THE BCP Council has once again chosen style over substance when confronted with criminal and anti-social behaviour currently ransacking our community. The leadership of the BCP has decided that a press release will fix the current crisis facing our town.

Instead of executing existing powers already granted to the BCP and the police and taking immediate action to remove the illegal caravan encampment on the play area of Poole Park, the leader of the BCP Council issues a call for “greater power”.

Visits from the traveller community are not new. The current encampment is right under the nose of our political leaders occurring within eyesight of the Poole Civic Centre and a simple example of style over substance.

Another example is a recent press release proclaiming: “A major incident has been declared after thousands of people defied advice to stay away and descended on BCP Council beaches on the hottest day of the year.” Sadly, this proclamation does not stop anti-social behaviour or the total disrespect of traffic regulations, littering, drunk and disorderly conduct exhibited by a growing group of mindless idiots who are allowed to flagrantly violate the rules.

The BCP leadership is building a legacy of symbolic and meaningless verbal declarations. The purpose of government is to protect the community and citizens who you govern. Leadership is about action.

The BCP Council has been busy putting up signage alerting people that the conurbation is full.

If it were possible I believe they would follow the Lord Baden-Powell model and board up the beaches and public areas to “temporarily” protect them from unlawful or illegal attempts to damage or alter our beautiful town. Instead, the BCP rhetoric will remind you that the BCP is the twelfth largest council in England and it is entirely someone else’s fault.

CLLR BRIAN DION

Penn Hill ward, BCP Council

Blake Dene, Poole