NEARLY 1,000 noise complaints were made to Bournemouth council over the past year.

The figures cover the period between April 1, 2017, and February 28 this year, in which the borough's community enforcement team received a total of 1,911 'service requests' from residents.

Of these the majority, 979, were noise complaints, coming to just over half the total.

A report from the team to the borough's community scrutiny panel, which meets to discuss the data at the town hall at 6pm tomorrow, reveals that the council issued 78 noise abatement notices, two of which led to prosecutions due to breaches.

The council issued 25 other notices covering public health issues and untidy sites, and one prosecution was launched due to a breach of an injunction.

The report prepared by head of communities and enforcement Kelly Ansell states: "With the high demand regarding domestic noise complaints, we have made 531 visits outside of normal working hours.

"The service provides an officer response Monday-Thursday, 8pm-2am and Friday-Saturday, 10pm-3am. We have attended 89 per cent of complaints within 45 minutes.

"This service has developed to enable more efficient handling of justified, as well as, unjustified complaints, which in the past had drained resources.

"Whilst these cases remain challenging, a visit very close after a complaint is received provides good intelligence as to whether a report is likely justified or not.

"In either scenario, justified or not, the outcome is always productive and gives confidence to those residents who are truly suffering."

According to the report, the council has seen an increase in complaints made over fly-tipping and also smoke from burning waste.

There were 482 complaints about untidy sites, fly-tipping, rats and refuse, 110 about smoke and 96 about nuisance smells, fumes, dust and light.

There were 39 complaints about drainage problems.

The council attributes some of the issues to its own alteration of bin collection cycles.

The report states: "The community enforcement team have carried out 1,228 visits regarding the above reports.

"The changes to the regularity of bin collections in the borough has unsurprisingly resulted in more complaints regarding smoke and waste.

"The community enforcement team have improved communications and work in partnership with colleagues at waste services, and education and engagement is usually attempted prior to any enforcement action."

Council staff also carried out 5,741 separate 'engagements' with rough sleepers or beggars between April 2017 and January 31 this year.

Over this time six injunctions were taken out and 15 notices issued, some banning people from particular areas of the town.