The Village

Articles from The Village's November 2008 edition are now online. Look under The Village link on this site.

Westbourne Hub

Keep an eye out for the new magazine for Westbourne, the Westbourne Hub. The councillors will be writing a monthly update for the magazine on non-political issues. Our own newsletter, The Village, goes to print soon.

New Committee

Hello. We are still here! It's all been manic since the election especially with two of our number now serving in the Cabinet. We'll be bringing out a new issue of The Village and our social calendar soon.

We welcome Matt Farrow as our new Chairman and Nick Rose as Deputy Chairman (political). Councillor Barry Goldbart stays on as Deputy Chairman (Membership). Councillor Ian Newport remains as editor of The Village and this blog.

Next Issue

The next issue of The Village is currently being written - more soon. Its been very busy for us councillors especially with two of our number in the Cabinet. Check out The Village for all our news.

Winter Gardens

On Friday, the Council voted to rescind the decision of the previous administration to go ahead with the controversial plans for the site of the former Winter Gardens. Conservatives have campaigned against this are are delighted with the decision.

Read the Daily Echo article here:
http://www.thisisbournemouth.co.uk/display.var.1394227.0.we_need_a_proper_plan_for_the_town.php

Thank You

Election Results: Conservative candidates John Beesley, Barry Goldbart and Ian Newport were returned as councillors for the Westbourne and West Cliff ward on May 3rd. The three Conservative candidates enjoyed a considerable majority over the nearest other party candidates. Councillors Beesley and Goldbart have been appointed to the Cabinet and Councillor Newport to the Planning Board.

Councillor Newport says "We would like to thank all those people who helped us during the campaign, our agent Wendy and of course the voters in the ward who supported us. Now the hard work really starts, but I am confident that with such a big majority on the council we are finally in the position to get things done".

See all results on the Council website: http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/atlas/

Student Block on the Winter Gardens Site

First we won – then we lost – then we carried on fighting!

Local residents have been horrified by the Lib Dem Council’s plans to build a massive student block at the back of the former Winter Gardens site.

Together with residents in Cranborne Road and Tregonwell Road, the Conservative Ward Councillors have led the fight to change the Council’s mind. The impact on many people in the area will be severe, both from the building itself and from the introduction of housing for 163 students to this quiet and tranquil part of the town.

Ward Councillor, John Beesley, said ‘This has to be one of the worst pieces of planning I have witnessed on Bournemouth Council. The residents in the area really do deserve much better than this in a planning application from their own Council.’

He continued, ‘Whatever your views on the need or viability of the proposed development, if it is going to happen it must be of the highest quality to pass the tests required by planners and the student block clearly does not. It does not satisfy a number of local planning policies and is contrary to the adopted strategy for the site which has only just been adopted by the Council.’

Ward colleague Cllr Barry Goldbart said, ‘The Council’s own policy states that the students should be housed on the part of the site facing out onto Priory Road. This would be across the road from the BIC and well away from the local residents and the many smaller family hotels.’

Ian Newport, who is a Conservative candidate for Westbourne & West Cliff Ward in the local elections said, ‘The Council consulted local residents on the strategy for the Winter Gardens site and having agreed it, then decided to move this student block as near to the local residents as possible. Why should local residents be treated like this just so that the Lib Dem Council can rush through a decision only days before the local elections? It’s a disgrace that the Council should behave in this way and I am sure that a Conservative Council will do everything possible to get the student block removed’.

Residents in Cranborne Road and Tregonwell Road have been extremely robust in fighting their corner and have spoken at both of the Planning Board meetings and the full Council meeting when the decision was made. The Bournemouth hoteliers’ own trade association are also strongly against the student block and brought a deputation to the Council meeting. Local residents are in the process of taking their own action to try to get the student block stopped and are backed up by almost all those living in the area whose homes will be blighted by this dreadful scheme. The residents and local hotels in this part of the West Cliff will continue to receive the fullest support from the Conservative Ward Councillors who will also look at every means possible to try to stop the development of this unwanted and unnecessary student block.

Licence Application Refused

There’s some excellent news from your Conservative Ward Councillors in helping to lift the threat of more anti-social behaviour near your home on the West Cliff.

The license application for the Cliff Court Hotel – now renamed ‘The Last Resort’ – has been refused by the Council’s Licensing Board. Even though the application was scaled back after pressure from the police, there were still major concerns about crime and disorder and public nuisance. Further pressure from local residents and your Conservative Ward Councillors all helped to send out a clear message that late night noise and disturbance is not acceptable on the West Cliff.

Fears that ‘The Last Resort’ would bring the worst elements of Bournemouth’s nightlife to this quiet and tranquil residential part of the town were felt to be justified and the likelihood of inappropriate public entertainment taking place was also found to be totally unacceptable.

Your Conservative Ward Councillors are extremely pleased with the decision. Cllr Barry Goldbart said, ‘If this application had been granted as proposed by Stag & Hen UK Ltd all our worst fears would have become reality.’

Cllr John Beesley who represented residents and nearby hotels at the hearing said, ‘This result is very good news and sends out a clear message that inappropriate license applications will not be acceptable on the West Cliff.’

The residents of Admirals Walk were represented at the hearing by a licensing solicitor and the refusal showed what can be achieved when residents work together with their Ward Councillors.

Ian Newport, who is a Conservative candidate for Westbourne & West Cliff Ward in the local elections, said, ‘We shall need to remain vigilant and look out for any other similar attempts to attract inappropriate late night drinking and entertainment, likely to cause noise and disturbance to local residents in the local area’.

The Daily Echo report can be found at http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/search/display.var.1326490.0.stag_party_hotel_fight_pays_off_for_residents.php

Candidates for 2007

Westbourne and West Cliff Conservatives announce their three candidates for the local government election on May 3rd. Councillors John Beesley and Barry Goldbart will be seeking re-election following a successful four years as ward members. Councillor David Baldwin will be retiring and The Village editor Ian Newport has been selected as the third candidate. Ian, 30, is a local barrister and current chairman of the Conservatives in the ward.

(Promoted by Wendy Keene MBE on behalf of Bournemouth West Conservatives, both of 135 Hankinson Road, Bournemouth).