Issue - meetings

The deadline for questions to be submitted to the Monitoring Officer is Monday 16 March 2026.

The deadline for questions to be submitted to the Monitoring Officer is Monday 16 March 2026.

Question from Councillor Patrick Canavan

Can the Leader confirm whether BCP Council will be making a formal response to the current consultation on the proposals from the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service?

Could she also confirm that this response will include highlighting concerns about the impact on frontline fire cover, the modelling used to justify the proposed reductions and the potential impact on areas of open heathland and on communities like Hamworthy? Will BCP Council also encourage the Fire Authority to consider alternative proposals that avoid station closures?

Response from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Millie Earl

Thank you for your question and for raising these concerns.

BCP Council has given a response to the current consultation on the proposals from the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service. This has been drafted by officers from services including communities, emergency planning and environment to reflect operational matters relating to the proposed changes.

Supplementary Question from Councillor Patrick Canavan

Could I just request from the Leader that that is circulated please.

Question from Councillor Joe Salmon

As you will recall, Full Council originally considered a motion which set out a strong local role in supporting schools and developing a conurbation-wide approach to reducing the harms associated with smartphone use.

That original motion was subsequently amended by yourself and significantly narrowed before being passed without dissent.

Over a year has now passed since Council agreed the amended motion. However, there has been no visible progress reported to Members on:

•         Correspondence to Government

•         Engagement with schools

•         Discussion at Headteachers’ Breakfast

•         Input from the Youth Parliament

•         Any movement towards a consistent local policy

In practical terms, the situation in our schools appears unchanged. Mobile phone use continues to be widespread and the harms we collectively recognised at the time of debate remain present. 

Given this lack of progress, it is reasonable to ask whether the decision to water down the original motion reflected a reluctance or inability on the part of the administration to meaningfully engage with this issue.

I would therefore welcome a written update setting out:

•         What concrete actions have been taken to implement the motion as passed

•         What outcomes have resulted from those actions

•         What engagement has taken place with schools and young people

•         Whether any work is underway towards a consistent local approach and what the timescale of this work is

Full Council resolutions should translate into real-world action. Where they do not, it is important that Members and the public understand why they have been failed in this way.

I look forward to your response.

Response from the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, Councillor Richard Burton

Thank you for your question, Cllr Salmon

I prepared this answer for the adjourned council meeting. Since then, there have been some further developments, and I will add these to the end of my answer.

Time was allocated to the topic of smart phone use in the Head Teacher Briefing on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112