Latest news with #BCPCouncil
BBC News
14 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole beach wristband scheme starts
A safety wristband scheme to help lost children and vulnerable adults find their parents or guardians has begun along Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's free paper bands are available at all seafront offices and RNLI lifeguard towers along 15 miles of the coastline as part of BCP Council's KidZone or guardians write their mobile number and location on the band - if they become separated the child or vulnerable adult can find an RNLI lifeguard or council seafront ranger who will ring and reunite scheme runs until 1 September. The beaches involved:Bournemouth: Alum Chine through to Fisherman's Walk, SouthbourneChristchurch: Avon, Friars Cliff, HighcliffePoole: Sandbanks, Shore Road, Branksome Chine From 19 July, the beaches of Bournemouth, Boscombe, Alum and Durley Chine will have KidZone teams working alongside the rangers to give out wristbands to Sheppard, RNLI lead lifeguard supervisor for East Dorset's beaches, said: "We know how easy it is for young children to become separated from their families while on a day out at the seaside."These wristbands allow us to reunite worried parents or carers with their little ones quickly and ensure that everyone makes it home safely and happily from our brilliant beaches this summer."BCP Council said last year it helped 118 lost people find their parents or safety scheme has been running during summers on the beaches since 2007. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
BCP Council pay structure to be unified six years after merger
Council staff in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will be on the same pay structure for the first time since the three councils became one six years of employees doing similar jobs at BCP Council have been on different rates of pay since the unitary authority was formed in years of negotiations, GMB and UNISON union members voted in favour of the latest least 92% of staff will see either an increase or no change in their pay from 1 December, subject to formal approval by councillors in July. Staff facing a pay cut will have their salary protected at current levels for a further 18 months, the council ballots held in June resulted in 83% of UNISON members and 77% of GMB members accepting the resources and governance councillor, Jeff Hanna, said: "Currently, we still have staff being paid at several different rates for doing the same job and that cannot be acceptable."It has been a significant source of anxiety and concern for our workforce and it has understandably affected staff morale."I firmly believe this is the best offer we could have made to our staff considering the limitations on the council's budget, and it would allow us to achieve the fairness and equality in our pay and grading structure that has always been our primary aim." The new structure will cost the authority a further £1.7m, which will require formal approval.A report to cabinet and the council will set out savings to meet the additional southern region senior organiser Nick Day said it had been a "long process", adding: "GMB's members were are at the forefront of rejecting these proposals the first time around, and then after two more subsequent offers. "GMB was the only union to reject and we have therefore secured and negotiated vastly improved terms that satisfy the majority of our members' concerns." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bournemouth Drum and Bass bike event has police-imposed route
An event which sees music fans cycling through Bournemouth has been ordered to take a specific route, following police Drum and Base on the Bike event, planned for Sunday afternoon, is led by DJ Dom Whiting, famous for performing on a bicycle modified with speakers and Police said it had imposed a specific route on the event to "minimise disruption" for local Council said it was still expected to cause some disruption and warned road users to allow extra time for their journeys. Mr Whiting originally began DJing on his bike during the Covid pandemic lockdowns and quickly gained a social media following for his attention-grabbing has already ridden through many UK towns as well as playing in Germany, Australia and at the event in Bournemouth last year, which attracted hundreds of fans, he said the communal rides "bring people together". Ch Insp Darren Harris said a route had been imposed under the Public Order Act following feedback from residents after previous events. It takes riders from Kings Park Drive, along Littledown Avenue, Harewood Avenue, Christchurch Road, Seabourne Road, Southbourne Overcliff Drive, Southbourne Coast Road and Dalmeny then travel along the seafront before finishing near to Boscombe Pier. Ch Insp Harris said: "Our role is to ensure the safety of all those who wish to enjoy public events in the area and all that Bournemouth has to offer."The decision taken to use these powers was done so in order to keep disruption to a minimum at a time when we are expecting a large number of visitors coming into the town, ensuring we are doing all we can to keep people safe.""It is vital for us to ensure those attending this event, as well as other events happening in the area and those living and visiting the town at the busiest time of the year, can all have a safe and enjoyable weekend and that any disruption is kept to a minimum."
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
New parking charges in Bournemouth and Poole to fund tow trucks
New on-street parking charges have been proposed close to Bournemouth and Poole's the plan, charges will be applied in the Boscombe and Southbourne areas, as well as at West Cliff and Branksome Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is to target all roads that currently have free parking extending either 0.3 miles (0.5km) or 0.6 miles (1km) back from the seafront. The council said money generated would help pay for tow trucks and enforcement measures against illegal parking. It comes as the authority is facing renewed criticism for the way it deals with illegal parking near the seafront, with many motorists abandoning cars on double yellow council said introducing the new charges would go some way to help with combatting the type of illegal parking seen last weekend, when cars were abandoned on roundabouts and double yellow lines as people flocked to Bournemouth's than 1,000 vehicles were ticketed last weekend but only 10 were towed away. Councillor Richard Herrett, portfolio holder for destination, leisure and commercial operations, said: "If paid-for parking was introduced, the money generated would help fund additional parking enforcement, including increasing the number of vehicles which could be towed away in the worst parking instances""Additionally, the team would be able to enforce illegal parking across a wider area." People living on affected streets will be encouraged to buy an annual residents' parking permit costing £70. There would be a proposed lower tariff during low season (1 November– 14 March), with a higher tariff for the high season (15 March - 31 October). Local shopping areas such as Southbourne Grove and Canford Cliffs Village are excluded from the proposed paid-for parking areas.A consultation on the plans ends on 1 August. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
24-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Chewing gum clean up extended to streets in Bournemouth and Poole
More streets in Bournemouth and Poole are set to have chewing gum removed following a further funding Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has been awarded £27,000 for gum-removing and prevention authority received a similar grant last year and the latest funding will allow clean-ups in Falkland Square and Poole High Street, as well as the high streets in Boscombe and council said it would help keep town centres free of the "unsightly blight" of chewing gum. The grant is from the national Chewing Gum Task Force, administered by environmental charity Keep Britain task force is funded by major gum manufacturers including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, which have contributed £10m spread over five funding has provided specialist cleaning equipment that can be used to remove gum stuck to streets and footpaths without the need for also aims to bring about "long-term behavioural change" to cut down on Herrett, the council's portfolio holder for destination, leisure and commercial operations, said: "Businesses and residents have told us they want more to be done and it is great that we are able to work alongside Keep Britain Tidy to ensure action can be taken."Clearing gum isn't simple - it takes specialist equipment - but the easiest way to avoid gum on our streets is for residents and visitors to discard their chewing gum in the bins provided." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
