5 August 2025 / 5 August 2025 by chrishenderson
Councillor Alasdair Keddie (Queen's Park & Charminster) says: "The low water levels in Queen's Park pond this year have been a big concern, I would like to assure everyone that a huge amount of effort has been going on behind the scenes to try and address this. There is a full programme of works now booked in for this winter to preserve the long term future of the pond."
Read more »
24 July 2025 / 26 July 2025 by chrishenderson
In a major step forward for local democracy and community-led planning, last week BCP Council's Cabinet has unanimously approved the designation of a Neighbourhood Area and the formation of a Neighbourhood Forum for East Cliff and Springbourne, This milestone follows months of dedicated community engagement, with three consultation processes and over 200 responses - a clear sign of the appetite for greater local influence and collaboration.
10 July 2025 / 14 July 2025 by chrishenderson
Winton East currently has the lowest level of tree canopy cover - high branches offering shade - of any area in our conurbation. Winton East's Green Councillors Simon Bull and Chris Rigby have secured over £21,000, mostly Community Infrastructure funds [levied from developers], for more street trees in Winton.
9 July 2025 / 14 July 2025 by chrishenderson
Treasure, a community group who work to support local victims of domestic abuse, have secured funding from BCP Council’s Ward Improvement Fund. They were supported in this by local Green councillors Simon Bull and Chris Rigby. This grant will be used to redecorate the community room they use at St Alban’s Church on Linwood Road. It will also benefit other users of that space.
7 July 2025 / 14 July 2025 by chrishenderson
Hard-working Green councillors for Winton East, Simon Bull and Chris Rigby, arranged for the fence between the upper and lower sections of Winton Library Gardens to be removed. This follows last year’s re-opening of the lower section of the Gardens after years of work by Simon and Chris. Meanwhile, a new community information board is on the way to Fampoux Gardens between Green Road and Firbank Road.
12 June 2025 / 14 July 2025 by chrishenderson
Bournemouth North Neighbourhood Inspector Richard Honeywill has retired. He has been replaced by Inspector Scott Janes. Hard-working local Green councillors Simon Bull and Chris Rigby have already held two meetings with Insp Janes. They have discussed the current hot local topics of anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, and nuisance electric motorbikes - particularly all around Wimborne Road.
17 May 2025 / 14 July 2025 by chrishenderson
Simon Bull, Green Councillor for Winton East, has raised concerns about closures of local medical centres in the Winton area, forcing local residents to travel further to see a GP. Now the Bournemouth Daily Echo reports that Winton Health Centre on Alma Road, where over 10,000 patients had been registered, may reopen by next year with new NHS funding. Meanwhile, the proposed closure of Banks Medical Centre on Wimborne Road, with transfer of patient registrations to a site in Bearwood, has not taken place.
9 May 2025 / 14 July 2025 by chrishenderson
A Beacon Lighting Ceremony took place on the 80th anniversary of VE Day, outside BCP Civic Centre. Green Councillor Simon Bull spoke: “Imagine a world without victory in Europe - a world where tyranny triumphed, where darkness endured. That world could have been ours - if not for the courage, the sacrifice, unbreakable resolve of those who stood against it. We remember them: those who fought, those who fell. Those who carried unbearable loss… They paid the price of our freedom.
17 December 2024 / 14 July 2025 by chrishenderson
Alarming holes have appeared in recent months on Acland Road in Winton East. The cause of these collapses has been weaknesses in Wessex Water's sewer lateral under the road. BCP Council undertook emergency road repairs as short-term resolution. Wessex Water also had to close the road to fix a collapse in the sewer caused by their jetting work to remove a blockage.
11 December 2024 / 29 December 2024 by chrishenderson
BCP Council has unanimously passed a motion proposed by Green Councillors Kate Salmon and Chris Rigby, to publicly support the Climate & Nature Bill being put before Parliament. Proposing the motion at Full Council, Kate Salmon said: "The Climate & Nature Bill represents the most up-to-date and science-led thinking on how the UK should tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The Bill, written by scientists and experts, was first introduced to Parliament in 2020, by former Green Party MP Caroline Lucas. At that time it was called the Climate & Ecology Bill, and it followed the declaration by the UK Government, and by councils across the country - including this one - of a Climate & Ecological Emergency."
