The Labour MP for Basildon, Angela Smith, asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, John Prescott, when he would announce his decision on the Local Government Commission's recommendations for the reorganisation of the district of Basildon. In reply a Ms Hilary Armstrong stated that :-
"I am today announcing that we have decided not to accept the outstanding recommendations on the reorganisation of the district of Basildon which the Local Government Commission have made. I do not believe that the recommendations offer a satisfactory way forward for Basildon in terms of efficient and convenient local government. We have also decided not to direct a further review by the Commission. This decision should end a period of uncertainty and enable the authorities to plan more confidently for the future".
I really cannot get my mind round this decision. After two Local Government Commissions reached the conclusion that Billericay should leave Basildon and join Brentwood, a move which had the support of a substantial proportion of the people of Billericay, the government of the day decides to ignore the recommendations. A bland statement that "I do not believe that the recommendations offer a satisfactory way forward for Basildon in terms of efficient and convenient local government" is not an acceptable explanation, why employ a panel of experts to carry out an investigation, at great cost to the public, if a lay person lacking expertise can ignore its advice - what else should we know?
However there is nothing that can be done to change the situation now we will just have to make the best of it. It is not a disaster by any means, Basildon Council does provide good services, but with only 9 Councillors representing Billericay in the Council Chamber, from a total of 42 Councillors, how will it be possible to make sure that not only is the voice of Billericay heard but steps are taken to heed it. The Town Council represents a focal point where ideas and suggestions can be collected and passed to the District Council but in most instances it is only a consultee and cannot enforce its wishes, nevertheless it is slowly being accepted.
The Government in a recently issued White Paper entitled "A New Deal For Transport - Better For Everyone" is of the opinion that "Parish Councils in England both through their local knowledge and commitment and through their new powers to fund transport projects through a precept on council tax, could be valuable partners in improving local accessibility in rural areas. We would like to see them take an increasing role in community transport - using their power to survey transport needs and to fund community bus services, car sharing schemes and concessionary fares for taxis".
The Government's new Rural Transport Partnership which would run alongside the Rural Transport Development Fund in England would enable Parish Councils and voluntary groups to work in partnership with local authorities. The new initiative will receive funds of £4,200,000 a year. The emphasis here is on working closely with local authorities and one would hope that Basildon Council would also provide money to help the Town Council with some of the schemes, the residents of the town cannot be expected to pay for them all through the town precept.
The Crunch will be visiting the following locations between the hours of 9.00am and 12.00 noon :-
|
Little Burstead Car Park |
17 October |
28 November |
|
Radford Crescent Car Park |
19 September |
31 October |
Basildon District Council is to resurface Western Road between the mini roundabout at Summerdale and the traffic lights at its junction with the High Street. The work has been scheduled for the early part of 1999 and will include the High Street junction and part of Norsey Road. Because this is a particularly busy junction most of the works will have to be done on Sundays or at night and will result in long diversion routes and inconvenience. Residents are asked to exercise patience and understanding until the work is complete.
Work on the new roundabout at the junction of the A129 Southend Road, Sun Street and Chapel Street was due to have begun in June and was to have been completed by October 1998. Work has already commenced and many of the utilities under the road have been moved but things seem to have come to a halt. However I am assured by the Council that all is well, work is on schedule and should be completed by the end of October.
This application seeks permission to extend the existing car park and although it does not say how many additional car parking spaces will result but an educated guess would suggest about forty. The bicycle sheds will be moved nearer to the Southend platform and the Town Council Planning Committee has asked that provision is made for the same number of stands as exists at present.
This application calls for the demolition of the existing chalet bungalow and redevelopment of the plot for five single bedroom starter units. I have not yet seen the plans but the idea of demolishing one building and replacing it with another containing five starter units seems a bit over the top. It has been said that there are insufficient houses being built at the cheaper end of the market for the young and the elderly and in considering planning applications the Town Council Planning Committee has suggested that new developments should contain a mixture of housing but infill is not a suitable alternative.
It is intended that this building which at present is a jewellers shop should be used as a private hire car office. This is an inappropriate place for this office to be situated for there is no place for the taxis to park whilst waiting for custom, unless of course they wait in the car park owned by Basildon Council next door, not a satisfactory solution.
The Trust held a meeting in Basildon Centre on Thursday 23 July
attended by the Trust Chairman, Mr David Hooper, and Consultant
Surgeon, Mr Ian Lineham, who gave an illustrated presentation on
Cancer Services in South Essex.
Further meetings of the Trust Board are planned for :-
|
Tuesday 29 September at 1.00pm |
Mayne Course Restaurant, Function Suite, Basildon Hospital |
|
Tuesday 29 September at 7.00pm - AGM |
The Robert Brown Postgraduate Centre, Basildon Hospital |
|
Wednesday 25 November at 1.00pm |
Thurrock Civic Offices, New Road, Grays |
FRIDAY 16 OCTOBER - at 7.45pm AN ITALIAN GOURMET EVENING at the CANON ROCHE SOCIAL HALL, LAINDON ROAD, BILLERICAY. Tickets £7.00 each to be booked in advance from Liz on 01277 632012 and will include a cookery demonstration and a meal. Please bring your own drinks and a glass.
MID ESSEX POSTCARD CLUB - ANNUAL POSTCARD FAIR - SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER - 10.30am to 4.30pm. MAYFLOWER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, STOCK ROAD, BILLERICAY. Admission free. Refreshments available. Ample free parking. Additional information ring 01245 362872.
SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER - 7.45pm. EMMANUEL CHURCH - CONCERT by BILLERICAY and INGATESTONE CHORAL SOCIETIES (over 100 singers). Coronation Mass in C (Mozart), Vivaldi's Magnificat and In Terra Pax (Finzi). Conductor David Taylor. Programmes £5.50 ( £4.00 concessionary) Additional information and tickets ring 01277 622291.
BILLERICAY CHESS CLUB invites residents of the town to join them every Wednesday evening in The Fold, 72 Laindon Road, Billericay. The new season commences on Wednesday 16 September 1998 and all people, novices and experienced players alike, will be welcome. Ring 01277 656262 for more information.
ABACUS GARDEN DESIGN - A new design service which will provide advice, by an RHS trained gardener, on how to get the best results from your garden and suggest where each plant should ideally be placed to ensure satisfactory results. Additionally scale drawings of your proposed garden layouts can be provided. Contact Terry on 01268 540965.
Do you have your office at home and need fast, professional word processing services? Alternatively you may need a letter typed, a thesis or a CV produced. I may well be able to help. I use Microsoft packages and have many years experience working for senior mangement in the city. My name is Jackie Read and I can be contacted on 01277 626663 or e-mail:- datahoma@aol.com
Are you aged between 11 and 18? Do you live in the Billericay Town Council Parish ? Do you want your voice heard? Then make sure you get a vote to elect the new Billericay Youth Town Council? Following a proposal from the Town Council the three Billericay secondary schools will be holding elections for the new council in October this year. All those attending the schools will automatically be registered to vote and/or stand for election. There will be additional spaces available to those of you who live in the town but do not attend one of the schools. It is the intention of the Town Council that these spaces will be filled by means of a postal vote. Make sure you are registered to vote and, if you so wish, you can then be nominated to stand for election as a councillor. Contact the Town Clerk on 01277 625732 for details. Make sure you help to plan for the future of your generation in Billericay by becoming a YTC voter and possibly a Councillor.
NATIONAL BACK PAIN ASSOCIATION (HAVERING BRANCH) presents "A BACK AWARENESS DAY EXHIBITION" at HANNAKINS FARM COMMUNITY CENTRE, ROSEBAY AVENUE, BILLERICAY on SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Billericay MP Teresa Gorman will be opening this event at 10.30am. Admission is free.
SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER at 7.30pm - "IT'S A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING" - a concert collection of favourite songs presented by Buttsbury WI Choir. Conductor - Barbara Pountney, Pianist - Christine Eighteen. Tickets £4.50 (Members £3.50)
Two Road reps are required to deliver the newsletter to - 25 houses in Greens Farm Lane and Beverley Rise and 38 houses in The Rising. Contact Jo Evans On 01277 659823.
THE RESIDENT is published by Billericay District Residents'
Association Editor - Trevor Stansfield, 174 Perry Sreet, Billericay,
Essex CM12 0NX. Tel: 623519 E-mail:vice.chairman@bdra.org
Printed by New Realm Design, Fortune Works, Wash Road, Laindon,
Basildon, Essex
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