This week a meeting of Full Council took place on Tuesday evening – as usual, open to the public to attend.

Also as is quite usual, we received a deputation from a member of the public.

Mr Keith Watson, Chairman of the Kinson Community Library Panel took the trouble to address the Council Chamber, thanking Members and officers for the wide range of services and facilities provided at Kinson Hub.

He reminded us that the facility has become a central feature of community life in the area and he thanked the Council for securing the funding – a combination of Big Lottery Fund and Housing money - to make it happen.

The new building provides an integrated enquiry/reception area, a library including a special area for children and the first Headspace service in Bournemouth (an area designed for and with young people), a learning centre, meeting rooms, a children’s centre with crèche facilities, neighbourhood housing office, interview rooms for information and advice agencies including the Citizens Advice Bureau, and public toilets.

It is rare indeed for us to receive such a public acknowledgement and gratitude – so in turn I would like to publicly thank him for braving the cold weather and decidedly chilly Council Chamber for doing so.

Having been on the project board and the board that awarded the contract to the contractor to build it, I am delighted that this facility is serving the people of North Bournemouth so well. Along with the now fully open Pelhams Park Leisure Centre, which I hear had an extremely successful and busy Open Weekend last Saturday and Sunday, despite the weather, the area really is flourishing.

Our children’s services team has a lot to be proud of this week following Ofsted’s annual assessment.

I am delighted that the inspectors found that our services are continuing to ‘perform well’ in providing good outcomes for children and young people in the borough.

Our main strengths include good quality day care and outstanding education provision for very young children, good adoption services, good sixth form provision and good or better special school and pupil referral unit provision.

We were also praised for giving good encouragement and support to children and young people in living healthy lives.

Specifically, Ofsted noted that we have achieved a reduction in teenage pregnancies, an increase in the number of children and young people taking part in sport and that we have a comparatively low number of overweight children in the borough.

Educationally, test and exam results at all ages are broadly in line with the average in similar areas.

There is some work to be done to raise attainment levels in schools for all pupils, but the team has made good progress in 2010 and this will remain a priority for 2011. Well done to all involved.

In my blog on 26th November, I talked about the plans the Council has for the use of Photo Voltaic, or PV, energy, which generates electricity through solar panels.

Training for the first six staff is now underway and they should be fully qualified next month, meaning we can begin to install this innovative technology on Council–owned properties, and start to generate our own energy. These are very exciting developments and I am proud that the Council is in a position to be at the forefront of such commendable practice.

Until next week.