When I asked Leader of the Council, Cllr Beesley, at full council why he had not responded to award winning regeneration architect John Burrell who wrote in his email to Cllr Beesley and Bob Boulton of B2026, that the plans for this site were likely to have “significant ongoing in-use , management, sustainability, security and safety issues” and urged attending to them as a priority, even offering his services for free. John Beesley responded on public record that he felt it ok to ignore John Burrell’s concerns as they were not raised at the planning meeting a year and a half before. To say I was astounded at this response is an understatement. I find it shocking that serious concerns from a leading British architect (currently regenerating Spittlefields market in London) would be completely ignored, John Burrell had not seen the plans at the time of the planning meeting. these concerns should have been tackled not ignored, this is called due diligence and it is the least that could be done whilst handling such a complex and controversial project. It shows a clear lack of concern for due process from a council that has made error after error over the last few years ( such as allowing the surf reef to be built without a construction contract in place, handing over 5 departments to a near bankrupt mouchel against the advice of the chief finance officer amongst other terrible and costly mistakes). So it seems we will have a Gladstone Mews Development which may be beset with problems and will potentially cause more problems than it is claimed it will solve.
I also asked at the last council meeting about whether it was wise to demolish this facility before the independent report into community provision is released. (commissioned by Bournemouth 2026 to resolve the fears of the community over a lack of community provision which was shown in the independent study from Boscombe Charity Creative Kids which sat at odds with the council report used by the officer at planning after which Cllr Roger West said he had felt misled by the council report which quoted bars and clubs and restaurants as similar community facities to the bcca). Mr Beesley gave me a vague sprawling response which did not really answer the question, and he even stated that the judge ruled that the Friends of the Bcca’s court case was “without merit”. This was thoroughly disingenuous for 2 reasons. Firstly I am not part of this friends group, I represent business and art interests in the area, so this had very little to do with my question and concerns. Secondly I have seen a solicitors letter which explains that the judge in question only ruled on the reasons why the Friends case was brought late and did not consider the actual evidence of improper procedure and other evidence that the friends were bringing against the council, time constraints are very strict for appeal and the judge ruled the friends reasons for bringing a late appeal (which I believe were largely financial ) was “without merit. It seems Cllr Beesley received some bad advice from his officers in quoting this ruling in such an unclear way that might be considered to mislead or confuse less well informed people and councillors, indeed this very same issue was brought up in the Boscombe Forum by Cllr Jane Kelly and was answered by Mrs Linda Ni’man and is on public record, there should be no reason for such a faux pas. I asked if it was prudent to demolish in advance of the findings of the report. It is interesting to note that this report was presented in August 2013 and payments have been made by Bournemouth 2026, yet the report has not been made available to the public by Bournemouth 2026. I have a copy and it is very clear from reading it why Bournemouth 2026 are withholding it until the demolition is completed. The “Urban Crab” is quite right in that one of the recommendations is to turn the burnt out Cliff End Hotel into a Arts Centre, but there is much more in this report for the discerning reader. Again we see a complete lack of transparency from not only the council but also from Bournemouth 2026.
The council keeps referring to the Friends of the BCCA as if this group were the only group capable or interested in reopening this site for the public. I know of at least 3 other groups. The council often states, without evidence or any substantiation whatsoever, that the business plan from the friends of the BCCA was not viable. I have looked at the plan and at over 100 pages I have never seen such a thorough and detailed plan in all my time in business. The plan had the backing of council officers at one time and many other people, including Mark Cribb and Andy Lennox from the successful Urban and Koh Thai chains, they removed their support when the occupy protest took place, for obvious reasons which had nothing to do with the viability of the plan. This statement regarding the plans which I frequently hear from people is disingenuous and I still await some reasoning and evidence to support this seemingly misleading assertation. The focus on BCCA friends as the only viable group is also misleading and had the council allowed Localism to take place we would have seen several Community Bids to run this site. This would have been a chance for the council to allow community groups to bid and would have allowed a much more transparent reasoning for the site. The delay would have been 6 months and that would have ended in June this year (so no delay) but the council chose to interpret the localism law in such a way as to not allow this process to happen which I see as very cynical and not in the spirit of working together and healthy community relations.
I am thoroughly disappointed in the conduct of the council, the lack of essential community engagement, the lack of due diligence and process in this whole sorrowful affair. I believe a PUBLIC INQUIRY should take place into this affair and an immediate HALT to the ongoing demolition until this investigation is completed, it is the Boscombe community who will lose out and this will be IRREVERSIBLE. The Bcca has served the Boscombe community for over 100 years and is much loved, it could make a huge difference to the well being of a 20,000 strong community as well as servicing the arts needs of the entire town. It could help socially regenerate the area as well as bringing in tourists into the heart of the area (unlike the Shelley Theatre which is away from the businesses and only able to open at weekends and evenings) and could play a vital role in an economic regeneration of Boscombe. It would of course be central to the plan of regenerating the area via the creative industries which is a good idea and was recommended to use the bcca in such a way in the STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT REPORT commissioned by Bournemouth 2026, why the council chose to ignore this and instead demolish is totally perplexing.
Harry Seccombe
