The Council were pushing ahead in an attempt to obtain a compulsory extension to Footpath 5, but any further information was held sub-judice.

It looked at last as if the shop holders would be undertaking the maintenance of the walls and coping stones round the flower beds on the East side of the Broadway.

One of our Wardens had suggested that we distribute the next Newsletter to all homes in Broadstone, with an invitation to all non-members to join the Association. The Committee discussed this and decided to agree, provided the cost of the extra 2000 copies was not prohibitive.

The Committee also discussed the recent move by Poole Council to centralize the assignment and spending of Section 106 monies. Money would still be spent generally on the Ward where the development had taken place, and Wards were encouraged to put in proposals for improvements to play areas and open spaces. However timing on implementation, and priorities between Wards would now be controlled by a central panel.

There was some discussion about a 'No right turn' regulation out of Arrowsmith Road into Gravel Hill. Most people felt it a good idea, but it had been refused at the Local Area Committee meeting, mainly due to objections from Transportation Department.

The big question in Education was the move by Poole to rationalise the ages at which pupils transferred from a lower school to a higher school. At present they had a mix of two tier and three tier hierarchies, even with some differences in age. There were outside problems too, as Corfe Hills School took pupils from E. Dorset, who had their own system. Overall the changes were expected to take ten years and involve merging of some schools and rebuilding/extending others. A falling birth rate was also a contributing factor. Broadstone preferred a three tier approach, but the feeling overall was that Poole would go for a two level system.

Broadstone Schools had supported a move to allow free parking in the Council car parks up to 9.00am. This would mean that parents driving children to school, could park off the roads and walk the last few yards.

The first draft of the Council Budget, and the expected level of Council Tax had been published, but as usual it depended on the size of the Government Grant (due late Dec.) and the Police and Rescue Services Precepts which would not be known until mid January. Looks to be the same gloomy story as in previous years.

For Broadstone.net
dudley.hull

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