Latest news with #MillieEarl
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Bournemouth secures trial of higher parking fines
A seaside resort is set to be "the only place in the country to trial significantly higher parking fines this summer", an MP has East Labour MP Tom Hayes said the government had given the green light for a one-month pilot to run in Bournemouth throughout comes after the weekend of 12 and 13 July saw a record number of parking fines and towed away of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, Millie Earl, said it was "pleasing that Ministers have now decided to act". The trial can only go ahead if BCP Council meets a few criteria, including demonstrating there is sufficient legal parking capacity in the area and informing the public, particularly fines will rise significantly and additional charges for clamping, towing and vehicle storage will increase to London rates, where the release fee is £ results would be used by the government to decide whether higher fines could be rolled out across the Dem MP Vikki Slade backed BCP's upcoming motion on raising fines and raised the issue in MP for Bournemouth West Jessica Toale, who also supported the campaign, said: "I know it's been an issue for many residents and, while it's been good to see the council taking action against selfish and irresponsible parking, the fines were minimal."That changes now."Mr Hayes said that "after years of being forgotten in Parliament, the government is listening".He added the town could be "setting an example for national change". Leader of BCP Council Millie Earl said: "During our three busiest weekends of the year we have issued more than 4,000 penalty charge notices to drivers who disregard parking restrictions for the sake of a shorter stroll to the beach."We want to encourage and support visitors to our wonderful area but just ask them to consider the safety of others when parking, and a level of fines that reflects the true costs of patrolling and enforcing will help us to do this." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
BCP Council 'insolvent' due to SEND debt, leader says
A council is facing an "imminent financial threat" because of rising demand for special educational needs and disability (SEND) services, its leader has Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council leader Millie Earl said the increasing cost was not fully funded by the a letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner, she said the authority would have a £171m shortfall by March 2026 and was "technically insolvent".The government previously said it had set aside £760m over two years to reform the SEND system in England and plans would be announced in a White Paper this autumn. Earl said the authority had run SEND budget deficits since said it would soon cost £7.5m a year just to service the accumulated Liberal Democrat's letter said: "We have had to consider further cuts to vital services including environmental services, play provision and support services in our most deprived communities, because this issue has not been resolved."More than half of councils had warned they would become insolvent when the system to defer payment to pay for SEND services, the statutory override, was due to end next year, she deadline was later extended to 31 March told the Deputy Prime Minster: "[Councils] still need to provide the cash to fund the services being provided, and it does not solve the problem of who will pick up the bill when the override ends."She proposed that the government should pick up the bill for borrowing costs on SEND Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been approached for the government said it had inherited a system "left on its knees". You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Telegraph
29-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Lib Dem-led council U-turns on £70 parking fees after ‘tsunami' of objections
A Lib Dem-led council has U-turned on controversial plans to charge residents £70 to park outside their own homes. Officials in Bournemouth received a 'tsunami' of objections from residents over the scheme that was in response to 'wild west' parking incidents by tourists. On hot summer days many visitors who struggle to park leave their cars on double yellow lines, across driveways, on pavements, grass verges and even roundabouts. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) council wanted to pay for more tow-trucks to take away illegally parked vehicles by putting parking meters on roads within a kilometre (0.6 miles) of the seafront. These areas were to include the residential suburbs of Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs, Branksome Chine, Westcliff, Boscombe and Southbourne. Householders would have had to pay £70 per car to park on the streets affected. But just days after announcing the scheme Millie Earl, the leader of the local authority, revealed the plan has been scrapped. She said: 'We have listened and I want to give some assurance that we will not be supporting these draft proposals as set out in the survey. 'They are too big and cover too many roads and we understand that paid-for parking through residents' permits is not a solution people want. 'Without our backing the draft proposals simply won't be implemented.' 'Public was furious' Mark Davison, of the campaign group BCP & Dorset Motorists, said: '[The council has] admitted defeat and run up the white flag. They are abandoning the whole idea. 'They realise the tsunami of public opinion was furious about this.' George Farquhar, the mayor of Bournemouth who opposed the plans, said: 'I'm very pleased that the leader of BCP Council is taking the 'off-ramp' and confirmed the administration will not be supporting the paid-for parking in the massive areas proposed. 'Penalising the offenders is far better than asking residents for money from their pockets to park outside their homes. 'I'm glad that I put my flag in the ground on day one of this money-grab idea. ' Ms Earl said she will continue to lobby the Government on increasing the £35 cap on parking fines which, she says, are no deterrent to motorists who illegally park. 'We understand how passionately people feel about the chaos they experience at the busiest times of the year,' she said. 'We need fines for inconsiderate and dangerous parking to act as a proper deterrent and to raise the cash to invest in preventing illegal parking in the first place. But we've been ignored. 'We really want a simple solution to the parking chaos – and that is to properly fine and deter those who think it's okay to block pavements and driveways, and park on roundabouts and verges.' Last weekend thousands of tourists visited Bournemouth.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bournemouth council leader plea to cancel Marilyn Manson show
A council leader has urged a venue to cancel a Marilyn Manson show following dropped allegations against the January, California prosecutors ended a rape and domestic violence investigation into claims by four his lawyer, Manson - whose legal name is Brian Warner - repeatedly denied the accusations and dismissed them as "falsehoods".However, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council leader Millie Earl said the Dorset gig should be scrapped to "reinforce the message that violence against women and girls isn't something that's acceptable in our community". The Liberal Democrat was responding to a resident's question about the Halloween concert, part of the singer's One Assassination Under God Earl said the council owned the venue, the Bournemouth International Centre, which is operated by BH said: "Because of our lease arrangement with them, we don't have any input into the decisions that are made, the acts that are appearing, although I have actually written to BH Live to express my concern." The leader continued: "I don't feel Marilyn Manson reflects the values we have in BCP and we've been doing a lot of work around things like the White Ribbon accreditation scheme which helps men and boys change negative, damaging behaviours. "So I have asked that BH Live reconsider hosting Marilyn Manson later this year."In January, California prosecutors said the allegations against Manson exceeded the statute of limitations, adding "we cannot prove charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt".The four women who filed lawsuits accusing the singer of sexual and physical abuse included model Ashley Morgan Smithline, who later recanted her claims, Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco and Manson's former personal assistant Ashley Walters. The fourth woman chose to remain the allegations were made, Manson's record label, booking agent and manager have severed ties with him."Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality," Manson wrote in an Instagram post in February BBC has approached both the singer's US attorney and BH Live for comment. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
31-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council new chief executive
A senior Dorset Council officer has been announced as the new chief executive of another local Dunn, who currently holds Dorset's finance brief, is moving to take control of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) is taking over from Graham Farrant, who announced his retirement earlier in 2025. Mr Dunn is expected to be on a salary of more than £200,000 a year and his appointment is subject to final approval by BCP Council on 3 June. His appointment comes after what BCP say was a "rigorous" recruitment authority statement said: "Aidan is an accomplished and forward-thinking public sector leader with over three decades of experience spanning local government, the civil service and the NHS." It added he had played a "pivotal role" in establishing the new unitary authority while working for Dorset Earl, leader of BCP Council, added: "He brings a wealth of experience, energy and enthusiasm and I am confident he will work with members to take BCP Council on the next stage of our exciting journey."Mr Dunn said he felt "excited and very privileged" to secure the role. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
