Latest news with #PooleCouncil
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
UK households urged to apply for new cost of living support worth £300
The money is being distributed by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council as part of the Household Support Fund scheme - we explain who is eligible and how to apply UK households are being urged to check if they can apply for cost of living support worth up to £300. The money is being distributed by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council as part of the Household Support Fund scheme. Each council gets to decide what type of help it offers and it typically comes in the form of one-off payments, or supermarket or energy vouchers. It is up to each local authority to also decide who is eligible for help. If you're a Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole resident, you can receive a voucher to help with energy or food costs worth £300. This is split into two £150 vouchers. In order to be eligible, you must be over the age of 16 and living independently of parents or carers and have no money to cover essential bills. You can apply for the help online through Citizens Advice during the following application windows: 9am on May 12, 2025 to 4.30pm on July 4, 2025 9am on July 21, 2025 to 4.30pm on September 12, 2025 9am on September 29, 2025 to 4.30pm on November 21, 2025 9am on December 8, 2025 to 4.30pm on January 30, 2026 The council is also giving eligible families £15 vouchers per child during the school half terms. Council leader Cllr Millie Earl said: "I'm pleased the HSF has been extended for a seventh round to support people with the cost of living." 'The initiative can provide struggling households with crucial financial support, as well as practical advice and guidance from experts to help residents make their money go further. 'I urge anyone who thinks they might be eligible to apply, and to make the most of the practical advice and guidance on offer.' If you're not a Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole resident, it is worth checking what support your local council can offer you. For example, Cambridgeshire County Council is awarding £180 worth of supermarket vouchers over the upcoming half terms and summer holiday to families that are normally in receipt of free school meals. Some vouchers have already been given out over Easter. Another payment of £110 is also being awarded to some Cambridgeshire households that have £16,000 or less in money, savings, and investments, and earn below a certain threshold. City of York Council is crediting £150 to your council tax account, as a direct discount off your bill, through the Household Support Fund. It is also providing a direct bank transfer worth £100. There is also a discretionary scheme, for people who are not identified by the council as receiving a council tax discount. For this, you would need to apply to the council and show that you're in need of financial assistance to help with the rising living costs.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Fury as Lib Dem-run council axes 80th anniversary of VE Day event because its got no money - despite employing new chief executive on £205,000
A cash-strapped council has sparked fury after axing its 80th anniversary of VE Day due to a lack of funds despite employing a new chief executive on £205,000. Lib dem -run Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council confirmed there will be no official event held in the harbour town to mark the anniversary on May 8. A spokesperson for the council claimed they simply don't have the money available to put anything on. Instead, officials will light a beacon outside the town hall in Bournemouth while over in Christchurch there will be a wartime-themed 'grand celebration' on the quay. But just last month, the Council had been advertising for a new chief executive with an annual salary of £205,178. Poole played a vital role in the liberation of Europe in World War Two. It was the third largest embarkation port on the south coast for the D-Day landings that paved the way for victory in Europe. The decision not to hold an event has caused an uproar among veterans of the historic town, with one former Royal Engineer calling the move a 'shambles'. Neil Duncan-Jordan, the Labour MP for Poole, said the historic town was being overlooked and said residents of the town 'deserve better'. He said: 'I am dismayed that BCP Council is not planning to mark VE Day in Poole - especially given our town's proud history and vital role in D-Day. 'Last month I raised concerns with the council about the lack of a formal event in Poole to mark VE Day and suggested that we could have a ceremony in Poole Park on the day, at minimum cost. 'The veterans groups are extremely upset that Poole has been overlooked. 'It just seems like a really poorly made decision given Poole's historic role in WWII. 'Our community wants to honour this important anniversary. Poole residents, especially our veterans, deserve better. 'The groups have said that they could do something in the park but they just need the council's approval to make it official. It does not need to be an expensive event. 'Remembrance events held in Poole in November were attended by thousands of people so there is clearly an appetite for it.' The mayor of Poole, Pete Miles, will travel to Cherbourg on May 8 for celebrations in Normandy but he is having to fund the £55 trip out of his own pocket. Philip Broadhead, leader of the Conservative opposition on BCP Council, said: 'It's shocking to see the council refuse to fund any events for this historic day in Poole. 'It was bad enough that staple events like the Air Festival won't return this year, but VE Day is more than just tourism - it's about commemorating our past; and is precisely the type of thing a council should be doing. 'Meanwhile, the council is spending millions of pounds on unpopular, blanket 20mph speed limits throughout the towns. 'They just don't care about the important things any more.' Josh Brown, who served in the Royal Engineers for six years, described the lack of VE Day events in Poole as a 'shambles'. The 29-year-old, whose two great-grandparents served in World War Two, said: 'Such a big event like the 80th anniversary of VE Day needs to be marked, it's not small. 'There are other towns and cities that are marking it. The council seems to splash the cash on irrelevant stuff, but not on what matters. 'I am sure veterans and other members of the public will be upset about this. If this sort of thing happens then we are going to find in 10 years time that we don't celebrate it at all. 'World War Two veterans won't be around forever so one hundred percent we should be chucking everything into it. 'How much does it cost to shut a few roads for the day? They seem to manage other events. 'I think we could have a parade in Poole as it is one of the most important towns involved with VE Day.' Other local residents have taken to social media to vent their fury. Jon Wren said: 'Appalling decision. Poole was one of the main embarkation points for D-Day landings and that history should be recognised and commemorated.' Don Payne said: 'Whoever made this decision should be thoroughly ashamed. Total disrespect for our Military Heroes. BCP you are a disgrace.' Alasdair Collins wrote: 'Given the part that Poole played in WW2 this is a disgraceful decision and an insult to all the veterans, some of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice. Hang your heads in shame all those involved in this decision.' Emma Crowley posted: 'The disregard and disrespect our council has shown to remembrance days in recent years is frankly appalling.' A spokesperson for BCP Council said residents were being urged to stage street parties to celebrate VE Day. But Rich Herrett, portfolio holder for destination, leisure and commercial operations, said: 'If you would like to organise an event in Poole you are welcome to do so but we are not in a position to fund that at this point, but the events team remain ever supportive and I am sure will be helpful.' Andy Martin, the council's portfolio holder for culture, communications and customer, added: 'We are proud of Poole's history and involvement at Dunkirk during WWII and of the town's historical naval connections. 'To mark the 80th Anniversary of VE day we are organising a Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole wide beacon lighting ceremony, which will take place on the forecourt of the BCP Civic Centre for all residents across our area. This is the first time BCP Council will be organising an event like this to mark VE day. 'We are working to enable and support community hosted events and have received 30 applications for VE Day Street parties across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.'
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Sandbanks developer's plans to turn £600,000 garage into tiny £1million Airbnb thwarted for THIRD time
A Sandbanks developer's four year battle to turn a tiny garage near into an Airbnb has been thwarted for a third time. Peter Mullins has tried and failed to get permission to redevelop his 19 foot-wide garage in Poole, Dorset, after buying the property for £600,000 in 2021. A planning application in 2021 to add two storeys to the garage to create a pair of semi-detached houses was dismissed at appeal. Then in 2022, a conversion and extension to create two flats was also refused. And in his latest attempt to redevelop the property, Mr Mullins had sought to demolish the garage and turn it into a dwelling to create a £1million Airbnb to 'make his money back' on the expensive garage. Plans submitted to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council show the home was set to be in a newly-added pitched roof and would include a double bedroom, a single bedroom, and a dining and living room. The development would take place just a street away from the iconic Sandbanks beach, where famous residents have included Harry Redknapp, chef Rick Stein and Liam Gallagher. But the application was rejected by planners earlier this month, who said the proposed windows would be just 1.65m from a home on Panorama Road - where houses sell for an average of £3,922,500, according to Rightmove. Locals have previously fought against the development with the Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum writing a letter stating that the plans are 'unacceptable.' Speaking after the application was rejected, local Wendy Collins, 71, from Poole, Dorset, said: 'I've heard about the garage, and it's a great idea, but I'm not surprised it has been rejected. It is only little. 'It's a shame, really, because I do think it is a really cool idea, and I've never seen that before.' Mr Mullins had hoped to turn the upstairs into a double bedroom, a single bedroom, and a dining and living room. The only windows on this floor would be four skylights - one in each bedroom and two in the living space. He proposed the ground floor would be a small garage with space to park a car and three bikes at the front and a narrow corridor leading to a bathroom and kitchen at the back. The application had claimed Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council has no grounds to refuse it because the footprint of the building will remain the same. Property experts said the diminutive home would be too small for a permanent residence and will likely be a holiday bolthole or an Airbnb. But because of its prized location it would still be worth more than £1m. In a planning report, a council officer said: 'The gap between the proposed windows and No. 1 Panorama Road is 1.65m. This clearly presents opportunities for overlooking and loss of privacy from these windows. Furthermore, the size of the property is approximately 68 sqm. 'Nationally Described Space Standards sets out that a four-person, two-storey, two-bedroom property should, at a minimum, provide 79 sqm of space. 'This property is capable of providing a 4 person, 2 storey, 2 bedroom property and as such the space provided is not acceptable.' In a comment submitted to the council ahead of the decision, the Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum said: 'The Design and Access statement is also out of date, and the precedents are of no relevance. In one instance, the decision which they rely upon has been quashed.'
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Thought crime' and cancelled elections: how do JD Vance's Europe claims stand up?
In JD Vance's confrontational and pugnacious speech at the Munich Security Conference, the vice-president ran through a series of examples to highlight his claims that Europe has gone off the rails. Here, we look at what he said – and whether it stacks up. Speaking about 'our very dear friends, the United Kingdom', Vance claimed a 'backslide away from conscience rights' had 'placed the basic liberties of religious Britons in particular in the crosshairs'. The British government, he said, had charged Adam Smith-Conner, a physiotherapist and an army veteran, with the 'heinous crime of standing 50 metres from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes, not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own'. Vance claimed that Conner told an 'unmoved' law enforcement officer that he was praying for an unborn son that he and a former girlfriend had aborted years before. 'Adam was found guilty of breaking the government's new 'buffer zones law', which criminalises silent prayer and other actions that could influence a person's decision within 200 metres of an abortion facility,' Vance said. 'He was sentenced to pay thousands of pounds in legal costs to the prosecution.' Fact check Smith-Connor was convicted of breaching a safe zone in October last year, after refusing repeated requests to move away from outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth in November 2022. The 51-year-old told the council the day before he would be carrying out a silent vigil as he had on previous occasions. On the day, a community officer spoke to him for an hour and 40 minutes and asked him to leave – but he refused. Smith-Connor was handed a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay more than £9,000 costs after the case was brought by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. Smith-Connor is receiving legal support from Alliance Defending Freedom International, an American conservative Christian legal advocacy group which states that it 'champions religious freedom through … advocacy efforts'. ADF International said it would be supporting Smith-Connor to appeal against the decision in July. Smith-Connor's case was brought after a public space protection order was introduced outside the Bournemouth clinic in October 2022, which banned activity including protests, harassment and vigils. October last year saw the introduction of the Public Order Act 2023 in England and Wales, which introduced buffer zones of 150 metres around abortion clinics to stop women being harassed with leaflets, shown pictures of foetuses, or having to pass by vigils. The Scottish government was said to have begun distributing letters to citizens whose houses lay 'within so-called safe access zones, warning them that even private prayer within their own homes may amount to breaking the law'. He went on: 'The government urged readers to report any fellow citizens suspected guilty of thought crime in Britain and across Europe.' Fact check The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act, introduced last year, introduced safe access zones within 200 metres of abortion clinics, banning harassing, alarming or distressing actions. 'Silent prayer' is listed among the banned activities to prevent mass silent vigils which have been used by large groups of US anti-abortion protesters such as 40 Days for Life who gather outside clinics to pressure women entering not to have an abortion. A Conservative US TikToker erroneously claimed that silent prayer at home could break the law in Scotland. However the law states that the actions are banned if they are likely to cause alarm or distress to someone accessing abortion services. Silent prayer in a home which caused no distress and alarm to other would not fall under this category. Vance told the Munich security conference that a former European commissioner had 'sounded delighted' that an 'entire election' in Romania had been annulled. Vance added: 'He warned that if things don't go to plan, the very same thing could happen in Germany too … But when we see European courts cancelling elections and senior officials threatening to cancel others, we ought to ask whether we're holding ourselves to an appropriately high standard.' Fact check The US vice-president was referring to comments by the former European commissioner Thierry Breton. The former French minister had been speaking after the decision by Romania's constitutional court in December to annul the early results of the country's presidential election. The court had intervened after declassified intelligence documents pointed to what was described as a massive and 'highly organised' campaign for the independent candidate Călin Georgescu, on the TikTok platform which was probably orchestrated by a 'state actor'. Georgescu has committed to stop all Romanian political and military support for Ukraine if elected. Commenting on the case, Breton had said: 'Let's keep calm and enforce our laws in Europe when they are at risk of being circumvented … We did it in Romania, and we will obviously do it if necessary in Germany.' Elon Musk intervened at the time on X, referring to 'the staggering absurdity of Thierry Breton as the tyrant of Europe'. Breton responded: 'Tyrant of Europe? Wow! But No Elon Musk: the EU has NO mechanism to nullify any election anywhere in EU. Not at all what is said in the video below related only to the application of the [Digital Services Act] and its moderation obligations. Lost in translation… or another fake news?' Vance said that in Brussels 'EU Commission commissars' had warned citizens that they intend to shut down social media during times of civil unrest at 'the moment they spot what they've judged to be 'hateful content'. In Germany, he claimed police had carried out 'raids against citizens suspected of posting anti-feminist comments online as part of 'combating misogyny' on the internet'. Fact check Under the Digital Services Act, the European Commission can ask a digital services coordinator in an EU member state to ask a judge to assess an application for a temporary restriction on access within the EU to a large online platform or search engine. The commission does also have the power to bypass the judge-led process in an 'urgent situation'. The commission has said that such an extreme measure must 'follow the due process' and 'would be limited in time'. Restrictions on services can only be enforced where there is evidence of criminal offences involving threat to people's life or safety. Should the commission use its enforcement powers, its decisions are subject to judicial redress at the European court of justice. German police carried out raids last March on the homes of people suspected of posting misogynistic hate speech on the internet, including those advocating rape or sexual assault. Police raided homes and interrogated 45 suspects in 11 states. None of the suspects were detained. Vance said 'the government' had 'convicted a Christian activist for participating in Qur'an burnings that resulted in his friend's murder'. He went on: 'And as the judge in his case chillingly noted, Sweden's laws to supposedly protect free expression do not, in fact, grant – and I'm quoting – a 'free pass' to do or say anything without risking offending the group that holds that belief.' Fact check Salwan Najem was given a suspended sentence and a fine by a court over statements he made in connection with four incidents of Qur'an burning in Stockholm. He had carried out the book burning with Salwan Momika, who was subsequently shot dead during a TikTok broadcast last month. Najem, who came to Sweden from Iraq in 1998 and has been a Swedish citizen since June 2005, told the court that his actions were legitimate criticisms of religion protected by Sweden's freedom of expression laws. Göran Lundahl, the judge in the case, said freedom of expression did not constitute a 'free pass to do or say anything'. Vance cited the recent attack in Munich as reason for a 'new direction', suggesting the attack was typical. 'An asylum seeker, often a young man in his mid-20s, already known to police, rammed a car into a crowd and shatters a community', he said. Fact check German police and prosecutors have said that an Afghan suspect in a car ramming in central Munich that injured at least 36 people was believed to have had an 'Islamist' motive and will answer to charges of attempted murder. They have not found links to a jihadist organisation such as the Islamic State group nor any accomplices. According to the latest EU terrorism situation and trend report from Europol, there were a total of 120 terrorist attacks (98 completed, nine failed and 13 foiled) in seven EU member states in 2023. The highest number of terrorist attacks were perpetrated by separatist terrorists (70, all completed), followed by leftwing and anarchist actors (32, of which 23 completed). There were 14 jihadist terrorist attacks of which five were completed. Two rightwing terrorist attacks were foiled.
