have been completely refurbished. Mudeford Quay now boast sand play, a Pirate Ship, a toddler & junior Swing Frame, a seesaw and other features with similar improvements at Endfield Road.
What’s On
The Christchurch Carnival, 17th to 18th August. It's two days of fun on the Quay with entertainment, live music and fireworks. There's also a Carnival Parade through the streets of Christchurch. The Carnival is a volunteer run, community event which raises money for local causes.
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Community Matters is produced and edited by a team of local residents who try to present you with the facts that will both keep you informed and enable you to make up your own mind on local issues
Jumpers and St Catherine's Hill RA
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