Claims that Bournemouth surf reef could be dismantled were yesterday ruled out by Bournemouth council’s executive director Tony Williams.

Following a meeting at the Town Hall to discuss ASR’s new proposals to rectify the reef’s faults, Mr Williams announced that a group had been formed to develop a technical solution to the reef’s performance.

He stressed that this would involve working with proposals by New Zealand-based contractor ASR to enhance its performance.

Leisure services director Roger Brown said panel members had also ruled out deconstruction, agreeing instead to focus their efforts on seeking “a solution that will deliver a more surfable wave”.

Earlier this year the council released results of the reef’s first monitoring exercise which showed that the controversial project was failing to meet four out of its 11 objectives.

The council is withholding a £150,000 performance-based payment to ASR until the reef is rectified with work expected to get under way next April or May.

Panel members Cllrs Basil Ratcliffe, Roger West, Ben Grower and Michael Everingham will liaise with the Boscombe Spa Village project board as well as surfing and business representatives before making their recommendations this autumn.

If you picked up the Bournemouth Echo today, you may have already read about plans to twin Boscombe with Santa Monica in the USA.

Boscombe Area Forum is writing to civic chiefs in the Californian resort to suggest twinning the two communities. This has received backing from local councillors who claim that Santa Monica’s regeneration has much in common with Boscombe’s regeneration and developments like the Boscombe Spa Village Project.

Area Forum business portfolio holder Peter Castle says:

I have been to Santa Monica and it has become a mini Silicon Valley. Like Boscombe, it is very cosmopolitan and has got a lot of artists. Boscombe has the new surf reef and a lot of opportunities for investment.

Read the full story here or click below to have your say.

Work continues on Boscombe Pier as part of the Boscombe Spa Village scheme.

It includes the restoration and refurbishment of the recently listed Pier entrance building, the strengthening and decking of the pier neck, the removal of the Mermaid Hall and the addition of a shorter new T shaped pier end.

Click on the photos below to see how work is progressing!