Published on Friday 15 July 2022
BCP Council is ready to respond to extreme heat conditions and will be working closely with partners to welcome visitors and keep everyone safe throughout the coming days.
Weather warnings have now been issued, including red warning for extreme heat on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July for some parts of the UK.
Councillor Drew, Mellor Leader of BCP Council said:
"We are one of the most popular resort destinations on the south coast, with award-winning beaches, inviting town centres and family attractions that bring people from all over the country and abroad to our area during the summer.
"With weather warnings in place and our resort hotels reporting high booking rates in excess of 95%, we know it’s going to busy over the next few days and have a detailed seasonal response plan in place to help us manage an expected high number of visitors.
"Teams from across the council, as well as partner organisations, are ready to welcome people now and throughout the summer months. I ask you to take care in the hot weather, drink plenty of water, look out for vulnerable friends or family, be sensible, stay safe and enjoy all that our area has to offer."
Ahead of the expected influx of visitors, the multi-agency command control centre (MACC) will be in operation and responding in any resort management issues that may arise.
Additional measures for the BCP region include:
- Enhanced traffic management at key locations and car parks, including Sandbanks with tow away zones in operation to help deal with illegal parking.
- A Park and Ride service will be available from Kings Park to Boscombe Pier.
- Triple-sized bins along the seafront to deal with waste, with more daily collections stood up.
- BCP’s BeachCheck app will provide real time data on car parks so people can check how busy the beaches and car parks are before they arrive.
- Extra security patrols and additional CSAS officers deployed on the ground to provide a uniformed presence and deal with anti-social behaviour.
- A 24-hour beach patrol operation will be in place to deal with incidents of overnight camping and bonfires.
- As part BCP Council’s campaign with City to Sea, 150 plus free drinking water sites will be open along the seafront. This extra water provision will be invaluable in helping keep people cool at the beach, as well as tackle plastic pollution. The sites include 18 seafront kiosks, over 130 beachfront taps and 15 new hydration stations.
- With the risk of wildfires increasing, people are also reminded that BBQs are illegal across all heathland areas.
Looking out for some of the most vulnerable people in the community, BCP Council has reviewed the current provision of support for those rough sleeping.
Councillor Karen Rampton, portfolio holder for People and Homes, said:
"We have been closely monitoring the ongoing hot weather situation throughout this week and will continue to do so.
"SWEP has been triggered, with our existing arrangements having been reviewed and measures stepped up.
"Throughout the past week, our outreach team, St Mungo’s, have been implementing these emergency measures with more frequent welfare checks on everyone including provision of water, location of refill stations, sun cream and hats and identifying shady areas as well as offering advice to keeping safe during the hot spell.
"Accommodation offers have been reviewed for everyone and some have already accepted emergency accommodation if particularly vulnerable irrespective of circumstance and eligibility to public funds.
"Accommodation is not necessarily the solution to save lives during the day when temperatures are more severe like when we have very cold weather.
"We have been working in partnership with colleagues in the health sector and it has been agreed with health colleagues to avoid discharging people from hospital onto the streets if vulnerable."
Residents are advised to follow BCP Council’s main social media channels over the weekend for any important updates or advice.
Facebook (@MyBCPCouncil)
Twitter (@BCPCouncil )