onlineFOCUS – News and Stuff For Rochford District since 2003

We had Full Council last night, a fairly straightforward half-hour of deciding who does what for the next year.

First of all Cllr Joan Mockford stepped down as chairman of the council. She has commendably  raised over £11000 for her chosen charities during her year. Joan had prepared some cheques -  £8000 to Southend Hospital (towards cancer research), £1500 to the Mushroom Theatre Company, £1500 for the local talking newspaper for the blind, and £770 to Holy Trinity Church.

Secondly, Cllr Barbara Wilkins, who has been vice-chairman, was elected Chairman. There was some interesting moments during her first moments in the Chairman’s Chair, as she is a petite lady and  needs a cushion! However Barbara is a very popular choice as chairman and we very much wish her well for her year in office. Her chosen charities were , she said, ” small local ones where a small amount of money makes a difference.” They are the local Multiple Sclerosis  society, the South Essex Youth Orchestra and the Ryan Tolley Leukaemia Trust Fund.

And then we elected the new-chairman, who normally becomes chairman one year later. This decision lies completely in the control of the Conservative Group, who vote on this in one of their private group meetings beforehand.  Rather unusually , and to their credit, the Conservatives proposed a Liberal Democrat – June Lumley. Naturally we are delighted by this, and see it as deserved recognition of June’s work on the District Council, the Town Council and especially with local voluntary groups. Responding to the nomination, Chris Black said: ‘The words’ grace’ and intelligence’ come to mind. The nomination was made with grace and intelligence, and I’m sure June will show her usual grace and intelligence in her new civic duties”

June Lumley

May 22nd, 2013 | Category: Conservatives, Council Drama, Good Causes, Liberal Democrats | Leave a comment

An astonishing report from Jack Monroe in Southend:

PROTESTERS were forced to sit through tonight’s council meeting half naked after being asked to remove their t-shirts by Council security staff.
Prior to entering the Council chamber, Mark Sharp, Patsy Link and Sheena Walker from protest group SKIPP had been wearing tshirts emblazoned with the slogan ‘SCRAP THE CABINET.’ They alleged that they were asked to remove them by security staff, despite not wearing anything underneath, and subsequently stood through the meeting half dressed, standing at the forefront of the public gallery to face the Cabinet councillors.

March 1st, 2013 | Category: Council Drama, Southend | Leave a comment

In Rochford we are fortunate to have good relations between the different parties.

In Brentwood sometimes things get a bit more complicated.

Here’s a video from a Brentwood meeting this week , which was originally on the official Brentwood Council website but now on Youtube.

1.The Lib Dems want a report at a future meeting on road gritting but their motion on this isn’t accepted by the Conservative chair of the committee, who rules  that the meeting is already over.

2. The Lib Dems insist it is a valid motion and that the meeting is still very much in session . The chairman walks out of the meeting, leaving an empty seat.

3. A Lib Dem, Karen Chilvers, takes over….

February 2nd, 2013 | Category: Council Drama, Essex & East, YouTube and Video | Leave a comment

* NOTE : AMENDED AFTER CLLRS SEAGERS COMMENT BELOW:

Last night the District Council approved the latest stage of the Core Strategy – the specific allocations for housing and other development. This will now go to public consultation, on whether it  is sound and legal….

The Conservatives voted it through (although Cllr Angela Hale from Hullbridge abstained.)

The Lib Dems present  and the Greens all voted against.

Setting out the Lib Dem objections, Chris Black said that

• the council still couldn’t say what improvements were needed to Watery Lane,

• there hadn’t been a traffic impact study on the cumulative effect of the  sites to the west of Rayleigh,

• the new open spaces were small compared with open places like Sweyne Park

• Rayleigh Sports and Social Club were being bullied by the council -  into being  relocated so that houses could be built on their present site.

This accusation of bullying (not of course  by individuals, but the actions of the council as a whole)  angered a few Tories. Councillor Colin Seagers stood up, facing Chris (who sits almost behind him) and spoke to him in a stern voice. Memories differ on what was actually said (it was a highly charged moment)

Whilst Cllr Seagers was speaking there was some gentle booing from the public gallery and one lady could be heard saying  “Bloody hell”.

November 28th, 2012 | Category: Council Drama, District Core Strategy | Comments (52)

Last Sunday we mentioned two meetings coming up – the West Area Forum on Tuesday, and Rawreth Parish Council last night.

They were two very different meetings.

The West Area Forum was really very disappointing from a public point of view. Leaving aside District Councillors, Parish councillors and a couple of councillors’ husbands, there seemed to be only one genuine member of the public there!

This gentleman had come along because of the District Council’s plans to relocate Rayleigh Sports and Social Club. You would have thought that the ruling Conservatives would have warmly welcomed the chap because as the one member of the public who had turned up he had saved them from total embarassment. But instead he was subjected to tough questioning by a senior Tory councillor on who he was and what his connection was with the club. Many people would have been intimidated by this but he stood his ground.

One person present told us later that they thought this was quite disgusting. The meeting was over in less than an hour, the two police officers who had come along barely had a chance to say a word and the two visitors from the health services didn’t get to speak at all.

The council chamber can be a very intimidating place – even some councillors are nervous about speaking. We are not going to have the public getting involved unless things are changed.

Meanwhile Rawreth Parish Council showed how it can be done. About a dozen members of the public came along- and most of them spoke. People get a friendly greeting, feel they are being listened to and get a hot drink and a biscuit at half-time. There were serious questions asked. The two police present (different ones from the previous evening) discussed local policing issues in a very relaxed way, and there was actually some laughter. The chap from Anglian Water, Paul Torvill, had driven down from Peterborough to talk about the sewage works and then stayed to listen. He was even able to help on another matter, by offering to provide some drainage maps to help with problems in Rawreth Lane.

November 8th, 2012 | Category: Council Drama, Local Democracy, Rawreth | Leave a comment

There were two big items at the Development Committee last Thursday.

The first was an application by David Wilson Homes for 176 homes at the “Christmas Tree Farm” site in Hawkwell.

Last year the District Council refused a similar scheme on the grounds of poor design. So David Wilson Homes had a two-pronged response : they would appeal to a government inspector, but also a prepare a new scheme in case they lost their appeal.

In the end the inspector gave them permission for their original scheme. But David Wilson Homes had spent time and money drawing up improved plans with better architecture, and also spent time with local opposition groups. They pledged that they if the District Council gave permission for the new scheme, they would build it instead of the original one.

So really the committee was very likely to approve the improved scheme , and it did. But there was one issue still needing discussion – the open space that would lie in the middle of the site between sections of houses. How would it be maintained?

The ward councillors Christine and John Mason wanted it in public ownership – for example, owned and managed by the District Council. So they asked that the planning approval to be amended slightly to allow the council the option to have the land.

This was totally in line with what the Tory Leader of the Council Terry Cutmore had said at last Full Council when asked a formal question by Chris Black. Cllr Cutmore said:

“he saw no reason for any new public open spaces created to remain with developers,”

However, on Thursday , Cllr Cutmore wasn’t in favour of the District Council even considering having this open space, and the Mason’s attempt was voted down! It makes you wonder if it is worth asking questions at full council, under the present administration. It also makes you wonder about other open spaces in the future….

PS if you want to read the full question and answers on this at Full Council, here they are:

Questions by Members
Pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12.2, questions had been received from Cllr C I Black as follows:-
(a) Of the Leader of the Council:-
“Policy CLT5 of our Core Strategy begins:-

‘New public open space will be required to accompany additional residential development, having regard to local current and projected future need. Standard Charges may be applied to developments as necessary. In particular the Council will seek the incorporation of a significant amount of public open space to accompany new, and be integrated with existing, residential development in the west of Rayleigh…..’
The creation of Sweyne Park was one of the major successes of the District Council in the last 30 years, and the future of the park has been safeguarded by placing it in the ownership of the National Playing Field Association. (Now known as ‘Fields In Trust’)
Does the Council plan to protect new open spaces created under CLT5 in the same way as with Sweyne Park, and transfer the ownership of them as quickly as possible to Fields In Trust, whilst continuing to manage them ourselves?”
_
The Leader, Cllr T G Cutmore, responded as follows:-
“I agree with the general presumption outlined in the question and at this point in time cannot see any reason to change a policy which, as Cllr Black states, has been successfully applied over a number of years. However, there may be other opportunities available at the time to look at other organisational trust arrangements and /or work with the Parishes/Town Council/local residents on such arrangements which guarantee that public open spaces remain as such in perpetuity.”
_
By way of supplementary question Cllr C I Black asked if any discussion had taken place with Fields In Trust in relation to new spaces created under CLT5 to move them away from ownership by developers.
The Leader confirmed that he saw no reason for any new public open spaces created to remain with developers, as indicated in the response to the original question.

September 30th, 2012 | Category: Council Drama, Hawkwell, Open Spaces, Planning Applications | Leave a comment

The minutes of the last full council are available on the District Council website . You can find them here.

Chris Black asked a couple of questions and the answers are below:

There are two main things to come out of these questions. First of all, the District Council is willing to protect new open spaces by passing them onto Fields in Trust (the new name for the National Playing Field Association). But we still need to keep a careful eye on this.
The second point is that a new primary school will be needed on the West Rayleigh / Rawreth border.Again we are going to have to keep an eye on this to make certain it is ready at the right time.

(a) Of the Leader of the Council:-
“Policy CLT5 of our Core Strategy begins:-
‘New public open space will be required to accompany additional residential development, having regard to local current and projected future need. Standard Charges may be applied to developments as necessary. In particular the Council will seek the incorporation of a significant amount of public open space to accompany new, and be integrated with existing, residential development in the west of Rayleigh…..’
The creation of Sweyne Park was one of the major successes of the District Council in the last 30 years, and the future of the park has been safeguarded by placing it in the ownership of the National Playing Field Association. (Now known as ‘Fields In Trust’)
Does the Council plan to protect new open spaces created under CLT5 in the same way as with Sweyne Park, and transfer the ownership of them as quickly as possible to Fields In Trust, whilst continuing to manage them ourselves?”

The Leader, Cllr T G Cutmore, responded as follows:-
“I agree with the general presumption outlined in the question and at this point in time cannot see any reason to change a policy which, as Cllr Black states, has been successfully applied over a number of years. However, there may be other opportunities available at the time to look at other organisational trust arrangements and /or work with the Parishes/Town Council/local residents on such arrangements which guarantee that public open spaces remain as such in perpetuity.”

By way of supplementary question Cllr C I Black asked if any discussion had taken place with Fields In Trust in relation to new spaces created under CLT5 to move them away from ownership by developers.
The Leader confirmed that he saw no reason for any new public open spaces created to remain with developers, as indicated in the response to the original question.

(b) Of the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation:-
“It is very likely that the planned development in West Rayleigh will result in the need to either enlarge St Nicholas School (which has been specifically designed for future expansion) or to build a completely new primary school.
How do we ensure that this new facility is available when the new houses are first occupied?”
The Portfolio Holder, Cllr K H Hudson, responded as follows:-
“The Core Strategy appendix H1 sets out details of new infrastructure and services to accompany residential development. Following consultation with the schools service, it was confirmed the proposed housing development in West Rayleigh would generate the requirement for a new primary school.
The schools service will be closely involved in the provision of facilities for new school places and, in particular, the phased provision of those to relate to the construction of the new homes. It is understood that the aim is to ensure that school places are available as homes are occupied rather than seeing all new places being immediately available when it may be some years before those places are required.
In order to provide as full an answer as possible to Cllr Black’s question the schools service has been contacted and they have responded as follows “it would not be possible to open it [a new school] prior to the housing development being occupied. There are the practical issues of servicing and access to the [agreed school] site and then the need to consider when there would be critical mass to make a new school viable.”
By way of supplementary question Cllr C I Black asked if the Portfolio Holder recognised the need to be alert to potential problems that could arise with this subject.
The Portfolio Holder confirmed the need to always be alert.

July 28th, 2012 | Category: Council Drama, Education, Leisure and Sport, Rawreth, Rawreth Green Belt, Rayleigh | Leave a comment

Despite the air-conditioning working well, it was stormy in the District Council Chamber tonight!

We had a meeting of the Development Committee tonight. The leader and deputy leader of the council, Terry Cutmore and Keith Hudson were both absent, and they missed quite a bit.

There were two applications that caused the most interest.

The first was for the change of use of a former shellfish packing station in South Fambridge , to be used for the recovery of cars, to be repaired and prepared for exports. If you don’t know South Fambridge, it’s a very quiet, very rural riverside location at the end of a narrow lane:

The actual site is the grey triangle next to the yellow arrow.

Local residents were so concerned about this that probably more than half the population of the village came to the meeting. It was so crowded that one resident even ended up sitting in on one of the Lib Dem spaces on the councillors seats!

Officers were recommending refusal, on the grounds of the effect on the open character of the area and the extra commercial traffic. This was proposed and seconded by ward councillor Tracy Capon and her husband Phil Capon. Chris Black and John Mason added an extra reason – loss of amenity to residents and users of the nearby bridleway.

The application was refused almost unanimously. But two councillors were pretty annoyed at some aspects of how the application was dealt with.

First of all Phil Capon was very critical of how County Highways aren’t concerned about applications like this, saying “It’s about time County Highways got off their backsides and come and look at sites like these- with the amount of council tax people pay it’s time they did more.”

Then John Mason was extremely concerned that a noise analysis report sent in by the applicants wasn’t even mentioned in the officers report on the application. Councillors should be made aware about what evidence had been submitted.

The second item of interest was for a cafe/ restaurant in Great Wakering High Street. Councillor Colin Seagers was outraged – he actually used the word ‘incandescent’ to describe himself. Why? because photos of the High Street he had taken especially for the meeting had been emailed to officers in the officers in the afternoon but weren’t there at the meeting in the evening.

Because of this he actually got the item deferred to the next meeting.

June 28th, 2012 | Category: Council Drama, Highways & Parking, Planning Applications, South Fambridge, Wakering & Foulness | Comments (3)

One of the lighter moments at Full Council last night was when Cllr Keith Hudson joked that he could support Chris Black being on the Local Highways Panel – if he got a new shoe.

Clearly, the old, slightly shabby, black shoe – used for giving a sense of scale on pothole photos – has become famous. Thanks to onlineFOCUS.

May 23rd, 2012 | Category: Council Drama | Comments (2)

The Tory group have once again chosen Terry Cutmore to lead them, and so he is still Leader of the Council. Keith Hudson is still deputy leader.

Terry Cutmore has picked his eight-member cabinet for this year – and its the same eight councillors as last year So we still have the peculiar situation that Rayleigh, our largest town, doesn’t have a councillor who can even speak or ask a question at cabinet meetings.

Joan Mockford (Tory), as expected, is the new Chairman of the council. Her main charity for this year will be cancer research. The new Vice-Chairman is Cllr Barbara Wilkins. (Tory)

To be fair, the Tories didn’t try to hog everything for themselves. Chris Lumley (Lib Dem) was able to join the board of the housing association, where he joins Cllrs Michael Hoy (Green) , Jo McPherson (Tory) and Angela Hale (Tory). Chris Black was able to get on the local highways panel, and June Lumley (Lib Dem) was re-elected as Chair of the Review Committee.

The new microphones in the council chamber don’t seem to be working very well. Hopefully, they can be tweaked a bit….

May 22nd, 2012 | Category: Council Drama | Comments (1)

The District Council kicks off the new civic year next Tuesday night with Annual Council.

With the Conservatives having such a big majority, the main interest will be in seeing whom their leader Terry Cutmore picks for his cabinet. We won’t know that until the night. However, outside the cabinet, Cllr Joan Mockford will step up from Vice-Chair to Chair of the Council. Also Simon Smith will be the new Chairman of the Development Committee, replacing Phil Capon. June Lumley will stay as Chair of the Review Committee.

As for the rest, lets see what we hear on Tuesday night….

May 19th, 2012 | Category: Council Drama | Leave a comment