£2.4m in extra funding to manage an influx in visitors this summer

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are preparing for a surge in visitors this summer as restrictions are lifted.

BCP Council has approved £2.4 million in extra funding to manage the expected influx in holidaymakers,

Agreed by its chief executive under emergency coronavirus powers, the money will be partly used to hire dozens of extra staff and to set up a park and ride facility.

A report says the increased spending follows “extensive planning” but that it needed to be brought in “urgently” before a predicted surge in visitors starting from Easter.

Earlier this year, a budget of just over £1 million was agreed for the council’s “resort management” work.

But with the council having established its own calendar of events and the government having announced the phased ending of the national lockdown it was felt this needed to be increased.

Last week, the council’s chief executive, Graham Farrant, signed off a £2.4 million increase to the budget through emergency Covid-19 powers.

“Extensive planning has taken place in order to inform these proposals and we must now move urgently to implementation,” A decision report says.

It adds that the “huge influx” of visitors to the area last summer, and the subsequent calling of a major incident, had prompted this work.

Similar, “exceptional” numbers are expected this year with more people holidaying domestically.

The money will be used to fund measures aimed at tackling the issues experienced last year.

It includes more than half a million pounds to increase its capacity to deal with litter. The council is also working in partnership with McDonald’s on a campaign which will include the use of drones to monitor bins.

These will also be used to monitor the seafront on busier days and when staffing levels are lower than normal.

A further £500,000 has been allocated to fund projects to manage traffic across the conurbation, including £112,000 to set up a 350-vehicle park and ride service.

Extra Covid marshals will also be employed to monitor train stations following crowded scenes seen last summer.

The remainder is allocated for measures to tackle anti-social behaviour, management of public toilets and the year-round clearing of sand from the Prom.

Speaking last month, councillor Mohan Iyengar, the council’s cabinet member for tourism, said lessons had been learned from last year.

“Fighting coronavirus and keeping our residents safe is a priority for us and this will be the driving factor behind any decisions we take,” he said. ”As the situation improves and government guidance changes, we hope to be able to welcome visitors back to our towns.”

Councillors, including Cllr Iyengar, and council officers have been meeting to consider ways to facilitate this, prompting the request for extra funding.