‘Problem people’ fears over plan for Bournemouth's former arts centre (From Bournemouth Echo)

‘Problem people’ fears over plan for Bournemouth's former arts centre

7:10pm Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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A STORM has broken out after Bournemouth council announced plans for a “children and families” centre in the former Bournemouth Centre for Community Arts building.

The council’s cabinet will be asked on July 22 to approve plans for the “services hub” to also include “adult focused” services.

But Boscombe Traders Association fears the centre will cater for “people with problems”.

And the move has come as a shock to the Friends of BCCA, which has fought to turn the building into a community centre offering a young people’s theatre group, film club and dance, pottery, wood and metal workshops.

The council won a £2.3m government grant for a new base for a multi-agency team which supports children, young people and families, which has been temporarily based at Kings Park Primary School for two years. The facility which it now hopes to base in the former BCCA building would also include some services for adults.

The council has been working with Bournemouth and Poole Community Health Services, Dorset Police’s Safe School Partnership, voluntary sector services and probation services on the scheme.

The Friends of BCCA have put in a Freedom of Information request for details of the bid and is awaiting a response.

Cllr John Beesley, deputy leader of the council, said the council had been working “very closely” with the Friends and hoped to help them find “an alternative option” for a community centre.

He declined to comment on whether offenders on probation or drug addicts would regularly visit the centre being planned.

He added: “I think it is too early to be making these comments. There are details that have yet to be finalised.”

Katherine Edgar from BCCA Friends said the group did not wish to comment yet.

Steve Kent, chairman of Boscombe Traders Association, said the people of Boscombe wanted to see a community centre in the former BCCA building.

He added: “Twelve months ago this council wanted to knock the whole place down. When somebody wants to turn it into something good for the community all they want to do is turn it into another place for people with problems of alcohol and drugs.”

Cllrs Phil Stanley-Watts and Linda Bailey both said they believed Boscombe needed a community centre.