David Brown

After many years of hard work and fundraising, Bearwood now has its own dedicated youth facility following the opening of THE BRIDGE YOUTH CENTRE at the back of Bearwood Community Centre. At the opening ceremony on 28th October Cllr David Brown was honoured to be asked to cut the ribbon with Rev. Geoff Boland to unveil this excellent new centre to the assembled crowd.

Annette Brooke MP was on hand to watch this exciting event and commented “I know that many local people have worked for many years to see this day and it is great credit to local residents for their dedication to make this happen.”

Cllr Peter Maiden highlighted the difference across the ward saying “Merley has been fortunate with both Merley Youth Centre and the Pulse Youth Club in Canford Magna for some years, but youth provision has been patchy in Bearwood with the Church youth project filling the gap. Many youngsters have told us that they want more to do in Bearwood and this is the start of what we hope will be many more improvements.”

Cllr David Brown added “I will continue to work with the Council and all of the local groups to ensure that this is just the start of making sure that this generation of young people growing up in Bearwood will no longer be able to say that there isn’t anywhere to go or anything to do around here.”

The excellent work to improve the facilities at Bearwood Community Centre continues apace. Poole Council has agreed to provide some financial support to enable the Community Centre to secure a £25,000 grant from SITA Trust to fund the refurbishment of the toilet and washroom facilities throughout the premises.

Cllr Daphne Long commented “The residents involved in running the Community Centre need to be congratulated on the tremendous refurbishment. I am pleased that the Council have been able to support this final part of the refurbishment programme which will make the centre much more inviting for its visitors.”

There are now many more groups running in the centre as a result of the refurbishment with Pilates, Guides, Slimming World, Weight Watchers, dance classes and University of the Third Age (U3A) all starting this year. Full details are available on the notice board at the centre.

Cllr David Brown has set up a new group on the Facebook social networking website called “We love Bearwood”, to build an online community of local people. David says “In its first few weeks dozens of people have joined this group which I hope will support the community spirit in Bearwood, enable discussion of local issues and help local groups to keep in contact”.

If you are on Facebook please join the group and get involved.

The new Mobile Library Van is starting a new stop at Hull Road. The timetable is now:

11.00-11.45am   Hull Road

12.00-12.45pm   Bearwood Community Centre

2.10 – 3.00pm    Dukes Drive

3.15 – 4.00pm    Barons Road

The next dates are every other Wednesday – 19 December, 2 January, 16 January, 30 January, 13 February, 27 February, 5 March, 19 March, 9 April.

Now that the fortnightly green waste bin collection has stopped for the winter, Bearwood residents will still be able to dispose of their Garden Waste at the collection site at St Barnabas Church on King John Avenue between 1pm and 4pm on these dates:

Saturday 15 December, Saturday 12 January, Saturday 26 January, Saturday 9 February, Saturday 23 February, Saturday 8 March, Saturday 22 March.

Annette Brooke MP and Councillors Peter Maiden, Daphne Long and David Brown have at last made some headway in negotiations with Poole Council and the Bus Companies over the ongoing bus problems in Sopwith Crescent.

Pressure from your Lib Dem representatives and local residents has resulted in some action from the Borough of Poole. The Council are investigating with the Bus Company as to whether one flyer per hour could be re-routed onto a new loop to cover Wimborne, Oakley Hill, Quenn Anne Drive, Merley Lane/Sopwith Crescent, Oakley Straight and Canford Magna, back along Queen Anne Drive and back to Wimborne.

“Hopefully this proposal will be adopted by the Council and Bus Company. We will continue to work towards this solution with Annette Brooke MP,” said Cllr Peter Maiden.

We are also putting pressure on the Council to provide newer buses for the 32 service with a step free entrance, which will be of easier use for those with walking disabilities,” said Cllr Daphne Long.

An appeal for volunteers has been made by Merley First School, who need more volunteers to keep their walk to school programme running.

Annette Brooke MP, Liberal Democrat Childrens Spokesperson, joined the school during the International Walk to School week in October last year, which aims to encourage community safety and reduce congestion and carbon emissions by getting children and parents out of their cars.

40 Countries participated last year and this October, there is an international walk to school month. However Merley First School needs more volunteers if the programme is to keep going in the long run.

“If you are interested in helping with the activity in Merley, please contact Councillor Peter Maiden on 888608,” said Annette.

For more details visit the walk to school website http://www.walktoschool.org.uk/

Councillors Peter Maiden, Daphne Long and David Brown reported in the last Focus about parking problems around Harrier Drive. The area suffers from a lack of available spaces at school pick-up and drop off time. Local residents have complained that their drives are being obstructed and cars are parking in dangerous places when dropping off school children.

Following a petition from residents of Harrier Drive, Annette Brooke MP attended the Council’s Transport Advisory Group in July which discussed these parking problems. Aftre presentations from a resident and from Cllr David Brown, the council has decided to carry out a review of the perking and traffic situation around Merley First School. This has been prioritised for action as soon as possible during 2008/09. In the mean time, local PC Stephen Hawke will be issuing tickets for any dangerous parking in the area.

After a very large petition against the installation of the phone mast in Queen Anne Drive by the local residents, ably co-ordinated by Mrs Harding, it was referred for refusal at planning committee.

Reasons included increased danger to motorists, damage to trees from the mast foundations and the ‘green belt’ designation of the land. It was also apparent that other potential sites had not been thoroughly investigated.

It is felt that this, and more applications, will be submitted in the near future. A meeting would be beneficial for the residents to discuss the issues involved and prepare to respond to these applications.

Local Councillors David Brown, Daphne Long and Peter Maiden are pleased to report the brand new mobile Library bus is now in service and visiting Merley and Bearwood regularly.

In Bearwood, a new stop has been introduced at Bearwood Community Centre from 12pm to 12.45pm. This is followed by Dukes Drive at 2 - 3pm and Barons Road at 3.15 - 4pm. It stops every othe Wednesday.

One especially good feature to the van is the disabled access chair lift, which allows wheelchair users easy access to the van.

“I am particularly pleased that the new van provides access to people with disabilities who also might want to use it,” said Daphne.