Survey of 24 city authorities finds two in five plan to sell off assets and reduce services
Local authority leaders say they are having to drain their financial reserves to keep services afloat and avoid effective bankruptcy.
A survey of the mid-tier group of English city councils, which includes Southampton, Hull, Sunderland and Norwich, found that many that had previously avoided financial difficulties during periods of austerity were close to running out of funds.
Continue reading...Dorset police make arrest after fatal stabbing of Amie Gray, 34, on Friday evening
A 20-year-old man from south London has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman was fatally stabbed on a beach in Bournemouth, police have said.
Two women from Poole in Dorset were stabbed on Durley Chine beach at about 11.45pm last Friday. A 34-year-old woman died at the scene while a 38-year-old woman sustained serious injuries and remains in hospital.
Continue reading...Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, NFL stars and Olympic athletes are finding inspiration in the characters’ resilience
The Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke twice thought he had scored the opening goal against Brentford on 11 May. Each time he wheeled away to celebrate, he put on an orange mask with a spiral pattern and one eyehole before posing in front of the cameras.
The goal was ruled out by VAR but the celebration went viral, as journalists wrote about “masked mayhem” and others wondered what this “bizarre” celebration could mean.
Continue reading...Premier League match halted and Luton Town captain was taken away on a stretcher, described as ‘alert and responsive’
Luton’s Premier League match at Bournemouth on Saturday was abandoned after their captain, Tom Lockyer, collapsed on the pitch after a cardiac arrest.
The match was stopped in the 59th minute as medics tended to Lockyer, who collapsed off the ball.
Continue reading...Georgina Mansergh, 24, reacted to sesame oil in a tahini sauce in the meal and collapsed at the Angel Inn in Ferndown
A student died after suffering an allergic reaction to sesame seed oil in a mushroom risotto she ate at a family dinner in a Dorset pub, an inquest has heard.
Georgina Mansergh, 24, was visiting the Angel Inn in Ferndown with her family on 11 February when she suffered the reaction to the oil used in the tahini sauce included in the dish. She was studying for her masters degree.
Continue reading...Votes invited for the public’s top 10 resorts and experiences, from beach huts and lidos to the Blackpool Tower
The British seaside may be derided by some for being as tacky as the candyfloss stuck to the side of your mouth. Yet tackiness is fundamental to its charm, according to campaigners who say that seaside heritage sites should be protected as fiercely as castles and stately homes.
The Seaside Heritage Network (SHN) says amusement parks, lidos and scenic railways are all part of the UK’s role in the creation of modern tourism and should be cherished.
Continue reading...Dorset police conclude Dorset Belle pleasure cruiser did not contribute to Joe Abbess and Sunnah Khan drowning in May
No criminal offences were committed in relation to the death of two young swimmers off Bournemouth beach in May, a police force has concluded.
A man in his 40s who was initially arrested on suspicion of manslaughter will face no further action, Dorset police said on Friday.
Continue reading...Family of Joe, 17, pay tribute to ‘fabulous young man’ and relatives of Sunnah, 12, say she ‘was an angel’
A 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl who died after getting into difficulty in the water off Bournemouth beach last week have been named as Joe Abbess and Sunnah Khan.
Joe, from Southampton, was described as a “fabulous young man” who was “kind and generous, loving and caring, hardworking and funny”, according to a family statement issued by Dorset police.
Continue reading...Familiar faces on the Tory right met in Bournemouth to pour scorn on the government. And they can certainly make the PM’s life harder
• Read more: Tory anarchy breaks out as revolt looms on Brexit laws
It was billed as the launch of a campaign to hand more power to Tory members. It was not, its organisers repeatedly insisted, a group aiming to reinstall Boris Johnson as party leader – or cause trouble for Rishi Sunak. It was about “taking back control” of the Conservative party for the grassroots.
Yet as the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO) met for its inaugural gathering in a sunny Bournemouth on Saturday, it was less than 15 minutes after Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns had belted out the national anthem that Johnson’s name was first uttered on stage.
Continue reading...Judge rules Bournemouth, Christchuch and Poole council unreasonable to dismiss women’s safety concerns as ‘moralistic’
A council’s policy on lapdancing and strip clubs was overturned by a high court judge, after a challenge by a sexual abuse survivor who said it would have a negative impact on women’s safety.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council adopted a new policy in November 2021, which allowed an unlimited number of sexual entertainment venues in the area.
Continue reading...Holidaymakers are worried about plans by council bosses to cash in by selling the huts – to boost their budget with a £54m windfall
The multicoloured wooden beach huts lining the golden sands of Bournemouth and Poole were in full use once again this weekend as adults basked in deckchairs and children built sandcastles.
These simple structures on this famous stretch of the Dorset coastline are highly sought-after, with typical waiting times for a long-term rental ranging from five to 20 years. However, some users are now worried about plans by council bosses to cash in on the huts by selling them to a “special purpose vehicle” (SPV) to boost their budget with a £54m windfall.
Continue reading...Police are searching for Kyle Darren Eglington, 32, who absconded from a court prisoner transit van
Police are searching for a prisoner who escaped custody wearing just his underwear and socks.
Kyle Darren Eglington, 32, absconded from a court prisoner transit van in Poole after assaulting security officers on Saturday morning, Dorset police said.
The force said it is carrying out “extensive searches” to find Eglington and appealed to the public for information.
Tens of thousands descend on south coast on hottest day of the year
Tens of thousands of people descended on beaches on the south coast of England on the hottest day of the year, prompting some local authorities to plead with people to stay away so that social distancing could be maintained.
While many parts of the north of England were facing a fresh lockdown, stretches of beaches at Bournemouth, Poole and Brighton were packed.
Continue reading...Locals dismayed over tonnes of rubbish left by revellers and fear a rise in Covid-19 infections
Ben Waugh, who runs a bicycle hire shop on the seafront at Bournemouth, has lived in the seaside resort all his life but has never seen so many people packed on to the beach – and so much terrible behaviour.
“I understand why people wanted to come,” he said, as the cleanup continued around him. “It’s the best beach around and when the weather’s good it’s like being in Benidorm. But what happened here this week was horrific.”
Continue reading...Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council says services are ‘completely overstretched’ as visitors defy advice to stay away
A major incident was declared after tens of thousands of people defied pleas to stay away and descended in their droves on beaches in Bournemouth and other stretches of the Dorset coast.
The local authority, BCP council – covering Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole – said it was forced to instigate a multi-agency emergency response to tackle issues ranging from overcrowding on the beaches, traffic gridlock and violence. Security guards had to be used to protect refuse collection teams.
Continue reading...