Local Council, Local Residents?
There are still some members of the Residents’ Association who remember the 1970s when nine of the Basildon District councillors were nominated by, and elected as, representatives of the BDRA. They held the balance of power on Basildon Council. In those days Billericay didn’t have a Town Council, Great Burstead and South Green did not have a Village Council, and Little Burstead did not have a Parish Council. Since 1997 the Billericay District, as defined in the BDRA constitution, includes the areas of these three councils, because they are coterminous with the boundaries of the Billericay East, Billericay West and Burstead wards of the Borough of Basildon.At the Association’s Annual General Meeting in May there was a majority of the members present who supported a proposal that the BDRA should field candidates in the local elections in 2012. It is one thing to pass a resolution, a totally different thing to put this into effect. However, with the mandate from the AGM ringing in their ears, your Executive Committee, at their meeting in July, gave this matter considerable attention. The Association is not a political party, indeed the constitution prevents any officer of the BDRA from being a member of a political party. Because Basildon Council is now run completely on political party lines, and because Basildon Council elections take place 3 years in every 4 and only 3 Billericay candidates (one per ward) are elected each year, the Committee decided that the Association will not attempt to contest seats on the Borough Council.
However, party politics really do not have a place in the Town, Village and Parish Council scene. These councils should be composed of local people whose only motive is to improve facilities for themselves and their neighbours. However it can be difficult as an individual to find a way to offer yourself up to serve on a local council, to let people know who you are, and why you want to part of a coherent solution, not just someone who points out problems. Because of the decision of our Annual General Meeting, the Residents’ Association can now invite any of our members, or indeed invite people to join the Association, to come forward and be nominated as a Residents’ Association candidate at either
If you would like to participate in this way, please contact Maureen Dann, the Executive Secretary, and she will advise on the next steps. Contact her on 01277-626147, e-mail maureen.dann@btinternet.com, or write to 10 Cranmer Close,
Copy Dates for "Resident"
If readers wish to advertise an event or have an article printed in the newsletter the following gives dates by which copy should be received by the editor – Trevor Stansfield, 174 Perry Street CM12 0NX or e-mail Tremar@aol.com:
February issue copy by 15 January, March issue by 15 February, April issue by 15 March, May issue copy by 15 April, June issue by 15 May, July/August issue by 15 June, September issue by 15 August, October issue by 15 September, November issue by 15 October. December/January issue by 15 November, February issue by 15 January.
If an event is to be held before the 10th of the month then, to ensure circulation, the advertisement should be included in the previous month’s issue e.g. an event taking place on 3 May should be advertised in the April issue. Similarly if an event is scheduled for 3 September then the advertisement should appear in the July issue.