The Bournemouth One News Centre

All the news you need for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with travel information and national headlines.

• Dorset Council unveils SEND reform plan

  Dorset Council has proposed a three-year plan to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. The Local Area SEND Reform Plan aims to provide earlier intervention, strengthen mainstream inclusion, and expand local specialist services, moving away from a reactive and costly system. If approved, the plan could see most of the council’s High Needs Block deficit written off, allowing for more sustainable support. The council expects fewer children will need out-of-area placements as local provision grows, with a decision from the Department for Education due in September.

• New domestic abuse strategy launched

  BCP Council has approved a new five-year strategy to address domestic abuse, focusing on prevention, survivor support, and action against perpetrators. The plan includes early intervention, professional training, and education for children, as well as improved support services for survivors. Housing provision will be expanded to support a wider range of victims, including male victims and larger families, with new refuge units and dispersed properties. The strategy, backed by annual funding of up to one and a half million pounds, was unanimously approved by the Cabinet.

• Residents urged to count BCP butterflies

  Residents across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are being encouraged to join this summer’s butterfly count. The survey runs until Sunday the ninth of August and asks people to spend fifteen minutes recording common butterflies and day-flying moths in gardens, parks and local wildlife sites. Suggested places include Canford Heath, Stour Valley Water Meadows, Corfe Hills North and Bourne Valley, with Peacock and Painted Lady butterflies also found across Bournemouth’s open and coastal spaces. The results will help scientists track where species are doing well or declining, following habitat loss, pollution and climate change, as well as this year’s dry spring and hot summer. Sightings can be submitted through the free Big Butterfly Count app or its website.

• Two major film events reach Palace Court

  Two public film events are coming to Bournemouth’s Palace Court Theatre on consecutive evenings next week. The People’s Emergency Briefing will be screened twice on Wednesday the twenty-ninth of July, featuring scientists discussing climate change, its effects on the UK and possible collective action. Community discussions will follow both screenings, with local MPs, councillors and civic leaders invited to attend and Arts University Bournemouth Vice-Chancellor Lisa Mann joining the panel. The theatre will then host the Bournemouth International Film Festival launch on Thursday the thirtieth of July, including a screening of Ken Loach’s film Kes and a panel discussion. The events will bring environmental debate and local filmmaking together at the town-centre theatre.

• Barley Mow reveals major refurbishment

  The Barley Mow Inn near Wimborne has completed a major refurbishment inside and outside. The work includes a larger bar, a more spacious entrance, a brighter open-plan interior, a renewed thatched roof and a covered garden terrace for dining throughout the year. Business partners Shannon Brown and Tim Allen say the outdoor space will host themed events, while a new head chef and assistant chef have updated the food offer. Weekly homemade specials have been introduced alongside more vegan and gluten-free choices, and the couple are also considering opening a campsite on five acres of neighbouring land. They say the changes will help develop the pub and attract more visitors to the Wimborne area.