SEVERAL services BCP Council has provided over many years could be either scaled back or cut next year. 

A consultation is being held right now by BCP Council asking residents what it thinks to its money saving ideas ahead of the 2024/25 financial year in April.

Comments on the proposals can be made at https://haveyoursay.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/budget.

Some £32 million worth of cutbacks have been proposed by the Three Towns Alliance, as it works to close a £44m budget gap. 

What is being proposed?  

  • A review of the grounds maintenance service, which the council said would save £450,000 each year. This includes reducing the number of times grass is cut, with a “large proportion” of the area going unmown.  
  • Christchurch Household Recycling centre could be closed on Sundays and Mondays from September 2024, which would save £100,000 each year.  Currently, it is open seven days a week but it would be closed on a Sunday because that is the day which costs the council to most to run.  
  • The paddling pools, such as in Redhill park and The Quomps in Christchurch, could be run by partners next year under the proposals – a move which could save £107,000.  
  • To save £524,000, the public protection service which covers licencing, environmental health, ASB investigations, food hygiene and safety, animal welfare and noise complaints could run on a reduced service. This would increase response times and would see neighbour disputes no longer dealt with.  
  • The community safety accreditation scheme, which is council officers patrolling Poole, Christchurch and Boscombe town centres, would be axed under the proposals to save £270,000 yearly.  Bournemouth town centre’s officers would be saved, as there is more of a demand and need for it, Cllr Slade said.  
  • Monitoring the 24/7 CCTV cameras could be cut back, too, and will no longer be watched by staff off peak times. This could save £49,000 yearly.  
  • Meanwhile, library opening times are set to be reduced by an average of 10 hours a week per library, which would save £440,200.  
  • Streetlights in Poole’s quieter, residential areas could be switched off between midnight and 6am, under the proposals to save £68,000 a year.  Bournemouth’s lights are difficult to adjust and would require long term investment, while Christchurch’s lights already go off after midnight on quiet residential roads.  
  • Finally, lollipop ladies could be a thing of the past to save around £12k a year. The authority is looking to install pedestrian crossings in place of lollipop ladies once they retire or leave. The first schools affected could be Oak and Elm academies, St Clements/Bethany, St Luke’s Infant School and Livingstone Infant and Junior schools. 

Why are these being proposed? 

The council currently spends £315.3 million delivering public services to more than 400,000 residents across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole each year.   

But it has warned some essential services, those that are more visible to residents, will have to be cut back in order to fill the £44m budget gap.  

The rising demand on council services combined with an increase in costs to provide services is predicted to add an extra £12.6 million to the cost of running BCP Council over the next financial year. 

Can I stop the council from making these cuts? 

BCP Council has made it clear cuts need to be made, however, it is holding a consultation asking residents for its views or ideas going forward. 

This consultation can be viewed here: https://haveyoursay.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/budget.

The consultation closes on December 20.