Your Residents Association Newsletter

Our waste services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are one step closer to being aligned, after councillors approved the recommended changes in a report at Cabinet in September.


These changes, which will be implemented over the next 6 months, are needed to ensure we are offering a more consistent service to all our residents. Further alignment of our waste services is on-going, but below are some of the changes that were agreed at cabinet.  

Changes to bin colours and sizes

The bin sizes and colours across our three towns are all quite different. While we will not be replacing everyone's bins with a uniform size and colour now, we will be replacing them with the ones below when they reach their end of life or break:

• recycling bins will be 240 litre black bins with blue lids

• refuse bins will be 180 litre black bins with black lids

• garden waste bins will be 240 litre black bins with green lids.

Compost bin subsidy for Bournemouth and Christchurch

A compost bin subsidy is being introduced to Bournemouth and Christchurch to tie in with one currently offered in Poole. Residents will be able to purchase a compost bin for £6 from 1 April 2021 to transform your kitchen and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for your garden.

At various locations around the area The BIG Sleep Easy offers a fantastic challenge to individuals including a residents association committee member and 2 local Town Councillors and companies to set themselves a fundraising target, build the best cardboard shelters and ‘survive’ until morning.

For local businesses and organisations, it’s also the perfect opportunity for team-building, informal networking and the chance to demonstrate an organisation’s community spirit.

Following registration for the event, participants will be given two/three cardboard boxes to set up their shelter. The shelters can then be decorated as desired, with prizes awarded for aesthetics and innovation. For more information see below link.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayEventDetails.action?eventId=34084

It was due to be held at Chapel Gate but due to Covid that is not possible. People are doing it in their gardens, the new Forest and various other locations safe to the current situation we are in.
 

Devon and Cornwall Police and Dorset Police have developed a new scheme which uses surf therapy as a treatment method to combat PTSD, stress and mental health issues. The pilot scheme is the first programme of its kind in the world specifically tailored to the needs of the emergency services and builds on medically proven approaches also utilised within military programmes.

The Surfwell project has so far received significant funding of over £120,000 from a number of charitable organisations including Police Care and FLEET with offers of additional funding from other charities.

Both forces continue to develop the scheme, broadening the pilot which has included their own staff and members of the South West Ambulance Service.  Benefits continue to be monitored with Exeter University and medical practitioners. Other emergency partners including South Western Ambulance Service, Cornwall fire and the Fire Fighter’s charity are actively involved.

The Prime Minister has set out a three tiered system of local COVID Alert Levels in England: medium, high and very high.

The medium alert level - which includes Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole - consists of the current national measures, which came into force on 25th September. This includes the rule of six, and the closure of hospitality at 10pm.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-levels-what-you-need-to-know#local-covid-alert-level-medium

Hall on the Hill UPDATE
"Over the summer the Trustees have been making preparations to reopen the Hall in conjunction with the Hirers. It was hoped to do this by the end of September.
On 22nd September the Government announced tighter restrictions in order to control the apparent upsurge in cases of COVID-19. They issued guidance for Community Halls on 24 September. In it the following advice is given:
"However, we strongly advise that activities where there is a significant likelihood of groups mixing and socialising ( and where it will be difficult to prevent mingling and therefore breaking the law)should not take place in a community facility.
These may include but are not limited to:

• formal or informal clubs and hobby clubs (e.g. women’s institute, veteran’s associations, freemasons, sewing clubs, book clubs, crafts clubs, reading groups)
• amateur choirs and orchestras
• informally organised sport activities on facilities grounds (professionally organised sport activities are exempt)"

One factor considered is that the predominant demographic group using the Hall are the elderly and that means that, in the case of COVID transmission occurring in the Hall, that the consequences for those affected will be severe. It is also felt that further restrictions are likely to be put in place later this year. 
It is with regret therefore, that the Trustees have decided not to reopen the Hall until further notice. The Hall charity has sufficient financial reserves to cover the running costs of the Hall despite there being no income for this period. Rest assured that we will reopen once we have been advised it is safe to do so."

A CONSERVATIVE councillor will lead BCP Council after the group secured majority support at an extraordinary meeting last night. Drew Mellor beat off competition from Liberal Democrat councillor Vikki Slade having seen her deposed in his vote of no confidence last month. He said he would lead a council that was “collaborative, accountable and fair”. Cllr Mellor was nominated as leader by his deputy, Cllr Phil Broadhead, who said the council “needed a reset” with relationships that “had broken down” needing to be repaired. 

In a secret ballot he won the support of 40 of the 74 elected members of BCP Council with Cllr Slade receiving 33 votes and one councillor abstaining.

Cllr Mellor said an “inability of the previous administration to make decisions” had “hampered” its work and “squandered” opportunities”. Instead he promised to lead a council that “preserves our outstanding natural environment and protect our ancient, medieval and more modern history while embracing the 21st Century future”. “We want to celebrate our towns, villages, high streets, harbours piers, beaches, parks and gardens, providing high quality education, work and leisure facilities all while showing a passion for those who need our help,” he said after his election.

THE new leader of BCP Council has appointed his first cabinet, including a new role with a specific focus on the coronavirus response. Councillor Drew Mellor, who was elected last week, has selected 10 councillors to head up the council’s work – all but one of whom have been cabinet members before. He said his “knowledgeable and skilful” cabinet would work to “drive our area forward”.

Cllr Mellor was elected as the council’s new leader on Thursday but held off on appointing a cabinet in case the Christchurch Independents accepted his offer to form a coalition. But Sunday’s rejection meant he has now chosen a wholly Conservative cabinet. All but one of the ten councillors selected have served on cabinets as part of the former Bournemouth and Poole councils. Included in the cabinet, will be a new health and education portfolio which will be headed by councillor Nicola Greene and lead on the council’s response to the coronavirus. He has also created a “community safety” role through which councillor May Haines will oversee the council’s work in tackling anti-social behaviour. Councillor Mark Anderson is his only selection without previous cabinet experience and he will be responsible for environmental issues.

Your Councillors

Many of our sporting and exercise groups are now operating, under guidelines from the appropriate national organisational bodies. This means that our Badminton and Table Tennis groups have been able to provide essential exercise opportunities to members who have become less fit than usual during the long months of lockdown. Badminton England and Table Tennis England have guidelines which allow groups to operate in a strict COVID safe manner. This means for instance, that our Table Tennis groups have to be pre-booked and have lower numbers as only singles can be played. Outdoor Tennis is also continuing at Mudeford Wood and in Southbourne but some of our activity groups in which require equipment sharing such as Short Mat Bowls are not able to start just yet.

Many of our venues require additional cleaning to be undertaken before and after groups meet. We are following all the venue guidelines to keep members secure.

Outdoor walking groups are able to operate under guidelines from the Ramblers Association with walkers grouping themselves in bubbles of six. Autumn walks for the Shorter Walks groups have included a coastal walk from Highcliffe Castle and in November one around Wick Meads. Cycling is following the same “bubble of six” policy as are other Outdoor groups such as Bird Watching, Golfing and Allotment Gardening. All these groups operate throughout the winter and some still have vacancies – why not have a look at Our Groups on the website and see if anything takes your fancy?