Broadstone and Creekmoor wards Consultative Meeting -

Councillors and Poole Borough Council officers were 'all Ears' at a lively consultation evening on Friday, 1st December at Broadstone Community Centre. Cllr Annette Brooke chaired a packed meeting and questions from the floor kept flowing for several hours. Topics covered included: primary education, management of behaviour at schools, the excellent GCSE results in Poole Schools this year, apprenticeships and training, Government funding for Poole, homelessness - particularly amongst the young, recycling, street cleaning, care in the community, public transport, information about the Council Services - there were requests for more information via websites.

There was great surprise that currently there are just 17 asylum seekers in Poole at present. The evening was intended to cover the Council's Best Value Performance Plan and residents were invited to comment on their priorities for Council spending next year. However, as there was so much discussion on so many issues, at 10pm it was suggested that participants should take a copy of the plan home, share it with neighbours and send their comments to the Council!

This sparky evening was a good start to the operation of Area Committees. The Broadstone and Creekmoor Committee will have its first meeting in the community in January. The evening will start with an hour of discussion, and questions within an Area Forum. The Area Forum may be attended by representatives of local organisations and any interested local residents. The Area Forum will be followed by local decision making on a published agenda. There will be an opportunity for members of the public to comment on any items on the agenda in that first hour of public debate.

-- Dudley Hull

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