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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
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If you can't see our logo above and at the end of the newsletter, make sure you have clicked the link to download pictures
Contents
BCP Council Update
Air festival
Household waste and recycling
Transforming Travel Survey
Planning - Police station site
CTC news and events
Friends of Druitt Gardens
Friends of St Catherine's hill
Christchurch Rotary Recycle and Reuse Day
Vintage Brass Spring concert
Christchurch u3a
Hospital consultant talk on 'Hips'
Shingles Vaccination eligibility
St Catherine's Hill WI
Ducks in the hospital and the Tesco Magpie
Our finances
Links and Contact Details
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COUNCILLORS MARGARET PHIPPS AND VANESSA RICKETTS
BCP COUNCIL UPDATE
Budget Update 2024/25 and Council Tax
You may be aware that in BCP was facing a £44m funding gap which included a £30m structural gap resulting from the previous £30m one-off use of reserves in balancing the 2023/24 budget.
Many Councils in England including BCP, face an unprecedented challenge caused by a reduction in funding for local government over the last decade, recent high inflation and exceptional and rising demand for public services.
In these very difficult circumstances, BCP’s 2024/25 Budget attempts to tackle these problems whilst protecting core services. At the February Council meeting a 4 year balanced budget was agreed which provides some financial certainty in the medium term and avoids Government intervention or bankruptcy.
In order to do this, Council Tax will be raised by 4.99% (made up of 2.99% for the basic Council Tax and 2% for the social care precept). The 2% social care precept is a separate charge on the Council Tax bill and the income generated from this charge can only be used to fund adult social care services. This increase will be applied from 1st April 2024.
We feel that in the financial circumstances which BCP finds itself in, this is the only option for us to continue to provide services and avoid bankruptcy.
Of course, you will also see on your Council Tax bill separate amounts for the Police, Fire and Rescue, and The Town Council. These are separate from BCP who are only the collection service.
BCP Local Plan
In January The Council agreed that the new draft BCP Local Plan, which will replace the 3 previous plans for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, could go out to consultation. This will happen around 20th March and we will keep you updated in the March newsletter.
If you need to get in touch, our contact details are:
Cllr. Margaret Phipps – margaret.phipps@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
- Tel: 01202 478266
Cllr. Vanessa Ricketts – vanessa.ricketts@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
– Tel: 07760 391467
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Find out about our proposals for delivering a balanced budget for 2024/25.
This budget, which includes a medium-term finance plan covering the next four years, aims to protect the most vulnerable and provides a sound, stable financial future for the council, including savings and additional income generation proposals to add to council reserves.
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The required amount of money to ensure Bournemouth Air Festival can go ahead this year has not yet been made, BCP Council has confirmed.
The authority says the air festival will only go ahead later this year if £100k is raised from businesses, sponsorships, donations or other external sources.
The authority will contribute £200k to the now three-day event scheduled to start at the end of August to break even.
Full article from the Echo
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With effect from 1st January this year we accept DIY waste without paying a fee. This is a national change.
We are also well ahead of the curve in terms of other projects including the innovative New To You programme which actually started in Poole more than 10 years ago and is extending across BCP now. This is a brilliant project which sees our staff ‘rescuing’ items from the tips, repairing them or PAT testing them and then selling them to the public from their base in Cabot Lane, Poole.
This is run mostly by volunteers and as well as providing a wonderful 2 nd hand shop it also acts as a way of our social services, homelessness teams and probation partners to access household items for those people who are in need – fleeing domestic abuse, coming out of prison, following house fires or homelessness and young people leaving care. They can access wardrobes, household furniture and white goods that people took to the tip. We even have someone who specialises in spotting collectables who then puts them on Ebay and other auction sites.
The centre is open on Saturday mornings to the public – its worth a visit.
We are just bringing the Christchurch HWRC inhouse and once that is done we hope to extend the scheme there, though we do need a new home as the team have outgrown their premises and need somewhere more accessible for the residents who need it most.
Councillor Vikki Slade (by email to one of our newsletter readers)
Check the full details and conditions on the website |
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Planning
Planning applications: 8/18/3263/FUL and 8/18/3264/DCONS
Christchurch Police Station Barrack Road
This development was approved four years ago and we thought you might be interested to see the different phases of work which are now in progress.
The Police Station Site | Aster Christchurch
The project includes 130 new homes for Christchurch in a range of different home types and tenures, including affordable homes, such as discount/starter homes, and homes for affordable rent and shared ownership. This will allow more local families to secure affordable homes in the area they love. We will also provide 39 units of sheltered accommodation, and 612 m2 of flexible commercial/community space, a new road connecting Bargates and Barrack Road – initially for pedestrians and cyclists only -, new vehicular access from Barrack Road (to serve the sheltered accommodation only), new private and semi-private gardens, public open space, hard and soft landscaping, surface vehicular parking and residential garages.
You will find a link on our website under planning the "Weekly Planning Applications Registered and Decisions Issued in BCP Council - Christchurch area" This links to the Highcliffe Residents Association website who maintain this and allow us to reference it.
The next HRA Quarterly Members Meeting will be held on 28th March 2024 at 7pm at The Old School, 254 Lymington Road, Highcliffe BH23 5ET. You can join HRA on the night for £5 per year per household or on line at www.highclifferesidents.co.uk/join
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Join us for a fantastic Grand Re-Opening celebration on March 16!
Come and have a look around the newly refurbished Old Town Hall between 10am and 2pm on Saturday, March 16!
 We're thrilled to announce that the Christchurch Town Band will be performing at the Grand Reopening of the Old Town Hall!
Join us on Saturday, March 16th, from 10am to midday for a morning
filled with live music, community spirit, and celebration!
Subscribe to the CTC newsletter
Have you seen the snowdrops and daffodils
popping up in Druitt Gardens?
Thank you to "The Friends of Druitt Gardens" volunteers
who spend many hours digging, weeding and planting.
Read more about the work of the FoDG volunteers here
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Our last event on 17 February was a guided walk looking for Lichens and mosses that can be found within the heathland habitat led by naturalist Phil Budd. To see a list of Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) found on the day click here.
Cladonia species
Next event -
Coffee and biscuits to follow at the visitor centre. Please bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at Stanpit Car park. SZ1719792489
Events are subject to change and weather conditions on the day, please e-mail Robin Harley: countryside@bcpcouncil.gov.uk for further information.
Most guided walks and talks are charged at £2 per member and £4 per non-member (accompanied children free). All proceeds will go towards the running of the group and funding items on site. Most events open to non-members.
Events Programme 2024 |
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  Paula
Christchurch u3a The Epicentre, 27a High Street, Christchurch
01202 480027 Group Co-ordinator information - Groups@christchurchu3a.org.uk
Monthly Meeting - NEW FOREST - A WILDLIFE YEAR Marcus Ward - 11 Mar 2024 14.00
Christchurch Baptist Church, Beaconsfield Road, Bargates, Christchurch, BH23 1QT
A journey from January to December examining changes in the wildlife of the New Forest.
Wild New Forest website
We’ve got a really busy and interesting time coming up in April starting with our holiday to Scotland.
HOLIDAY GROUP 4th - 8th April Trip to Scotland with lochs and glens.
Monthly Meeting - MY JAPANESE JOURNEY Rosemary Legrand - 8 Apr 2024 14.00
Christchurch Baptist Church, Beaconsfield Road, Bargates, Christchurch, BH23 1QT
The incomparable UNESCO island of Yakushima, Hiroshima and the outstanding gardens of Kyoto are featured in this talk.
OUT OF HOURS Group goes from strength to strength and this month features the RNLI Tour and lunch - 25 Apr 2024 12:30
Poole Quay
Lunch in private room then tour. Price TBA
Rosemary is doing a very good job of producing the Active News (on Home Page) monthly now so make sure you log in and keep up to date with information.
April is when we start holding a stall at Christchurch Monday Market and will continue weekly till we launch the New Programme in June. Of course, running that depends on Volunteers so if you can spare a morning or just a few hours, please pop into the Epicentre where Elaine holds the Volunteer list and offer your help, it will be gratefully received.
This is the month when we’re encouraging as many new people to start new groups – the more leaders we have the more interesting and varied opportunities we can offer. Please don’t be shy or nervous about coming forward with your ideas as you’d get a lot of help in setting up and running a new group. We know that there are many members with many skills and knowledge from their working lives and we’d love you to share, all u3a’s are as good as their volunteers so do your bit, we need you.
LATEST NEWS – The Annual Membership fee is GOING DOWN!
Christchurch u3a website
Paula |
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CHANGE OF DATE
This is a free talk organised by University Hospitals Dorset governors.
It is a great opportunity to hear Professor Robert Middleton talk about his work locally, nationally, and internationally.
Professor Robert Middleton
Professor of Orthopaedics and Head of the Orthopaedic Research Institute, Bournemouth University
Professor Middleton is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at UHD specialising in Hip Replacement. With over 25 years experience in both hip fracture and Osteoarthritis of the hip, Professor Middleton reveals the secrets of avoiding becoming one of his patients! That experience and being a member of NICE guidelines team for the treatment of Osteoarthritis in the NHS gives him unique in sights. He also reveals the latest research break throughs in hip replacement surgery and what the future is likely to look like.
Wednesday 10 April 2024, 14.30 – Doors open at 1.45pm for refreshments and exhibition stands
St Saviours Church, Colemore Road, Bournemouth BH7 6RZ
Bus route X1, X2, 1a, 2 Disabled parking in the church grounds and free parking on Colemore Road
To book or for further information:
Email: ftmembers@uhd.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0300 019 8723
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Shingles vaccination programme
From 1 September 2023, the vaccine programme is being offered to healthy people turning 65 or 70 years on, or after, that date.
The roll out will continue at these ages until all those aged 65 years in 2023 have turned 70 and been offered vaccination (in 2028).
In 2028, the vaccine offer will also be extended to those turning 60, as well as those turning 65.
In 2033, the Shingrix shingles vaccine will become a routine offer at age 60 (by which time all those turning 65 years will have already been offered the vaccine). Once you have become eligible, you will remain eligible for the shingles vaccine until your 80th birthday.
gov.uk
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For any bird lovers out there!
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Curious ducks checking out Bournemouth hospital
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Bye bye birdie
Magpie rescued from Bournemouth Tesco Extra after two weeks
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Our Finances
The donations to date following the vote at the association's final AGM are
- 06/12/2023 Highcliffe Dementia Support Group £1000
- 14/12/2023 3rd Brownies Christchurch Pack £1500
- 14/12/2023 Macmillan Caring Locally £2776.89
The remaining donation to Age Concern is pending the confirmation of funds benefitting Jumpers and St Catherine's Hill residents.
Current balance £3035.02 which includes running down costs, website and newsletter continuation. of £1500.
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If you have a local event or story you would like to be included in the Monthly Newsletter please email it to newsletter@wcresidents.co.uk
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Links and Contact Details
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GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS: MAY 2018
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