To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link: -
https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1
The deadline for the submission of public questions is mid-day Wednesday 3 December 2025 (mid-day, 3 clear working days before the meeting).
The deadline for the submission of a statement is mid-day Monday 8 December 2025 (mid-day the working day before the meeting).
The deadline for the submission of a petition is Tuesday 25 November 2025 (10 working days before the meeting).
Minutes:
Public Questions
Public Question from Susan Stockwell
Cabinet may not improperly influence licensing decisions. However, this is no barrier to departments under the control of this council from properly carrying out their various functions by making objections to strip club licensing. These include but are not limited to, community safety, public health, economic development, tourism, estates, highways and licensing itself. Rising crime in the neighbourhoods around Bournemouth's strip clubs and the evidence both from marches for women's safety and respondents to consultations on licensing policy make such objections essential to carrying out these council functions. Will this council now turn its attention to accepting the evidence in front of them for urgent action on strip club licensing.
Response by the Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture, Councillor Andy Martin on behalf of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regulatory Services, Councillor Kieron Wilson
Council departments are aware of their ability to object to licences where they feel this is required, additional training and guidance has been given this year to departments including Children’s Social Care. Evidence should support objections and both serious violence and anti-social behaviour rates have declined in Bournemouth Town Centre in the last year. The licensing and community safety teams work closely with Dorset Police to monitor issues related to any licensable premises.
Public Question from Daniel Glennon
"I appreciate the Winter Wonderland, the joy it brings, and the value it adds to our town’s tourism industry.
"However, I have a serious concern regarding the environmental impact of the ice skating rink. Most artificial rinks use chemicals such as glycol and calcium chloride to maintain frozen surfaces; the latter is particularly harmful to aquatic life and soil biology. Each morning I observe large quantities of ice being swept from the rink and deposited directly into the Bourne Stream, one of our town centre’s most valuable and biodiverse natural assets.
"Given this, has the council undertaken a full environmental assessment of the chemicals used to create and maintain the ice, and of the practice of daily disposing significant volumes of contaminated ice into the Bourne Stream, including potential cumulative impacts on water quality, wildlife, and the wider ecosystem, and whether mitigation measures or alternative, impact technologies have been considered?"
Response by the Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, Councillor Andy Hadley
The health of the River Bourne is important to the Council.
The Council checked prior to the 2019/20 season, and the Council’s event manager has rechecked with the operator last week that this is still the same process, she also checked with the Environmental Health Officer who is still satisfied.
It was established that the ice is made of pure water with all the glycol circulated through a closed system.
Permission for scaping the shavings into the Bourne was sought prior to the 2019/2020 season of the ice rink commencing and this was granted by the Environment Agency. The ice shavings created by the resurfacing of the rink are purely frozen water.
As no chemical compounds are added to the water to aid with freezing, and all ice is created by freezing water sourced from a local freshwater standpipe the Environmental Agency agreed that there would be no contamination caused through this process.?
Thank you for raising your concern, I hope that this satisfies your query.
Public Question from Roger Mann
What measures is the council currently using—or prepared to introduce—to prevent demolition without a guaranteed, deliverable redevelopment plan, and to address cases where cleared sites remain vacant for long periods? Specifically:
Will the council consider restricting demolition through planning conditions?
Will it review the use of Section 215 or other tools to stop cleared sites becoming long-term eyesores?
Is it exploring policy or legal mechanisms to prevent speculative demolition with no clear funding or timetable?
Response by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Millie Earl
Demolition of a building does not usually require planning permission. Should an owner wish to demolish a building they need to apply for prior approval before doing so however, the consideration of these applications is limited to the method associated with the demolition process, rather than the principle of demolition itself which is allowed under permitted development rights under national government legislation. There is no ability to take into account matters relating to appearance or if there is an alternative development proposed.
The Council already utilises S215 when appropriate to do so for sites which deteriorate to such a degree that they result in material harm to the surroundings. I’m aware of incidents, including in my own ward, where anti-social behaviour, fires in empty buildings, and significant vandalism potentially endangering people has meant we have pushed for demolition to reduce risk.
In a situation where demolition does require permission such as within a conservation area for example, permission is not granted unless a suitable replacement is agreed.
Public Statements
Public Statement from Patrick King
The last Council meeting saw several councillors questioning the labelling of residents expressing legitimate concerns as "far-right".
This warrants further clarification how this potentially inflammatory terminology was approved.
All Council members should combine to produce and publish the methodology used to categorise activism, enabling the public to understand how and why labels are applied, and what Council safeguards are in place ensuring the language in motions, does not itself, contribute to division or escalate tensions?
Also noticeably, it only takes two councillors to circulate "late" amendments, almost to the opening of the meeting.
This leaves other councillors minimal opportunity to give due consideration and process the effect of proposed changes, and the potential far-reaching, and long-term implications and consequences to policy and budget.
Public questions have to be received by three working days to be included, therefore it is a logical conclusion, amendment procedure requires reviewing.