Agenda item

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 midday 3 clear working days before the meeting (Tuesday 7 July 2026).

The deadline for the submission of a statement is midday the working day before the meeting (Friday 10 July 2026).

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

There were no petitions or public statements. There were 3 public questions received and answered as follows. Mr Redman’s question was read out on his behalf by Democratic Services, Mr McKinstry attended to read out both his questions. In the absence of a relevant portfolio holder the Chair of the Board responded to all questions.

 

Public Question in relation to agenda item 10 – Work Plan  

 

 

 

1. In connection with my request for scrutiny into the Council's Seafront Trading Operations, I would like to use the Eco Hub at Durley Chine as an example. The Eco Hub is a £2.4 million taxpayer-funded investment occupying a substantial seafront site in a prime trading location. In 2024, the Bournemouth Echo reported that the Eco Hub generated approximately £144,000 of revenue during its first year. Since opening, the operating model has changed from a vegetarian menu to what now appears primarily to be an ice cream kiosk. Could officers explain what commercial assessment has been undertaken, both before and since the Eco Hub opened, to maximise revenue, what actions have resulted from that assessment, and how success has been measured? 

 

Response:

 

Thank you for your question, Mr Redman. 

 

The Durley Environmental Hub opened in 2023 as a multi-functional facility providing public toilets, a catering kiosk, staff welfare facilities for the Council's Cleansing Team, and space for education and community use. 

 

While the kiosk generates a trading surplus, we recognise that the wider site is not currently achieving its full commercial and operational potential.  The educational and community elements have been constrained by a lack of sustainable funding, while aspects of the building's layout and design have limited the flexibility and attractiveness of some areas of the site. 

 

The Council has kept the Hub's performance under review since opening. This has included assessing operational performance, visitor demand, income generation and future opportunities for the site.  Market engagement with potential operators was undertaken during 2025, which as informed an open market tender for a new leisure, wellness and education-based offer, which is due to be launched shortly.  The aim is to increase activity, improve public use of the site, and enhance commercial returns and social value. 

 

More broadly, seafront commercial activities are managed through contractual arrangements, operational oversight, financial monitoring and regular performance reviews. Income and performance are tracked against agreed budgets and business cases, with benchmarking and market intelligence used to identify opportunities for improvement. 

The Council remains focused on ensuring that seafront assets deliver both commercial value and a high-quality visitor experience. We acknowledge that there is further potential to unlock at the Durley Environmental Hub and are actively pursuing options to achieve this. 

 

Public Questions in relation to agenda item 8 - Bournemouth Town Centre Progress 

 

 

  

2. Who is funding the eight months' worth of road improvements in Gervis Place (which commenced on 23 May 2026), and what is the overall cost of those works likely to be? 

 

Response: 

 

Thank you for your question Mr McKinstry. I have been advised that the cost of the ongoing Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) works in Gervis Place is £3.372m. Comprising of the following:   

  

£2,820,000      = Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) 

£552,000         = Highways Maintenance Grant    

£3,372,000      = Total 

  

The works are fully funded from external capital grants from the Department for Transport (DfT) and shall address the significant subsidence issues affecting Gervis Place through a full-depth reconstruction of the carriageway, securing the long-term future of this important part of the town centre.  Alongside these repairs, the council is investing in a range of improvements that will transform the area, including wider footways, new pedestrian crossings, and enhanced facilities for bus passengers. This includes 9 new bus shelters with real time information, CCTV and raised boarding kerbs for improved access.  The result will be a safer, more accessible, and attractive environment for everyone visiting Bournemouth town centre. 

 

  

3. On 17 December 2025, Cabinet approved a High Street Rental Auction area to be designated for Bournemouth Town Centre - the parameters of which would reach from Durley Chine Road in the west, to Wessex Way in the north, and to Wellington Road, St Swithun's Road South and part of Manor Road in the east. What sum of grant money was released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to fund the creation of a "vacancy register" for this area - that is, a register of vacant commercial premises within the designated district - and how was the register compiled; was the work done in-house, or by external agents? If the latter, which agents were engaged and what work did they specifically undertake? 

 

Response: 

 

• The total amount claimed from MHCLG for the Vacancy Register was £8,450 

• The work was done by an external consultant, BAS Consultancy Ltd who was fully briefed by council officers in advance of the work  

• The consultant produced the vacancy register with a combination of field work and desk research 

• The vacancy register includes a photo of the property in question, the address, floorspace, tenancy status, earliest known vacancy date, market status, landlord information (if known), agent details (if being marketed), condition (if known), title number, description of premises, rateable value, planning history (where known) and a score of potential HSRA eligibility 

• The work was delivered as a written report and spreadsheet summary 

 

4. If I have understood the MHCLG guidance correctly, a condition of the vacancy register grant-funding was that the work had to be complete by 31 March 2026. Is the vacancy register for Bournemouth Town Centre complete, therefore; and if so, how many premises have been identified that potentially satisfy the "vacancy condition" set down in Section 193 of The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023? If the register is not complete, is there a deadline and will the MHCLG grant be reimbursed? 

 

Response: 

 

• The HSRA vacancy register was completed in late November 2025 

• 28 properties were identified as likely to satisfy the vacancy condition subject to further verification