Agenda item

To consider a report of the Head of Community and Public Protection.

The committee received and considered a report of the Head of Community and Public Protection, which set out the plans for Summer 2022 operations in Dorset, being put in place to assist the Council and its partners to manage the implications of expected high visitor numbers.  The Head of Community and Public Protection provided an overview of the key issues in the report and made reference to feedback from a survey of partners that had been undertaken.

 

The Chairman welcomed Jane Biscombe, Town Clerk for Weymouth Town Council, who provided her views of the experiences in Weymouth during Summer 2021.  Councillors thanked the Town Clerk for attending and providing information.

 

The committee considered the issues arising from the report and discussion was held in the following areas:

 

·            Learning points from the experiences from Summer 2021 and the recent May bank holiday weekend, including the need to take a broader approach and taking into account activities in both coastal and rural areas, providing information and key contact points to town and parish councils including linking through the Dorset Association for Parish and Town Councils (DAPTC), focusing resources in priority areas and effective communication processes

·            Recognition of the positive benefits to the Council and its partners, working together to manage resources, to deal with issues.  Work was also being undertaken with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP)

·            The implications of cost of living issues would need to be monitored at regular Operations Group meetings

·            Planning issues around camping provision were considered and particular reference made to the Chesil beach area

·            Consideration of ways to achieve a balance between the focus on coastal and rural areas/market towns and promotion of all that Dorset had to offer and the competing demands linked to tourism

·            Funding associated with Summer demand services was primarily focused on Weymouth and other towns although some resources could be moved as required in response to the associated risk assessment

·            Highways issues in respect of the Dorset Steam Fair and Weymouth Park and Ride were considered

·            Further work by officers and partners to build on lessons learnt would be undertaken following Summer 2022 and a blueprint for future operations established

·            Funding issues should be considered by the committee during the forthcoming year’s budget process

·            The situation with resilience planning by town and parish councils was raised.

 

The following action points were requested in respect of the report:

 

·            Investigation of potential planning issues associated with securing permission for campsites

·            To check the provisions concerning licensing on short term camping – the additional provisions made during the Covid19 pandemic and the ongoing situation

·            Further information requested with regard to current works in the Ringwood area (bridge replacement) and the coordination of traffic management with National Highways and BCP (or other neighbouring highways authorities) in such situations

·            To check the arrangements in respect of traffic management relating to the Dorset Steam Fair and specifically, provision made for other traffic to pass slow moving steam vehicles on the highway

·            Weymouth Park and Ride – did this require a dedicated bus service or could the existing service bus provision meet the need?

·            A list of retailers within the council area that had banned the sale of disposable barbeques to be made available to councillors

·            To check the situation with regard to resilience planning by town and parish councils including liaison through the DAPTC

·            To ensure that there are out of hours contacts available to all town clerks

·            A list of major events in the Dorset Council area with risk rating to be reviewed and made available to all councillors.

 

The following further activities to be undertaken by the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee:

 

·            Funding issues for summer operations work – committee to consider as part of next year’s budget setting process

·            Further report to be considered by the committee to review Summer 2022 operations and learning points – suggested for January 2023

·            The committee to scope a wider review of the Council’s support to tourism.

 

It was proposed by M Roberts seconded by J Andrews that the recommendations as set out below together with the action points set out above be agreed.

 

Decision

 

That the Place & Resources Scrutiny Committee:

 

(i)             note the progress made on actions contained in the Improvement Action Plan which was produced as a result of experience of summer 2021.

 

(ii)            has reviewed the proposals for managing high visitor numbers to Dorset during summer 2022.

 

(iii)          support the proposals as outlined.

(iv)          That the requested actions set out above and further activities identified to be undertaken by the committee as set out above, be supported.