I start this week’s blog on a truly sad note. Yesterday, I and others from Bournemouth Council – Councillors and Officers alike – attended the funeral service of Brian Leverett, Leader of Poole Council, who died suddenly just two weeks ago. Unsurprisingly, the church was full of people who knew him and wanted to pay tribute to the unwavering and dedicated work he did for the Borough of Poole over many, many years. He will be sorely missed and I am proud to have known him.

In my blog last week I talked about the support that the Council has given to small businesses during the recession. From next Saturday (October 9), we are offering two hours free parking in Richmond Gardens multi-storey car park, every Saturday morning between 8 and 10am, giving an early boost to our town centre cafes and shops. Add to this our offer of two hours parking from 10am – 12noon for £1 in the same car park, that gives 4 hours parking for just £1. Why not come in early, have a leisurely breakfast and get your shopping done before the crowds arrive?

Some commentators online have been critical of this offer. Critical of four hours parking for £1?! I believe you would be hard pressed to find an offer that beats this latest parking proposition in a comparable town centre in our region. I know that car parking is free at Castlepoint – you will know as well as I that this is standard practice in non-town centre shopping complexes. I enjoy a visit to Castlepoint. I enjoy a visit to the town centre. For me, they offer two different shopping experiences, and I choose which one to visit depending on my needs. With this latest town centre offer, from next weekend, those die-hard shoppers among you can shop for 4 hours in the town centre, followed by a spree at Castlepoint for just £1 for parking. Can’t be bad!

On Tuesday evening I attended the official launch of Pride in Bournemouth, an ambitious project that aims to create pride in our town through art. Art that takes the form of lion statues, all over the borough, sponsored by local businesses and decorated accordingly. Not highbrow and not exclusive, but there for all to enjoy – there could be a lion coming to a street or local shopping area near you soon!

School children across the town are getting involved, with each primary school offered a mini-lion to decorate, creating a trail between schools across the borough.

The Council has been instrumental in getting this off the ground, with a financial grant to kick-start the project and our very own lion to boot!

Art for all has been high on the agenda recently, with the launch on the fantastic “The Smugglers’ Wain” mural on the back wall at Kinson Hub. See news release for more information. [And keep checking the Echo for our report and pictures].

Art in our homes is a personal thing – and can be expensive. The town’s own museum, the Russell-Cotes is making art affordable, offering around 800 works from its collection available to buy as prints and canvasses. Called Art on Demand, visit www.russellcotesartshop.co.uk for details!

And just to bring you all bang up to date – today I will be attending the Fab@50+ event at the BIC – which co-incides with today’s National Older People’s Day. Along with the Council’s Older People’s Champion Cllr Pat Lewis, I’ll be testing out my body mass index, and taking in what I hope will be a fascinating memory box display.

There is loads going on today and tomorrow (Saturday), including dance demos, health and fitness advice and taster sessions and a chance to have your say on the Council’s budget setting and Older People’s Strategy. If you consider yourself FAb@50+, why not come on down and join in the fun.

Those of you living in the Winton, Wallisdown, Charminster and parts of Boscombe and the Town Centre in particular will have noticed that our term-time student population is now well and truly back in residence. The Council has been working with the Students Union to help students feel welcome and, in particular, educate them as to the best way to fit in with the area and be well-received by their neighbours – including giving advice on noise, parking and how to do their bit by recycling. Working with the Winton Area Forum, residents in Winton and parts of Wallisdown have just been sent an information newsletter about what we are doing to minimise the impact of students living in their roads – follow the link for more details.

However, there is a serious issue about whether or not parts of our Town now have too many student houses – or Houses in Multiple Occupation.

I receive lots of letters from concerned residents about this issue and in some areas like Winton and parts of other wards I think there may be a case for the Council to consider.

Up until today planning permission was required for changing the use of a property from a private residence to a house in multiple occupation – which is defined as three or more unrelated people living together.

With little consultation the Government has abolished that requirement as from now. I think that was a wrong decision and I am publishing here my letter of today’s date sent to the Housing Minister Grant Schapps MP.

Peter Charon's letter to Grant Schapps Until next week.