Eric Pickles has been to Boscombe where he says that he remembered it as “being a dreadful place”.
Now he says he is “impressed” and compares the seaside there  to the revival of the canal in Birmingham. All these thoughts come after  a brisk walk along Boscombe Pier.  The Daily Echo has a report.
The minister was in Boscombe after dropping in on the Local Government Conference at the BIC in Bournemouth.
Walkers on the West Cliff have seen some familiar BBC faces and council leaders. All the Labour leadership contenders were there on Wednesday. Michael Gove addressed a very empty hall this afternoon. The weather outside was wonderful.
See pages 31 and 42.
