This year I will not make my usual attempts to coerce people into joining a committee and helping to find solutions to many of the problems facing both the Association and the town, not even to try to re-establish the Burstead committee which has ceased to exist through lack of support. Instead I will advise members of the Association that the Annual General Meeting of the Billericay District Residents’ Association will be held at 8.00pm on Friday 16 May 1997 in the Canon Roche Hall, Laindon Road, Billericay. The guest speaker will be Ric Morgan of BBC Essex, presenter of Ric’s at Six on Saturday evenings and the Sunday Paper review. Light refreshments will be served after the meeting. All nominations, resolutions etc for the AGM must be lodged with the Vice-Chairman Mr T Stansfield, 174 Perry Street, Billericay, CM12 0NX not less than fourteen days before the date of the AGM given above.
A mature, responsible person is required to fill the position of Secretary to the Executive Committee. This committee is responsible for setting the policies of the Association and it is expected that the Executive Secretary will make a significant contribution to the decision making process. Whilst the committee meets once a month for about two hours there will be the usual administrative duties to perform between meetings. Interested people should contact the Vice-Chairman Mr T Stansfield, 174 Perry Street, Billericay, CM12 0NX. Tel. No. 01277 623519.
Just thought I would remind you that with effect from 1 April 1997 the cost of using the car parks in Billericay will increase as shown below:
Existing Charges New Charges
Hours Paid For Charge (£) Hours Paid For Charge (£)
Up to1/2 0.10 Up to 1 0.30
Up to 1 0.20 Up to 2 0.50
Up to 2 0.40 Up to 3 0.80
Up to 3 0.60 Up to 4 2.00
Up to 4 2.00 Up to 5 3.00
Up to 5 3.00 Over 5 5.00
Over 5 5.00
Season Tickets will be increased from £75 to £80 per half year, including VAT, for Bascard holders and from £90 to £95 , plus VAT, for other users.
It is only about two months to the Town Council elections, an event the results of which promise to have a significant effect on the residents of the town in future years, and yet how many people really have any idea just how they will be affected? At the moment there is remarkably little information in the public domain about Town Councils and the attempt by the Area Committee to encourage debate on the subject was rendered somewhat ineffectual by the lack of public support for the meeting and the reluctance of the guest speakers to enter into an informed, in-depth discussion on the responsibilities of the Town Councils. I resolved to find out more and attended the meetings of several Parish Councils in the Brentwood area to find out how they were funded and what services they provided for their respective Parishes.
Perhaps it is best to start with a comparison of the population of the Brentwood Parishes, which varies from 464 for Navestock to 3940 for Ingatestone and Fryerning, with that of the Billericay Town 21054, a considerable difference which obviously will be reflected in the amount of money that can be raised by the Parish Council precept. Brentwood Council provide “discretionary assistance” to the Parish Councils which is intended broadly to cover the expenditure incurred by the Parish on services which both the Parish and the Borough council have statutory powers to provide thus avoiding the argument that Parish local tax payers could be paying twice for such services. This “assistance” is derived by allowing £11 for each adult in excess of 500 of the electorate plus a lump sum of £13500 as shown below:
Parish Population Lump Sum £11/adult Total
Blackmore 2562 £13500 £22682 £36182
Doddinghurst 2196 £13500 £18656 £32156
Ingatestone 3940 £13500 £37840 £51340
Kelvedon Hatch 2163 £13500 £18293 £31793
Mountnessing 924 £13500 £ 4664 £18164
Navestock 464 £13500 --------- £13500
Stondon Massey 560 £13500 £ 660 £14160
Additionally each Parish raises money through its own Council precept which ranges from £0.90 per year for Navestock to £9.00 per year for Ingatestone and is paid by the residents in addition to the Community Charge. If Basildon were to provide “discretionary assistance” according to this formula Billericay Town Council would receive £239594.
It is impossible within the confines of this newsletter to describe in detail the services provided by the Brentwood Parish Councils there are however similarities in that they all have sub-committees to deal with specific areas such as Planning, Policy & Resources, Finance and Recreation. I think the work of the Planning and Finance Committees is obvious and virtually the same in all Parishes but the work of the other committees mentioned varies between Parishes. A glimpse of the agendas for the Parish meetings shows for example one Council providing swings for the children’s playground, erecting signs bearing details of the Dog Bye Laws and taking measures to deter the misuse of the Village Hall Car Park. Another Council was investigating the possibility of installing a street light at the entrance to the Village Hall, effecting repairs to a sun dial, pursuing safety improvements at a busy road junction and arranging for trees to be pruned. Under the heading of Sports and Leisure comes the provision of trees at a Sports Ground, provision of floodlighting at an All Purpose Court, discussions about the lease for the Tennis Club, work at the Village Hall, tree lopping, provision of a memorial plaque, spring maintenance of Cricket Square, care of the Football Ground, grass cutting, repairs to a wire fence and so on. There are more but I think these examples are sufficient to give an idea of the kind of services one can expect from a Parish Council. So what services can be provided by a Billericay Town Council? It all depends on the people who are elected to serve as councillors but they will be very much affected by whether or not “discretionary assistance” will be provided by Basildon District Council. It would seem to me ridiculous if the Town Council were to, say, cut the grass, when the District Council performs this task already; unless, of course, they were to give the Town Council the money to pay for it. The Chief Executive of Basildon Council said at the meeting mentioned above that after the first year of its existence Billericay Town Council “would be on its own” which to me implies no financial help. Possibly, because of its size and maybe lack of discretional assistance, Billericay would have to consider services which are not currently provided but how much would residents of the town be willing to pay, in addition to the Community Charge, to finance for example a mini-bus for the use of organisations in the town or to refurbish the Old Town Hall?
A meeting will be held, sponsored by Charter 88, in the Canon Roche Hall, Laindon Road, Billericay on 22 April 1997 at 8.00pm at which you will be able to question candidates for the General Election to be held 1 May 1997. It is anticipated that people representing all the major political parties will attend to describe the policies of their respective parties in order that electors can make a rational decision when deciding for whom to vote.
Charter 88 is the independent campaign for a modern and fair democracy whose stated aim is to reform our system of government. Their goals are:
political institutions that are just, open and accountable
Queens Park Community Church has moved to Hannakins Farm Community Centre, Rosebay Avenue, Billericay and invite you to join them for SUNDAY SERVICE from 11.30am to 12.15pm followed by refreshments and time to chat. Something for everyone. All are welcome. For further information contact - Rev. Celia McDonald 630536 or Christine Gibson 625176.
Editor - Trevor Stansfield, 174 Perry Sreet, Billericay, Essex CM12 0NX. Tel: 623519 E-mail:tremar@aol.com
Printed by New Realm Design, Fortune Works, Wash Road, Laindon, Basildon, Essex
Return
to BDRA Home page