We, the undersigned, request that BCP Council (Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole) reviews by full Council debate, the decision to close Whitecliff Road Gate, into and out of Poole Park, on the grounds of the following reasons:

·         The DOTs Survey was not representative of all disabilities, and was conducted with just 6 people, 4 of whom were from the same family and 3 with the same disability.  The BCP Officer who instigated the closure of the gate, was with the participants when the survey took place, briefing them at the start of the Survey.

·         The elderly and less able minorities identified in the survey were not adequately considered.

·         It was only made clear, after the results of the Consultation was published, that the views of those who live nearby would be given more consideration than other residents living in Poole and other parts of the BCP area.   Focussed Councillor canvassing was conducted on direct neighbours only.  This Park is enjoyed by many people, not just those in the BCP area and the decision should not be biased towards neighbouring properties and personal requests.  We believe that all residents in BCP should have an equal voice in BCP Consultations.

·         Since the closure, BCP Council Staff have been shown to have given out erroneous information on Social Media, regarding the results of the consultation, which, if given to Councillors before the decision, may have persuaded them to vote to close the gate.

·         In the Scrutiny and Overview Meeting regarding the gate closure, the conclusion was that the decision should go to full council, but this appeared to have been ignored and was not mentioned at the Cabinet meeting when the decision was made.

When reviewing the closure, we also ask Councillors to consider if relevant safety and other data exist in the full report and not to be led by summary wording.

Poole Park is a park for everyone to enjoy.  The closure of the Gate (not the park) has had an impact on many individuals, as well as businesses within the park, and needs to be reversed with reopening IMMEDIATELY