Bournemouth

Introduction

Bournemouth is a large town and seaside resort on the south coast, in the south east corner of the South West region. Bournemouth is part of the second largest conurbation in the South West, which includes much of the neighbouring unitary authority of Poole and the districts of Christchurch, East Dorset, and Purbeck.

Bournemouth is well connected to London and the South East by road and rail, but transport links to the West and North are poor. Bournemouth International Airport is to the north of the town, just outside the unitary boundary – passenger numbers continue to grow and airport expansion plans are controversial. In addition to a thriving tourist sector, Bournemouth is a popular venue for conferences. The town is also a major centre for banking, finance and insurance; in contrast, the manufacturing sector is relatively small. Bournemouth has a number of educational establishments, in particular many English language schools. Bournemouth University has locations in the town, although the main campus is just over the border in Poole, as is the Arts Institute (a Higher Education Institution (HEI)).

Recent Visits

On 3 July 2008, Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, gave a speech to the Local Government Association annual conference at the Bournemouth International Centre. Iain Wright, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, also attended the conference

Demographics for Bournemouth

Mid-2006 Population Estimates

Figures updated annually. Last update August 2007. Source: Office for National Statistics.

Children and Learners

Bournemouth and its schools have capital allocation of £4.9m for 2007-08, which will rise to £11.1m in 2010-11. Allocations for the three years 2008-09 to 2010-11, including ICT and the new primary programme, will amount in total to £25.6m.

Economy

Bournemouth is working with Poole and Dorset councils to deliver an ambitious Multi-Area Agreement (MAA). The MAA was the first one to be signed in the country, and sets ambitious goals to improve the economy, transport, housing, skills and the environment.

Health and Well Being

Bournemouth and the surrounding area is served by the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital Trust. The Trust was granted NHS Foundation Trust Status in 2005. It is also served by the Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust.

Crime

• Bournemouth has been named as one of 40 priority Respect Action Areas in England for being a council who has a strong record in tackling anti-social behaviour, linked partly to the pub and club ‘night time economy’
• Bournemouth is one of 52 areas in England to receive funding from the Youth Task Force for a Challenge and Support Project, aimed at stopping the escalation of poor behaviour by young people. Funding of £100,000 is being made available in 2008-09, with further funding in each of the following two years
• in addition, a Working with Parents Policy has been agreed through the Bournemouth Children's Trust, with the Parenting Strategy being led by a multi agency Parenting Group. This is managed within the planning cycles of the Local Area Agreement, and the related plans of the local thematic partnerships for Stronger and Safer Communities and Children and Young People
• Bournemouth is also a wave 2 Parenting Early Intervention Programme pilot

Transport

• Bournemouth and Poole have a joint Local Transport Plan (LTP)
• £5.4m has been jointly allocated to Bournemouth and Poole as part of the Local Transport Plan funding settlement for 2007-08
• funding to develop a South East Dorset Transportation Model has now been identified and it is intended to appoint a consultant using the Highways Agency National Framework for Technical Consultancy. It is anticipated that the model will be developed by autumn 2008. It will then be used to test a variety of housing and employment options to determine the transport implications. The model will also provide much of the information required to enable a bid for Government funding of major transport schemes to be submitted for regional prioritisation
• planning permission has been granted for a large office development at Riverside, just off the A338 Bournemouth Spur Road north of the Cooper Dean grade separated junction. The permission included a condition that the developer provides a 1,000 space Park & Ride site (value around £2m) and a grade separated junction with the Spur Road (value around £5m). A timetable for this work has yet to be agreed with the developer

Social Inclusion and Regeneration

• funding of £3.5m has been allocated between 2002-09 for a Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder pilot in Boscombe West and Springbourne, making public services more responsive to the needs of the community. The Pathfinder has already achieved a number of successes in shaping mainstream services, including the introduction of wardens and the hot school meals project. These funds are now part of the Safer and Stronger block of the Local Area Agreement. As funding ends in March 2009, the council is aiming to mainstream services wherever possible
• Boscombe Chine Gardens were restored and reopened in 2007 with funding of £1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund
• work is underway on an artificial surf reef at Boscombe. This will cost over £1m and will provide an all year leisure facility. It will extend the tourist season and support the regeneration of Boscombe. Construction work began in September 2008, and the official opening is planned for spring 2009. It has been funded by the sale of council land
• other regeneration work in Boscombe includes improvements to Boscombe Pier, the remodelling of the seafront area around the pier and the provision of new facilities for surfers and others
• Bournemouth was awarded 'Trailblazer' status by Communities and Local Governmnet in summer 2008, enabling them to provide a greater range of advice to people looking for housing
• Bournemouth Council is currently consulting on its Town Centre Master Vision, an ambitious plan to regenerate the town centre area

European Funding

Bournemouth Borough Council’s Train to Market project was awarded over £88,000 from the European Social Fund (ESF). The project addressed the knowledge and skills gap faced by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector, who were otherwise unable to access market opportunities offered by key local developments. The project ran from January 2006 to December 2007.