BCP Council won't deep clean Bournemouth town centre

BCP Council’s leader said specialist companies were approached who quoted up to £90,000 and that she “cannot justify” paying that amount for a one-off deep clean. 

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There were hopes by many residents a deep clean would happen in the town centre after it became obvious that there were problems with general cleanliness, graffiti and weeds. 

Two months ago, the council hosted a town centre summit where afterwards Cllr Slade said she was “passionate” about the town centre’s future and that “we’re now taking action”. 

However, the deep clean will not be going ahead. 

Cllr Slade said in a statement: “In December last year, we sought quotes to undertake a robust deep clean of Bournemouth town centre. 

“This was for specialist jet washing equipment and operatives to deliver an intense cleanse of pavements and street furniture, including bins and benches.  

“Specialist companies were approached, and we were quoted up to £90,000 for these works.

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“Currently, we simply aren’t able to fund these works given the council’s financial challenges, and we can’t justify the expenditure given it should be repeated in other town centres and will need repeating seasonally to make a lasting difference.” 

Opposition leader Phil Broadhead said Cllr Slade and the council now risk accusations of “all talk with no action”. 

He said: “The leader of the council saying that a one off full clean ‘can’t be justified’ would, I’m sure, be met with raised eyebrows from most members of the public who have visited Bournemouth town centre recently. 

“This was one of the major issues highlighted at the recent town centre summit. To ignore that plea risks the accusations that the summit was all talk, with no action following it up.”

Cllr Broadhead added there are plans for a ‘day of action’ driven by the community, businesses and politicians to give the town centre a tidy up.

“When we ran the council our ‘cleaner, greener, safer’ programme put council spending in this area as priority. If this council won’t do it, then working with the community we will.” 

Cllr Slade added: “I am committed to improving the cleanliness of all of our town centres, including Bournemouth, and have personally been out to spend time with the teams on the front line to see exactly what they have to deal with.  

“We are doing all we can, within our financial means, to bring forward improvements at pace and enhanced cleansing works in Bournemouth town centre – including the removal of weeds and graffiti – have been introduced in recent months.” 

She added BCP Council will be delivering days of action with partners starting this week and that the authority is “now taking action to ensure Bournemouth rebuilds its reputation as the leading destination on the south coast”.