Penn Hill Ward Councillor Xena Dion is not only Portfolio Holder for a Prosperous and Sustainable Poole, Culture and Learning and Consumer Protection, but also a passionate upholder of the quality of the local environment.
In response to residents' requests, several sites have recently been maintained and improved to help ensure that do not suffer misuse or damage at the hands of visiting Gypsy or traveller communities. Here is a site by site report:
• Haskells Recreation Ground: Ongoing consultation with local people to develop and improve the whole area.
• Branksome Recreation Ground: The bund was seeded on 24 June.
• Broadstone Recreation Ground: Yellow hatching will be repainted to ensure continuing access for disabled people and pedestrians. The concrete barriers will be removed from Barn Road and Blandford Road entrances and put in stock.
• Sherborn Crescent Play Area: The bund has been completed and seeded. A Verity Crescent gate has been installed and is awaiting pedestrian access remediation. A 3m gate at the skate entrance and a half-gate at the Sherborn Crescent entrance will be installed. When the green space is completed the rock stone and security posts will be put in stock.
• Baiter Recreation Ground: The bunds have been completed and seeded. A half-gate for the skate park entrance is awaited. Rock stones are awaited to close gaps in the perimeter of the Harbourside 2 car park and the existing posts will be put in stock.
• Whitecliff Recreation Ground: The emergency gate and pedestrian access work has been completed. Rock stones are now positioned along Turks Lane. Gate security has been enhanced. A gate installed at the burger van entrance is awaiting pedestrian and disabled remediation. A rock stone is positioned to prevent access from the car park to the pavilion. The yellow hatching will be extended. Once the emergency gate installation is complete, the rock stones and other posts will be removed and put into stock. A half-gate is under consideration for Turks Lane.
Cllr Dion: "Travellers have moved through Poole for many decades and will continue to do so. We can only strengthen our deterrents on our most sensitive sites that residents have worked hard to improve and gain for the sites, say, National Trust status. We could never afford, either financially or visually, to fortify every open space in Poole and we see no need to do so."