HOW fortunate are we to have Bournemouth council with their straplines of “Listening to people” and “Working in partnership with people”? Well, apparently not so fortunate as the council has consistently ignored the wishes of the people of Boscombe regarding the Bournemouth Centre for the Community Arts. I am informed the council members took the decision to continue with their idea to build leasehold-only new homes on part of the BCCA site despite the hours of voluntary work undertaken by BCCA Friends which ensured the whole site could be financially successful as shown in their business plan, for the good of the Boscombe community. I also understand the council will permit BCCA Friends to take control of the three older rooms for this purpose. Since the council own this property (left in the Shelley covenant to the Boscombe people, how weird is that?), I assume the weather damage during past years will be rectified. Boscombe has lost years of use of BCCA whilst “negotiations” continue with our council.

It is not difficult to understand why Bournemouth council receives poor press. Its record of not working in partnership is legendary so no need to list the history here. Sufficient to say, meetings which are held about this and similar situations tend not to involve the good people who have Boscombe’s interests at heart.

So, thank you BCCA Friends for all the time you have given to this