LETTERS to the EDITOR
Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or of the BDRA. Information is published in good faith but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience arising from error or omission
There is always someone who has to spoil it for the majority - Terence
Gandy's letter in the July/August Resident.
I was lucky enough to be involved in the festival and know that a tremendous
amount of planning and work went into the weekend.
Mr Gandy fails to tell us that he was the mentioned 'exhibitor' and I
suspect he was put out that he could not have his exhibits where he wanted
them, regardless of whether this fitted into the plans.
The aim of the festival was not to show who's exhibit was the best, nor was
it to set up another coffee outlet, but to bring the people of Billericay
together as a community. At the same time there was the opportunity to
raise funds for St Mary Magdalen Church and St Luke's Hospice. Isn't it
brilliant that these goals were achieved? Janet Lee and Linda Gilbey should
be proud that they helped raised £2700 towards these worthwhile causes. It
is sad that Mr Gandy is so negative and bitter that this was not even
mentioned.
Mrs J Hibberd
8 Everest Rise
Billericay
01277 650276
Dear Trevor
I realise that you have to put a balanced point of view in 'Letters to the Editor' and, unfortunately, you do not have room to print all the letters that you must have had in praise of the wonderful Billericay Festival at Mary Magdalen Church. What a shame for those that had obviously put in so much hard work, in organising and making all the lovely exhibits, that you had to print probably the only derogatory and presumably 'sour grapes' letter you received!
Yours sincerely
Tesni Blee
Dear Trevor
I feel I must write to say
how much I disagreed with the letter you received from Mr Gandy criticising
the St Mary Magdalen Festival. My husband and I, as partially disabled
residents of Billericay, were very grateful for the facility provided for
seating and coffee and much admired the beautiful flower arrangements.
I think the whole effort was well planned and organised and also think the
action of the exhibitor who removed their exhibit was petulant. My husband
fully accepted that he could not make it to the balcony but would not have
deprived the more able members of the public from doing so.
Yours sincerely
Jean Bennett
Dear Editor
Residents have contacted me
concerning micro-chips in green waste “wheelie” bins. Cynics that we are,
prompts us to question the motives and intentions of councils, aware, as we
are, of councils who charge or have been charging residents for the amount
of waste collected, based on micro-chip readings in their waste-bins.
The recent introduction of green waste “wheelie” bins in the West Ward of
Billericay hev raised this issue. In discussion with my collection crew who
confirm that there is a micro-chip under the rim where the lid closes. I
have examined my bin and can confirm that this is the case.
In a subsequent conversation with a very helpful Karen Bomford of the
Recycling dept. she assured me that at present the micro-chip enables the
dept. to locate lost or stolen “wheelie” bins and is not used for any other
purpose including weighing amounts of waste for additional charges. As a
gardener, the practical use of the bin is vastly superior compared to the
sacks costing 14p each, (pink sacks 3p each), the saving to rate payers will
pay for the bins in 5 to 5 years.
Along with local pensioners and residents on fixed or diminishing incomes, I
welcome this information, particularly as the present Government has done
nothing to assist this group in regards to the ever rising cost of Council
Tax based on property values rather than income or the ability to pay. The
much heralded “Lyons Report” looking in to Council Tax, appears to have been
pigeon holed and forgotten and Lyons, himself, is now employed by the B.B.C.
Yes, I am still a cynic.
Cllr Terence Gandy
Billericay West Ward