Borough Diary Spring 2016

Page 1

Regeneration around the borough

Local Plan Consultation SEE PAGE 4

SEE PAGE 6

Budget & Council Tax

SEE PAGE 8&9

BOROUGHDIARY SPRING 2016

WWW.BASILDON.GOV.UK

BASILDONBOROUGHCOUNCIL

@BASILDONCOUNCIL

NEWS FROM BASILDON BOROUGH COUNCIL & YOUR COMMUNITY

Basildon set to benefit from £730K to

create opportunity More than £700,000 is to be spent improving parks & open spaces, high streets, and making neighbourhoods safer after Basildon Council confirmed a range of improvements as part of its annual budget.

from Government - meaning that although improvements are happening next year, the council will face difficult decisions after that on how it provides services and which services it maintains.

The investments follow the priorities set out by residents in the council’s last community survey, and are designed to support the council’s goal of generating economic growth, attracting people and businesses to the area, and building community spirit.

The reduction in national funding, which affects all councils, means Basildon Council will face a shortfall of £9million over the next four years against what it costs to provide services.

As part of the budget for 2016/17, which included a council tax rise of 1.99% or around 10p per week, councillors agreed to spend £176,000 improving the borough’s parks, improving play areas and facilities for residents. Among them will be improvements to Nevendon skate park and play area, and a new outdoor gym at Wickford Memorial Park. A further £150,000 will go towards helping Hannakins Farm replace their synthetic sports pitch. To improve community safety, £31,000 will be spent on upgrading and improving security at Wickford High Street, including CCTV cameras. Following significant investment to refurbish Pitsea, Wickford and Basildon centres, the council will now spend £280,000 revitalising Billericay High Street. A further £60,000 will be spent resurfacing resident parking around Basildon town centre. Finally, the council will invest £33,000 to fund a community event in the town centre in Basildon this summer - part of its plan to build stronger communities. In total around £730,000 will be spent on the improvements over the next 12months. The investments will come despite the council losing 44% of the funding it receives

That gap was offset this year because the council has managed to save £3million over the past year without affecting frontline services but those savings won’t be there again. Council Leader Phil Turner said: “This is a really strong set of investment plans that will help us take a step closer towards our vision of a prosperous, economically strong borough. “Even in the face of cutbacks in government funding, we have targeted our investments that reflect residents’ priorities - they are all visible improvements that will make a difference to the borough. “We’ve tried to strike prudent management of know matter to people opportunities for people leaving the area.

a balance between the services that we locally, and creating to succeed without

“But the future isn’t going to be easy. We have lost a significant amount of funding and - while we are working hard to make the council smaller and leaner - there are going to be a lot of tough decisions ahead.” The investments were approved at the council’s annual budget meeting, where councillors also agreed a tax rise of 1.99% as it bids to bridge the funding gap. Where does your money go? See pages 8 & 9 for a full breakdown.

Cllr Terri Sargent, Cabinet Member for Community, alongside residents from the Lee Chapel North Community Association, take part in the national campaign ‘Clean for the Queen’, to clear up Britain in time for the Queen’s 90th birthday, which will be officially celebrated in June.


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BOROUGHDIARY

News

My View

Ready for the new season… As we move into the new spring season, I look forward to some exciting events in 2016. I look forward to the joys of spring; with its lighter mornings and longer days. As gardens are preparing for the new life literally springing up from the ground, we can see everything starting to come into full bloom. We begin to plan ahead to our summer holidays and look forward to possibly getting away and enjoying time to relax with the family. As I focus on what I hope to achieve, I am reminded of visits I made last year to local schools in the area. Education is very important and teaching and arming our children with the correct skills for the future is a critical part of the council’s strategy in creating opportunity locally. My aim is to continue visiting schools in the borough and seeing the good work that each one does in raising the attainment of the children of Basildon. Another aim this year will be to raise civic pride in the borough. A key part of the Mayor’s role is to promote local pride and help raise awareness of our communities and how they support each other, and about what it means to be a borough. With a diary packed full of engagements, I attended the opening of the Holocaust Memorial day and signed the book of remembrance in January; joined the 75th celebration of the Wickford Air Cadets, and took part in an Education and Enterprise Ceremony for schools. I was also excited to be a part of the opening of the Integrated Pathology Laboratory in Basildon, and am pleased about the positive benefits that this will bring to residents. I also look forward to upcoming events with celebrations planned for the Queen’s Birthday, St Georges Day, The Wickford at the Somme 100 Event, and Armed Forces Day. This will be a truly fun and exciting year for the borough.

Cllr Don Morris, Mayor of Basildon

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

SPRING 2016

No vote, no voice Basildon gears up for 2016 elections Residents will have the opportunity to vote in two important elections this May with ballots being held to vote for 14 Basildon Borough Councillors as well as Essex’s Police & Crime Commissioner. In Basildon, voters are being encouraged to go to the polls on 5 May to vote in councillors in Wickford, Basildon and Billericay, while the same day will see ballot papers cast for a range of smaller parish and town councils too. Polling cards will be sent to residents towards the end of March/ early April, with polling stations open from 7am - 10pm on 5 May. Your polling card will contain details of your local candidates as well as the venue of your polling station. To have your say, you need to be registered to vote on the electoral register. You can now register to vote online, please visit: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote If you haven’t registered, “About my Vote” has further information about why

you should vote, and how and where to vote, see: aboutmyvote.co.uk The closing dates for these applications are: Register to vote Monday 18 April Apply for a postal vote 5pm Tuesday 19 April Apply for a proxy vote (whereby somebody can vote on your behalf) 5pm Tuesday 26 April Receipt of emergency proxy vote applications 5pm Thursday 5 May If you would prefer to apply to register to vote using a paper form, you can still download the form from the registration site or you can request one from the Council’s electoral services team on 01268 533333 and send it back to us by 18 April 2016. Further information regarding the elections including information about prospective candidates and agents can be found on the Basildon Council website, please visit: www.basildon.gov. uk/elections.

Town Council elections will be held at: Billericay Town Council, Little Burstead Parish Council, Great Burstead and South Green Village Council, Ramsden Bellhouse Parish Council, Ramsden Crays Parish Council and Noak Bridge Parish Council.

Basildon Council elections will be held in the following wards: Billericay East, Billericay West, Burstead, Crouch, Fryerns, Laindon Park, Langdon Hills, Lee Chapel North, Nethermayne, Pitsea North West, Pitsea South East, St Martins, Vange, and Wickford North.


SPRING 2016

BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Sports Stars receive Freedom of the Borough

“I see this as a very good achievement and I’m very proud to have been nominated;” was World Snooker Champion Stuart Bingham’s reaction when he spoke to Borough Diary about the news that Basildon Council has nominated him for the award of “Freedom of the Borough”. “My dad was born in the town” he said, “and I was, as was my son, so it’s great to get this recognition for the place where you’re born and bred. I still live in Vange and I do try to get back home from competitions as often as I can, and I really appreciate the comments, recognition and encouragement from local people.” The award of Freedom of Basildon was given to Stuart, along with world gymnastic champion Max Whitlock following a vote at an extraordinary meeting of Basildon Council in February. Both were nominated by Cllr Danny Lawrence who said: “Stuart lives in Basildon and is currently the world snooker champion. He entered the top 32 in the world rankings for the 2006/07 season and first reached the top 16 during the 2011/12 season. At the age of 35, he won the first ranking title of his career at the 2011 Australian Goldfields Open. He claimed his second ranking title at the age of 38 by winning the 2014 Shanghai Masters and followed this with his first World Championship in 2015. He is a great ambassador for Basildon.”

“Max Whitlock is an English gymnast competing for Great Britain at World, European and Olympic level, and for England at the Commonwealth Games. Max has won the bronze medal at pommel horse at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the silver on the apparatus at the 2013 World Championships. He has been European Champion on both floor and pommel horse, and won the floor and all around individual title at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In 2014, Max won the silver medal in the all - roundcompetition at the 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship. At the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, Max became the first British man ever to win a World Championship gold medal on the pommel horse. He trains in Basildon and now resides here and is a great ambassador for the borough, and he is only 23 years of age.’ Basildon Council’s constitution states that “Freedom of the Borough is a high honour which should only be awarded in exceptional circumstances where the prospective recipient is an individual or organisation of distinction and has rendered eminent services to the Borough.” Both will be awarded the honour at a special ceremony later this year. To date the only other recipient has been the Royal Anglian Regiment in April 2011.

Max Whitlock, 23, trains with the South Essex Gymnastics Club at Basildon Sporting Village. He won gold in the pummel horse category at October’s World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow last year.

for

Max

Whitlock,

Cllr

News

Ready for the challenge We announced our first tax rise in six years in February. It’s a small amount - about 10p a week - and we’ll be making around £730,000 worth of improvements to the borough in return - including those outlined on the front page. Those are real improvements that will make a difference to the area. But that doesn’t change the fact people won’t like getting a bigger tax bill, no matter how small the rise. But things are really changing for local councils - more than they ever have done before. So I thought I’d use this column to explain what’s going on, and what we’re doing about it. Our funding comes from three core areas - council tax, business rates, and the Government grant. That last element has been steadily dropping for years - some £10billion has been removed from councils’ budgets nationally in the last decade. So theoretically tax should have been going up for years. But nobody wanted that, so councils have been doing everything they can to save money without asking residents for more - Basildon has been among the best in the country at this, with five years of freezes, one reduction and no widespread cuts to what we deliver. But this year Government announced new funding arrangements, which means that over the next four years we will have eventually lost nearly half of the financial support we get from Government. That’s around £9millon. That impacts on all our services - the parks, the bins, housing, leisure services; it’s a serious dent. The answer is simple - change, or decline.

He told Borough Diary: “I’m honoured to be nominated for the Freedom of the Borough award by Basildon Council. I started training at South Essex Gymnastics Club when I was 12 years old; the facilities and the club are world-class and have really helped with my gymnastics career. I am extremely grateful to the local residents for their support and encouragement over the years and I will continue to do my best to make the community proud.” In his nomination Lawrence states:

My View

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We’ve managed to hold a fairly tight line for the coming year and you won’t see too many changes. We’ve done this by saving £3milliion in our own costs from this year’s budget. But eventually the really tough decisions will come. The next few years are going to see the budget hole getting bigger for all councils, and we will either have to change, or stop doing things we do now. That’s why we’ve announced a new set of priorities which are aimed at growing the local economy and helping people succeed – by regenerating town centres, encouraging new companies to set up and grow here, and ensuring we have enough homes to support a growing population, we will keep money in the borough’s economy, and create opportunity.

Max Whitlock

As a result, Costa, The Range and Amazon are setting up here and creating jobs, and we’ve started improving retail areas in Pitsea, Billiericay, Basildon town centre and Wickford.

Training obedience with play as the reward. These techniques are practised by Police Forces, The British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers and also taught at Writtle College, Essex.

Puppy Socialisation, training and feeding programmes

Internally, the council is going to fundamentally change over the next few years. We are planning a far more commercial approach and a more targeted way of delivering outcomes for the community. For example, we will be looking at which services we can trade and sell to make income, which services we are better off contracting out, and whether we can share services with other councils. We’re already doing this in the proposed co-location of the DWP and Jobcentre into the Basildon Centre, and we share our benefits service with Brentwood, saving both councils money. I accept nobody likes tax rises. Nor do I. But in the wider context, when you consider the council has to find another way to raise 75% of what it once had, I think it offers pretty good value for money.

Cllr Phil Turner, Leader of Basildon Council


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BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Regeneration

Great deal in store for Pitsea A major home living superstore is moving into the flagship store at the centre of a £30million regeneration project for the town - and the prospect is being welcomed by businesses, residents and visitors.

The Range will be moving into the Pitsea town centre site later this year. The boss of the expanding retail chain, Chris Dawson, showed an interest in the site as soon as Morrison’s announced that, due to trading conditions, it would not be occupying the site.

The location in Pitsea is a good fit with the home and garden brand, which offers a wide range of merchandise at mid-range prices.

The Range, which attributes its success to the unique variety of affordable, yet quality products, has enjoyed rapid expansion, achieving sales of £470million for the financial year 2013-14. The news is a major boost for residents, who will benefit from a far wider retail offer to bring people into the town centre; in 2013 people queued from the early morning for the opening of the

Southend store.

Occupation of the unit, the largest in London & Cambridge’s redevelopment of the town centre, would complete the first phase of the revival of the area. Pitea has already seen the rebuilding of the Aldi store and the creation of a new market square among other improvements, as part of the regeneration project by Basildon Council. The new store will occupy the 75,000sq. ft. complex and is likely to create a significant number of jobs available for local people.

Cllr Richard Moore, the council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Planning, said “We are delighted that The Range is coming to Pitsea. The Range is a major name in home living - it is an ideal brand to bring people into the town and improve trade for existing businesses. It also, along with the other retailers in the centre, has the potential to offer a much wider shopping experience overall than a supermarket would have done”.

Roy Hollobread, 75, Pitsea resident

Claire and Steve Cornwell, from South Woodham Ferrers

Patsy Mannin, 65, Pitsea resident

“I’m pleased The Range is coming here. With six children and 15 grandchildren, I’m sure this store will provide something for everyone in my family. My son has just moved into a property nearby and his furniture came from The Range, in Thurrock, I think. Now we’ll have one in our town centre”.

“It’s very good news. We have been going to The Range in Southend, but this will be great for us - being on the A13, it is good for accessibility”.

“I’ve heard The Range is coming. That’s good news. The store has a good variety of products and apparently there will be a cafe too so it will create a really good shopping experience. It would be good if the busier shopping revived the market too”.

Eve Rawlinson, 34, from Burnt Mills “It’s definitely good news. It’s a popular chain with a great range of products - something this area needs”.

Chris Dawson commented: “Opening a new store is always an exciting moment for the company and Pitsea is no exception. We feel that The Range is a unique shopping experience that has something for everyone and we look forward to inviting the people of Pitsea to experience what The Range is all about”. The news has been greeted with widespread excitement. Here is what some shoppers and visitors to Pitsea said:

Richard and Lisa Scates, market traders “We saw Chris, The Range boss, here when Morrison’s announced it wouldn’t be coming here; he was obviously interested in the site. The Range is a good brand and it’s the right mix for the area. It will be good for the town as it will attract more customers to the town centre. That’s good for everyone - more footfall in the town centre shops is a step in reviving the town. It would be good to have another retailer in the building with The Range - a wide retail offer under one roof”.

Site preparations underway for £2million health facility Residents will have been delighted to see the first stages of work begin at the site of the eagerly awaited new health facility in the centre of Wickford. The impressive £2million facility will provide modern premises for enhanced health provision for the growing population of Wickford, which is a continuation of regeneration projects within the town. This project is being led by the council, with a contribution of funding from Essex County Council. The plans for the modern facility include11 examination and consultation rooms - allowing provision for an increase in the number of GPs, as well as treatment, interview and training rooms, a reception and waiting areas. In the coming months there will be a number of changes around the site. To make the site secure and for safety, fencing has been placed around it. Local residents and users of the site have been kept informed about the closure of the site and associated road closures to allow contractors to start demolition of the old market site buildings. Council Leader, Phil Turner, said “This will be a wonderful asset fit for the 21st century to meet our aspirations for better healthcare provision. We are keeping people informed of the preparatory activity at the site, as the safety and security of residents and visitors is paramount.”

Artist impression: new health facility

SPRING 2016


SPRING 2016

BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Regeneration

Riding school set to re-open in the summer A popular riding school in Dry Street, Basildon which closed ahead of a move to new premises is set to re-open in the summer. Basildon Council worked with the centre to find new premises, and the riding school has transferred to Whites Farm, in Barleylands, Billericay.

The new site is in a central location in Basildon Borough, accessible for residents in Basildon, Wickford and Billericay. When construction work to create modern new facilities is completed, it will welcome old and new visitors alike. The new site offers room to provide a range of teaching, showground and stable management facilities, for those involved in horse riding as well as for spectators and the community to enjoy. Owner Ian Lewington is pleased with the new site and progress on the work. The school will occupy 40 acres, and 44 stables will house the school’s horses as well as offering stabling management for local horse owners.

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Barleylands owner, Stuart Philpot echoed Mr Lewington’s excitement at the prospect of the new school re-opening. He said ”This site will benefit the community, and will encourage more people to get involved in horse riding.” The move is part of a long-term strategy to reinvigorate the town centre and generate economic growth across the borough. The development of 725 new homes will address demand for quality housing, and will in turn see South Essex College’s Basildon campus move from Dry Street to a new state-of-the-art campus in the town centre at Market Square. The market will move to St Martins’ Square, providing an improved public area for residents and shoppers. Basildon Cllr cabinet member for regeneration and planning, Richard Moore, said: “I am delighted at the progress we are making. This riding school will be an asset for the community and the new location should prove very popular.”

Basildon market getting set for move

Work is progressing towards the Basildon market move to its new location in St Martin’s Square. People may see preparatory work in coming months to make way for the new streetscape. More details will follow in the next edition of the Borough Diary.

Mr Lewington said: “I’m very pleased with progress. The location will be good as it will be more accessible to all parts of the borough and I think this will be a great opportunity to attract more people into horse riding, which is a fantastic outdoor activity. The stabling will provide housing for our own horses and for other horse owners around the area. As a centre for a popular activity this will complement what Barleylands already offers to the community.” New riding school will open late summer

Basildon market

Regeneration continues at Beechwood Village

New housing at Beechwood Village

Further plans have been unveiled for the continued transformation of the Craylands Estate into the newly designed Beechwood Village. The final phase will see the development of the old Fryerns school site, and the demolition of the Basildon Council owned maisonette blocks on the Craylands estate. Residents voted a number of years ago to name the regenerated area Beechwood Village, and the theme is positively spreading across the estate.

New elements of the plan include the provision of many custom build homes for sale, this allows buyers the opportunity to design many elements of the building including the external and internal layout, and interior decoration of the property. Basildon Council, Development Partners, the Homes and Communities Agency and Swan Housing have decided to bring this new innovative approach to add more choice to the areas housing market. Phil Turner, Council Leader said “we are very excited about this great new approach to providing homes for sale to the public. I’m amazed by how many design options are being made available to prospective buyers”. The estate has come a long way since work began in 2006, with widespread demolition taking place and 405 new homes already built or under construction. The final phase will see that number rising to approximately 950 quality new homes. Swan Housing and their team of architects have been conducting resident consultation

events, and a large number of people have taken the opportunity to feed into the design process. The planning application is due to be lodged with the council’s planning department in the near future. Subject to the plans being approved, work will begin to the west of the estate in early 2017. Not all of the estate will be demolished, and thanks to joint funding with Essex County Council the retained areas will benefit from a multi-million pound regeneration works to upgrade pavements, roads, street lights and green spaces.

Forget Me Not Memory Café

Every Friday 2pm–3.30pm The Memory café is a free service for anyone who has concerns about their memory or the memory of a loved one or friend. The Café is run by trained volunteers with the support of health professionals. You can come along and discuss your concerns in confidence. We have a programme of events for both carers and the cared for. We look to provide support and information within a relaxed, friendly and stigma free environment. The Forget Me Not Memory Café is an opportunity to take a break from your caring role. EVERYONE IS WELCOME. The George Hurd Centre, Audley Way, Basildon Essex SS14 2AB (01268) 465854.


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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

SPRING 2016

Regeneration Local Plan is set to shape the future vision of the borough As the public consultation opened into the Local Plan 2016 in January, residents, businesses and anyone with an interest in the borough have been invited to have their say on a wide range of issues affecting the borough.

The council aims to make the best use of brownfield sites and urban land to secure around 6,700 new mixed tenure homes from land in the green belt to meet the growing population of Basildon and the economic needs of the borough.

The ambitious Local Plan outlines the vision of the Council to grow the local economy and meet local housing needs over the next 20 years. As a supporting strategy to the Council’s Corporate Plan, it guides all development for housing, employment, land, transport infrastructure and open spaces until 2034. The consultation runs until 23 March.

As the current plan proposes 8,835 homes in the Basildon area, 1,860 in Billericay and 3,300 in Wickford and there is only space to build 3,681 more homes in existing urban areas in the borough, 720 acres of green belt land will be put forward in Basildon for development. In Wickford, a further 201 acres will be suggested and 192 acres will be proposed for development in Billericay.

Based on wide-ranging research and analysis, the Local Plan also looks at the borough’s population growth, economic issues and available land, setting out a vision for shaping the borough 20 years into the future. It is anticipated that there will be an increase in the borough’s population by 14% by 2034, from 180,500 to 205,000. Although the council would prefer not to build on the green belt as much as possible, it does need to make sure that enough land is set aside for keeping Basildon as a place that is attractive for new business opportunities and jobs.

Cllr Richard Moore, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said “The consultation is due to finish shortly and so far, we have had a good level of response. The Plan is vital to the borough’s future and looks at ensuring Basildon continues to be vital as a place for business, development and creating new jobs. However, at the same time, we have to strike a balance considering the needs of homes for families as the population continues to grow, so that we can build the right number of new homes needed. We want our children and their children

to grow up here, in an environment that nurtures and supports them.”

where possible and protecting the areas most valuable.

Basildon Council is lucky to have the strongest economy in Essex and that means more jobs, which means more people and growth - like any other major town in the UK. The plan sets aside 121 acres for employment, creating 8,600 new jobs.

Cllr Moore added: “We know that certain things simply have to happen, such as building new homes, managing traveller sites and so on. Our goal is all about balance - all councils in South Essex have to build on green belt as they meet growth ambitions and we cannot be left behind. We are looking to minimise that impact as much as possible and retain as much of the green belt land in the borough as we can.”

Other key areas open for feedback during the consultation period include: Transport: There will be major transport updates to improve capacity of the road network, including a new A127 junction at Pound Lane, between the Nevendon and Fairglen interchanges. A new junction will also be built on the A127 to serve Wickford and Pitsea/East Basildon and there will be improvements around Billericay, Basildon and Wickford town centres Infrastructure: The council will deliver supporting infrastructure such as schools, health centres, community facilities and superfast broadband networks. As the borough grows, it will be supported by high quality facilities. Environment: The council will endeavour to protect the borough’s natural spaces and green belt by controlling development

Next steps after the public consultation, include further scrutiny meetings to be held for councilors to consider some of the emerging policies, consultation responses and how the proposals might change. After March 2016, the draft Local Plan will be revised and brought back to Scrutiny/ Cabinet and Full Council for approval to consult and submit to Government by the end of 2016. A plan will then be submitted by March 2017, followed by examination in public before the Planning Inspector in March 2017 - early 2018. Adoption by Full Council as Development Plan would be in early 2018.


SPRING 2016

BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

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Regeneration

KEY Borough Boundary

Local Centres Point Policy R10

Areas of Special Development Control Policy DES3

Green Belt Policy GB2

Out of Centre Retail Areas Policy R11

Plotland Infill Policy GB3

Festival Leisure Park Policy R12

Existing Employment Areas Policy

Hotel Development Site Policy R13

Existing Employment Area for Research and Development Uses Policy E3

Safeguarded Areas for Transport Improvements )Indicative) Policy, TS 5, TS2

Terminus Drive Policy E5

Junction Updates )Indicative(

Burnt Mills Extension Policy E8a

New Junction )Indicative(

Safeguarded Employment Zone Policy E9

Established G&T Site Provision Policy H7 -H27

Rural Enterprise Sites Policy E9

New G&T Site Provision Policy H8

Untidy Industry Zone, Burnt Mills Policy E10

Safeguarded for Housing

Scheduled Monuments and Archaeology Policy HE4

Locations for Employment Developmen Policy E11

Housing Allocations Mixed Use

Areas of Higher Landscape

Town Centres Policy R2 - R7

Housing Growth in Service Settlements Policy H28, H29

Country Parks Policy NE3

Community Facilities Policy HC4 Public Open Spaces Policy HC5 Playing Fields Associated with Education Facilities Policy HC7 Strategic Open Space Washlands Policy CC3 Conservation Areas Policy HE2 Listed Buildings Policy HE3

Local Wildlife Sites Policy NE4 SSSI


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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Value for money

SPRING 2016

Council faces tough choices

First tax rise in six years as government grants are cut At the Council’s meeting held in February, the council approved its budget for 2016/17. The budget was set in the context of significant cuts in funding by the Government, meaning that such funding is forecast to reduce by 44% in the four years to 2019/20. A consequence of this is that the council approved a 1.99% increase in council tax. This is the first rise in council tax for six years. It is the equivalent of an extra 10 pence per week for the average council tax payer. The council still faces significant financial challenges in the future with the gap between the money it has and the amount that it needs to spend rising to £9million by 2019/20. The budget report submitted to council sets out how the council proposes to respond to this challenge. The budget for managing and maintaining the council’s housing was approved at the same time. The rent reduction scheme which forms part of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, means that rents for council housing will fall by 1% a year for the years 2016/17 to 2019/20 which will benefit tenants. However this means that the money available for management and maintenance is significantly lower than was previously estimated. How this will be managed is set out in the report considered by the council. Despite these challenges the council remains committed to investing in the borough, and the budget provides for £730,000 funded investment into areas such as leisure facilities, parks and open spaces, town centres and Billericay High Street, enhancing community safety and building strong communities. This is in addition to the contribution the council is making to the redevelopment and regeneration of Basildon, Laindon, Pitsea and Wickford. The council is committed to finding ways to generate additional revenue, whilst improving services to the borough’s residents; a good example of this approach being the proposed co-location of the Department for Work and Pensions into the Basildon Centre from November 2016. Cllr Phil Turner, Leader of the Council said: “There are challenging times ahead for all local councils due to the cuts in funding from central government, we’re simply receiving less than ever before. This means that services the council has offered in the past are going to be different in the future. They are either going to not be there or be delivered differently.

Key facts: • Government funding reduction is 44% over the four years to 2019/2020 • Cuts to local government funding have been the largest of all those to public sector bodies. Local councils like Basildon have been the worst hit of all local government organisations • The average council tax charge for 2016/2017 for services provided by this council will be £257.85. This is equivalent to approximately 16% of a resident’s council tax bill, which also includes the precepts from Essex County Council, police and fire service • If the council tax had not been reduced or frozen over the years 2011/12 to 2015/16 but increased by inflation, the average charge would now be £287.45 • The total council tax payable by the average council tax payer in Basildon will be £1,614 a year, which includes the charges from parishes, the police, the fire service and the county council The chart and table below identify the main sources of funding for council services.

Sources of funding 2016/17

10%

53%

13%

“Like all councils, we have difficult decisions to make. However, we have a good track record in delivering savings with £3million already being identified in 2016/17, meaning that there were no significant cuts or reductions in services proposed in the budget. We are confident that we can deliver a future of opportunity, resilience and growth for the borough”. Cllr Turner explained: “Maintaining the council tax freeze was a remarkable achievement and we would have preferred to do this again for another year, however, with the Chancellor’s funding announcement, the position changed overnight. Despite this, we have a good track record at Basildon and what we do in the future will be in the best possible interests of residents”. The council remains ambitious, and is committed to tackling the budget deficit, including finding other ways to generate revenue. Cllr Turner added: “The decision to increase council tax was not one that we took lightly, however we had to explore all avenues available to us to protect key services for our residents. It will be increasingly difficult to balance the budget as government grants continue to decrease, but we will continue to innovate and change the way we provide services with the ambition to become less reliant on government funding”.

22%

2% Government grant New homes bonus

Retained Business rates Reserves Council Tax

Funding source £million Government grant 2.75 Retained business rates 6.45 New homes bonus 3.79 Reserves 0.56 Council tax 15.1 Net cost of services 28.65


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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

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Value for money

Improving experience and saving money Who receives your council tax 2016/17 Basildon Borough Council

Police and crime commissioner for Essex Essex Fire and Rescue

4%

10%

16%

70% Essex County Council

Band D 2016/17 £1,614 Basildon element includes parishes, Essex Fire and Rescue is estimated.

Funding for local services is changing rapidly and over the course of the next five years councils and the services they deliver will look quite different than they do today. Basildon is ready for the challenges ahead though, and has been looking at ways to both improve customer experience and generate income or make savings to pay for the services that are important to residents. One of the ways this is happening is by working in partnership with other organisations. From late 2016, it is proposed that the Job Centre Plus staff and services will be based in the Basildon Centre alongside council staff so that customers can access a range of services from different agencies under one roof. People wishing to access council tax, housing benefits and leisure or environment services (Basildon Council) the town library (Essex County Council) and Job Centre Plus (Department of Work and Pensions) will be able to make one visit to the Basildon Centre. But this move also generates income for the council, as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will rent space on the higher floors of the centre for some office staff. It’s not just the face-to-face customer experience the council is looking to improve. In another partnership, with Colchester

Council, Basildon is looking to improve multichannel customer contact services. The joint project will look at customer contact across a range of channels (face to face, online and telephone) and use the combined resources of each council to improve the customer experience and allow people to contact the council in the way best suited to them and their needs. Both councils have already implemented their own customer strategies which have transformed the speed and operation of customer services, reduced demand, and enabled additional resources to be prioritised to traditional ‘walk-in’ and phone-based services for residents, with complex cases or who may be vulnerable. The work will operate as a joint service to deliver combined efficiency savings. Cllr Phil Turner, Leader of Basildon Council said: “We are always looking for ways to improve customer experience, whilst keeping costs down for our taxpayers. Both of these projects embody the focus on commercialisation we now have as a council. As funds get tighter we are clear that we need to work in new ways and jointly with others, to continue delivering the services that our residents expect. With both of these projects we not only save or generate money, but will actually improve the customer experience at the same time.”


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BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Education

SPRING 2016

Calling all 16-24 year olds How do you find your way into work after you finish secondary school? Different routes suit different individuals and in Basildon, the council is working to promote apprenticeships across a range of industries. Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study, and take one to four years to complete depending on their level.

Basildon Council’s Apprenticeship Scheme application process opens in April. They will all be advertised on www.basildon.gov.uk/jobsandcareers

• study towards a related qualification (usually one day a week)

This year National Apprenticeship Week runs from 14 to 18 March, and the council will be holding an Apprenticeship Fair on Wednesday, 16 March. The event will involve more than 30 employer organisations, covering industries ranging from engineering and manufacturing to financial services, law and accountancy.

We often shout about the value of apprenticeships in our publications, but this time we are going to take a look at how the council creates opportunity for young people. The council will be holding an Apprenticeship Fair (see panel right) and below we hear about some local apprentices.

The event will take place from 4.30pm to 7pm at Woodlands School, Woodlands Approach, Basildon SS16 5BA.

As an apprentice you’ll: • work alongside experienced staff • gain job-specific skills • earn a wage and get holiday pay

Joe’s Story

Regeneration Services, and have so far been a part of countless projects around the borough, including the re-building of the Triangle Shops in Langdon Hills.

ships and schools are seeing students take up a variety of apprenticeships. Jodie Preston from The Bromfords School and Sixth Form College, has been offered an apprenticeship at one of the world’s leading accountancy firms KMPG. Jodie was one of only 70 students selected nationally from thousands of applicants. She will begin her apprenticeship at Canary Wharf where she will have the chance to work with some of the world’s leading businessmen and women. Over her three or six year apprenticeship she will get to work in audit, tax and advisory areas of the business.

As a lifelong local resident, I like to be able to help improve the area, and alongside physical regeneration one of the most rewarding aspects of my job is to be able to promote apprenticeships to local young people. I have progressed from a Level 2 NVQ into a Level 3 and am now undertaking a Level 4 Leadership and Management Qualification, showing that apprenticeships can open doors and you don’t have to go down the traditional routes in order to achieve success.

Joe Stanhope

Joe Stanhope joined Basildon Council as an apprentice two years ago. He is glad he made that decision and is encouraged that he is just one of many taking the apprenticeship route to employment. Here he recounts how he is progressing. “After finishing my A-Levels in 2013 I attended careers fairs to help me find out what I wanted to do. With tuition fees so high currently, alongside other factors, I wasn’t sure university would be the right choice for me. I found out about the apprenticeship scheme at Basildon Council and applied for it, after I saw what great opportunities it could offer me. Over the past two years I have worked in five different council departments, completed two separate qualifications (and just started my third), and gained immeasurable amounts of confidence and transferable skills for the future. Since I started, the council has employed 33 apprentices, and the vast majority are still here working in various positions ranging from repairs to customer services to benefits to legal services. I am currently working in

More local young people will get the chance to gain workplace experience and qualifications every year at the council as the scheme proves its effectiveness and grows bigger and bigger, and I urge school leavers to take a serious look at apprenticeships as an option for your future. I also urge any local businesses, big or small, to follow the council’s lead and consider starting apprenticeship schemes. There are frameworks for over 200 different apprenticeships and you may find a cost effective way to train your workforce of the future, while giving local people the chance they need to get ahead in their careers.”

John’s Story John Lee Potter is an apprentice with the council’s maintenance contractor, Mitie. John was one of five apprentices recruited in 2014 by Mitie, which has been delivering the repairs and maintenance service for Basildon Council since 2009. Having achieved an NVQ level 2, John is a multi- trade apprentice. He has completed year 1 of the apprenticeship training at PROCAT (Prospects College of Advanced Technology) in Basildon. John has been supported by Martin Falaniko, Steve Watson, and other Mitie colleagues in plumbing, carpentry, plastering and ground works. John says: “I’ve enjoyed and learnt how to work as a member of the Mitie team

John Lee Potter

Two Year 11 students, who left Beauchamps High School after completing their GCSEs, have secured apprenticeships in engineering after attaining fantastic exam results. Matthew Goddard has gone on to PROCAT to study for a BTEC Level 3 in Engineering and Abigail Sampson has secured a four year Technical Apprenticeship in Engineering with Finmeccanica (formerly Selex ES).

and independently. I’ve learnt how to use tools safely, work with tenants, and keep calm under pressure. Thanks to Martin, my Mitie mentor who listens to my issues and concerns and offers solutions, I’ve developed my confidence. Longer term I would like to be working for Mitie.” Martin commented: “John has developed as an apprentice. He can work on his own initiative. He has completed an asbestos awareness course training, fire test certificate, and an electricity test. Nichola McBride, his tutor at PROCAT said John’s work is of a high standard and praises his 100% attendance at the college alongside his work. Basildon resident feedback in May 2015 sums up the positive work undertaken by John; “I would like to compliment the work of Mitie apprentice John Lee Potter. He is polite and eager to learn. I hope he goes far and gets a permanent place”.

Pupils’ progress The council works with local companies to encourage them to offer apprentice-

PROCAT College, Basildon


SPRING 2016

BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Speedy way to network One way to find out about potential employers, hone interview skills and get a wider perspective on paths into work is to attend a speed networking event - and students from around Basildon got the chance to meet a host of employers at a recent event. 65 Year 10, 11 and 12 students from Billericay, Mayflower, Shenfield and Brentwood County High Schools attended a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) careers speed networking event at Billericay School last year, and another successful event was arranged in February this year at the Towngate Theatre, Basildon. The evening was well supported by STEM professionals from a number of companies including Impossible Creations, Network Rail, Barclays Bank, Icarus Holdings, VISTEON, Valeo Air Management, American Airlines, Raytheon, CAT Surveys, Costains, Thales, Atkins Global Rail Engineering , BBC, Metro Bank, DSA Electrical, Basildon and Thurrock NHS Trust and Chester Hall Engineering. During the course of the evening the “speed daters” moved from table to table every five minutes, sharing their career journey and inspiring the students to consider careers in STEM based industries, making them aware

of the range of opportunities available in these sectors. Student responses to the event included: “There are so many opportunities available in STEM industries” “The value of getting experience is great”

some

work

“There are so many different types of engineering” “There are so many more fields we can get into that we didn’t know about” “I learnt about the different routes into various STEM careers” “I learnt about different apprenticeships and that you don’t have to go to university full time to achieve a degree” “I learnt that you don’t have to go to University to get a decent job” “It helped me to broaden my mind on the different careers that are offered” “There are lots of interesting careers I can apply maths to” “How big the engineering industry is” “The different choices for becoming an engineer.”

Business Events 2016 A new programme of free business support events that are available to boost businesses of all sizes within the borough. We are offering a number of free business workshops, tailored to provide support across a number of key business areas from marketing and management, business planning and increasing sales, to winning contracts and how to export, throughout the year. All events provide a great opportunity to find out more information, develop skills, establish business relationships, and we’re hoping this will have a positive impact on your business. Perhaps you want to sharpen your skills in a specific area, or are keen to seek new opportunities to connect with other businesses in the borough. Whatever it is, we hope to have it covered. Should there not be an event listed that meets your needs, then please get in touch with us, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Education

Venue: Basildon Centre

Subject: Top tips for winning public sector contracts When: Wednesday 16 March (10.30am - 12.30pm) Venue: Basildon Centre

April 2016 Subject: How to grow your business overseas When: w/c 18 April - to form part of “Export Week” Venue: Basildon Centre

May 2016 Subject: Improve your sales and win more business When: Tuesday 17 May (9.30am - 12.30pm) Venue: Basildon Centre

July 2016 Subject: Time management secrets of effective and successful businesses When: Tuesday 5 July (9.30am - 12.30pm) Venue: Basildon Centre

Full details on the range of events that are available throughout the year and to book your place, please visit www. basildon.gov.uk/bizevents. To get in touch with the team, please contact Kevin Wright at kevin.wright@ basildon.gov.uk or telephone 01268 206688.

September 2016

We look forward to welcoming you at one of our events.

November 2016

March 2016 Subject: Marketing and maximising your social media and website When: Tuesday 8 March (9.30am - 12.30pm)

School news in brief Quilters on air

Pupils at Quilters Junior School, in Billericay have been taking to the airwaves. A donation from the Rotary Club of Billericay, paved the way for the school to set up its own radio station, QFM, followed by QTV - Quilters Television which made its debut last October with a magazine programme of school-children activities. Mike Wade said: “The education system focuses on academic performance, but we also want to do more for those that have other skills and abilities. We want to give every child the opportunity to show what they do well, and celebrate it so that they feel good about themselves.”

Early taste of finance

A group of nine and ten year-olds got a taste of work in the financial sector on a trip to London. The year 5 pupils from Phoenix Primary School visited financial services group IFDS with their teacher Amanda Watson. The purpose of the visit was to engage the children early on in their

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Subject: Leadership & assertiveness - sharpening your skills to lead from the front When: Tuesday 20 September (9.30am - 12.30pm) Venue: Basildon Centre Subject: Controlling your cash and increasing your profitability When: Tuesday 15 November (9.30am - 12.30pm) Venue: Basildon Centre educational journeys, and give them an idea of what life in the workplace is like, and what they need to achieve to get there. They met with current apprentices and long term employees who also joined the company at entry level and have gone on to very successful careers.

Insight into construction

Ten young people from Basildon aged between 18 and 24, took part in a “World of Work Tour” as part of their 12-week personal development Princes Trust “TEAM programme”. The tour, hosted by The Wates Living Space team on Felmores estate in partnership with The Princes Trust, was designed to help build their skills, confidence and raise aspirations. During the visit the group had the opportunity to find out about the construction industry, hear personal development stories from the Wates team and the supply chain supervisors including scaffolding, asbestos and carpentry supervisors and visit the live Wates site, offering them a real insight into the work place environment.


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BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Services CRUNCH TIMES The crunch service is a mobile waste disposal facility that tours the borough. Residents can use it to dispose of bulkier items of rubbish. Locations marked with a *G* can also be used for the disposal of green waste. The crunch service is not suitable for paints, oils or other waste liquids. The Crunch is from 9am to 12 noon at each site, unless otherwise stated. Further details are available at basildon.gov.uk/ crunch

Councillor Surgeries Billericay East

Laindon Park

Cllr Dadds, Cllr Schrader, Cllr Sullivan Last Saturday of the month between 10.30am and 12 noon in the Library, High Street, Billericay. No appointment necessary.

Cllr Barnes Call for details: 07427 356812

Billericay West

Chalvedon - Mill Green SS13 3PB 9.00 -10.30

Cllr Hedley, Cllr Turner, Cllr Lawrence Last Saturday of the month between 10.30am and 12 noon in the Library, High Street, Billericay. No appointment necessary.

Chalvedon - Travers Way SS13 3LX 10.30 -12.00

Burstead

9 April 2016 Billericay - Carvers Wood CM11 2TJ Wickford - Bruce Grove SS11 8QZ

16 April 2016 Billericay - David’s Walk CM11 2EZ Wickford - Keats Way *G* SS12 0BP Crays Hill - Recreation Ground CM11 2YA Barstable - Long Riding SS14 1PD 9.00 -10.30

23 April 2016 Billericay - Hannakins Farm *G* CM12 0EZ Wickford - Kershaws Close SS12 OLJ Fryerns - Downey Close 9.00 -10.30 Frypa Hall - SS14 3RQ 10.30 -12.00 Noakbridge - Coppice Lane SS15 4JS

30 April 2016 Billericay - Little Burstead *G* CM12 9SY Wickford - Alderney Gardens SS11 7JP Fryerns - Ghyllgrove SS14 2JU

14 May 2016 Billericay - Radford Crescent *G* CM12 OBW Laindon - King Edward Road Car Park SS15 6JG Laindon - Basildon Drive SS15 JQW Kingswood - Playgroup Centre 9.00 -10.30 Vange Hall Drive - Corner of Oldwyk 10.30 - 12.00

21 May 2016 Ramsden Bellhouse *G* CM11 1RH Wickford - Rettendon View 9.00 -11.00 Court 11.00 -12.00 Laindon - Little Oxcroft 9.00 -10.30 Laindon - Somercotes 10.30 -12.00

28 May 2016 Bowers Gifford - Westlake Path SS13 2NH Langdon Hills - Valence Way SS16 6LF Laindon Link - *G* SS15 5UH 9.00 -10.30 Lee Chapel North - *G* SS15 5HG 10.30 - 12.00

SPRING 2016

Cllr Ellis First Saturday of every month in Basildon Library, The Basildon Centre, St Martin’s Square from 10am - 12 noon. Cllr Scarola Call for details: 07984 943349

Nethermayne Cllr Hodge Call for details: 07842 086712

Cllr Baggott, Cllr Blake, Cllr Moore Last Saturday of the month Street Surgery 10am -12 noon in different streets in Billericay.

Cllr Smith The third Saturday of the month from midday until 1pm at the Kingswood Playgroup Centre, Clay Hill Road, Kingswood, Basildon SS16 5AD.

Crouch

Cllr Williams Call for details: 07715 554441

Cllr Allen & Cllr Sargent First Saturday of the month between 9.30am and 10.30am at Noak Bridge Village Hall, Coppice Lane, Noak Bridge. Third Saturday of the month between 9.00am and 10.00am at Steeple View Memorial Hall, Willowfields (off Osier Drive) Laindon SS15 4EQ.

St Martin’s Cllr Buxton Call for details: 07900 154418

Fryerns

Cllr Rackley First Monday and every third Tuesday of the month from 2pm to 3pm at the Basildon Community Resource Centre, 1 The Gore, Basildon, SS14 2EA.

Cllr Brown Call for details: 07791 109436

Pitsea South East

Cllr Davies Call for details: 01268 459285

Cllr Arnold Call for details: 07510 385744

Cllr Sheppard Fourth Saturday of the month from 1pm - 3pm at the Fryerns Library, Whitmore Way, Basildon.

Cllr McGurran Call for details: 07710 613928

Langdon Hills Cllr Allport-Hodge First Saturday of the month from 12 noon until 1pm at the Langdon Hills Women’s Institute Hall, Samuel Road, Langdon Hills, Basildon, SS16 6EZ. Cllr Hillier Call for details: 01268 490201

Lee Chapel North Cllr Bennett Call for details: 01277 626236 Cllr Ferguson Call for details: 07817 311373

Cllr Ward Call for details: 07908 439441

Pitsea North West Cllr Callaghan Cllr Callaghan invites residents to contact him directly on 07908 698743 to make an appointment that is suitable for them. He will undertake home visits and meet with residents at any place in Pitsea. He is also available before and after Pitsea Community Panel meetings. Cllr Canham Chalvedon Community Social Club, 1 Chalvedon Square, Pitsea SS13 3QX 26 March, 30 April 2016

10.15am to 12.00pm 07415 309446 Cllr Clancy First Saturday of the month from 12.30pm - 1.30pm, Room 6, The Place, Pitsea Leisure Centre.

Vange Cllr McGeorge Call for details: 07545 237217 Cllr Taylor Call for details: 01268 419153

Wickford Castledon Cllr Ball First Saturday in every month at the Wickford Community Centre, Market Road, Wickford from 10am to 12 noon. Cllr D Morris Call for details: 01268 457488

Wickford North Cllr Holliman First Saturday in every month at the Wickford Community Centre, Market Road, Wickford from 10am to 12 noon. Cllr C Morris Contact for details: 01268 457488 Cllr Mowe Call for details: 01268 463564

Wickford Park Cllr Harrison First Saturday in every month at the Wickford Community Centre, Market Road, Wickford from 10am to 12 noon. Cllr Jackman Call for details: 07762 888775 NB Cllr Malsbury, representative for the Lee Chapel North Ward has formally resigned as a Basildon Borough Councillor. Cllr Malsbury’s term of office was due to end in May this year and his seat will be filled at the Borough Council elections on 5 May 2016


SPRING 2016

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Facelift for Felmores THE houses and flats on the Felmores estate in Pitsea, (Bartlow End, Winstree, Loxford, Delvins, Malyons, Bockingham Green and Littlebury Green), have undergone a major transformation with properties receiving new cladding and insulation which will make the properties more energy efficient and reduce future maintenance costs.

estate and asked for their comments about the cladding. Miss Amor said “My home feels warmer and I am really happy with the look of the new cladding”. The council plan to carry out future works on the Felmores estate with environmental improvements which include improving the communal areas, modernising the parking sites and improving the bin stores.

The newly installed cladding has greatly improved the look of the Felmores estate with its modern and attractive colour scheme. Residents were consulted prior to works commencing and given the option to choose the colour for the cladding on their home. In addition to the cladding being updated, new guttering, fascias and soffits have also been modernised. Throughout the works the council appointed a designated Client Resident Liaison Officer (CRLO) to act as the point of contact for the residents on the estate. The CRLO carried out daily visits and built up a good working relationship with the residents and contractor staff. We spoke to one of the tenants on the

BOROUGHDIARY

Community Helping the homeless The council, churches and charities, plan more initiatives to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in Basildon.

Basildon Council, along with the homelessness charity St Mungos, local churches and voluntary groups, met towards the end of January at the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) “Fusion” meeting to plan and discuss solutions to homelessness in Basildon. St Mungos has been working with Basildon, Thurrock and Brentwood councils as part of a combined attempt to reach those forced to sleep on the streets. David Walton from St Mungos reported that “fortunately, so far this winter, homelessness in Basildon has remained at a very low level”. They have received 33 referrals in recent months through a combination of outreach work and the public notifying when they have seen people in need. Rough sleeping individuals face a variety of problems and very specific needs and the combined efforts of the local St Mungos outreach worker, voluntary groups and Basildon Council ensures that daytime shelter, food and intensive support is provided.

Left Miss Amor with Katrina Fowler, Client Resident Liaison Officer, Basildon Council

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The churches and food banks reported that help was provided over Christmas and the New Year to all those who needed it, including providing Christmas dinners. No one seeking help was turned

away, and there were plenty of volunteers to help out. The meeting resulted in forming a consortium of representatives to plan further initiatives, helping rough sleepers. One of the most urgent needs is to raise public awareness of the “Streetlink” website and contact number. St Mungos reported that, despite their successful outreach work still the most reliable way to receive notice of someone sleeping rough is through the public informing them. This can be achieved through the national “Streetlink” website and contact number referrals can be anonymous. Cllr Athoney Hedley Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, “We are very pleased with the work St Mungos has undertaken in Basildon, the result being that we have seen very low numbers of rough sleepers this winter. With the help of the churches, the community resource centre (Basildon Council’s local referral agent facility) and excellent work by other voluntary groups we are well placed to take our homeless strategy forward; providing further help to those who need it, and co-ordinate those groups who provide frontline services, all good steps to try and eradicate rough sleeping”. Further details can be found at streetlink. org.uk and telephone 0300 500 0914.

To find out more call 01268 208080 or visit www.basildon.gov.uk/careline


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BOROUGHDIARY

Events

News in brief Nevendon Neighbourhood Project Nevendon Neighbourhood Agreement in partnership with Motivated Minds is a non-profit organisation, whose aim is to raise awareness between mental and physical health and facilitate wellbeing. Regular events are held and activities include pool, darts, bingo and an invited guest speaker to share information and talks. For more information or if you are a senior resident of Nevendon area and would like to be involved, please contact Heather Wood 01268 208072.

Wickford “Youth Drop Zone” Open to all teens from 12-19 year olds the “Youth Drop Zone” will take place at The Downtowner, in Wickford providing a fun night of games and activities, music and various weekly activities. The centre will offer a safe and productive environment for all every Friday from 6.30pm - 9.30pm. For more information please visit www.Motivated-Minds.co.uk, or contact Carla Andrews 07846 209 846.

Bridging the Gap 3 Project Bridging the GAP is a new community project that allows the young and old to come together to combat loneliness and share skills. It is an excellent opportunity for people in the Wickford area to exchange stories, life experiences and learn new skills; including cooking, sewing, knitting and pool. The club is open to young people from 11+ and the older genera-

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

tion 50+. The project is part of the Nevendon Neighbourhood Agreement and sessions are taking place at The Downtowner in Wickford on Thursdays from 3 -7pm until 31 March.

Lending a helping hand to the community A new bereavement support group was launched in Pitsea in January to help support residents in the borough who are grieving after the loss of their loved ones. Deputy Mayor of Basildon, Danny Lawrence attended the launch of Helping Hands at the Pitsea Activity Centre in Northlands Pavement. The initiative is supported and sponsored by T Cribb & Sons in conjunction with The Place and supported by Basildon Council and the Dove Community Counselling Service. For further information please contact ann@ tcribb.co.uk or call 01268 559000.

Pupils head to airfield for first workshop Following another year’s successful involvement in the STEM Project, Beauchamps High School continues to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) based subjects and careers. As part of a competition students worked in teams to design and build drones, where guidance was provided from industry expert Hi Point Visuals. The final stage will involve completing an obstacle course and simulated activities. Look out for further news of the competition in the next edition.

SPRING 2016

Save the date A round-up of local events for your diary May Fest Saturday 14 May 2016 Basildon Town Square All day event A fundraising day for local charities and community organisations to come together to showcase your organisation, encourage others in Basildon to support you, and raise funds. Organised by the Rotary Club of Basildon Concord it is open to the public, and will be a day full of activities with retail stalls and a funfair it offers a great day out for the whole family. Armed Forces Day Saturday 25 June 2016 12.00 - 1.30pm. Admission Free. Basildon Town Centre Armed Forces Day (formerly Veterans’ Day) is an annual event to commemorate the

services of men and women in the British Armed Forces. There will be a march through Basildon town centre led by the cadets band and followed by local veterans.

Wickford at the Somme 100 Event Saturday 9 July 2016 11am 4pm Wickford Memorial Park An event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme in 1916 as part of the WW1 commemorations. There will be WW1 memorabilia stands on display and activities.


SPRING 2016

BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Crucial Crew gets a new look for 2016 LOCAL primary schools have been attending “Crucial Crew” sessions running from the Collaborative Learning Centre in Wickford. “Crucial Crew” is a project that delivers important safety messages to 10 and 11 year old pupils who will soon be undergoing the transition from junior school to secondary school. This year, in a change from tradition, the number of topics covered has been reduced, but the length of time they are discussed has increased from 15 to 40 minutes per topic; covering issues such as online safety, grooming and healthy relationships. The individual scenarios are delivered by different agencies; Essex Police, Basildon Women’s Aid and Essex Community Development. Crucial Crew is very popular programme amongst local primary schools; and it is expected to be delivered to around 1200 pupils in schools across the Basildon Borough by the end of March 2016.

The session will raise awareness to the potential risks young people may face, the signs to look out for and the support that is available from local services. If you are a parent and want to book a place at the session on Friday, 18 March from 7:00pm at Woodlands School please RSVP via communitysafety@basildon.gov.uk or call 01268 206906.

Basildon residents say “No to knife crime” and the police continue with the knife amnesty bin The knife amnesty bin that has been installed in Pitsea to encourage residents to safely and anonymously dispose of weapons, has been extended indefinitely on advice from the police. In an initiative to remove them from the streets and reduce the chances of them getting into the wrong hands.

Risky behaviours awareness - for parents A Risky Behaviours Awareness Session is currently being organised for parents across the borough so they can learn important messages about what their child could be at risk of and how to identify the signs and support their child to make the right decisions.

Community Safety

The two hour event coincides with the National Child Sexual Exploitation Day on Friday, 18 March and will provide parents with important knowledge to safeguard their children from risks such as grooming, drugs and alcohol and online safety. This event is being organised as a direct result of the successful delivery of Risky Behaviours Conference to young people in November last year. To further enforce the safety messages and to strengthen the communication between children and parents, it has been recognised that parents need to be targeted with the same messages being given to their children.

The initiative by Community Safety Partnership and Basildon Council, working with local police and the Colchester based charity, Only Cowards Carry has seen over 70 knives returned after the bin was installed towards the end of last year. The police believe this shows that the message is beginning to register with residents concerned about knife crime and the wider public that no-one should carry a knife and Basildon does not tolerate knife crime. The bin was installed in response

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contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive something (for example, food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of performing, and or others performing sexual activities on them.

to a number of incidents, most notably the horrific death of Darren Kelly who was killed in a knife attack which attracted national attention. Following this a march took place through Pitsea under the slogan of “Say No to knife crime” which saw local residents take to the streets protesting their concern about increased knife attacks in a determined effort to raise awareness of the dangers. Alongside the charity Only Cowards Carry they held a series of “weapons awareness” lessons and workshops in local schools. Funded by Heart of Pitsea, a lottery funded organisation, the sessions are designed to educate children so that they understand the facts and reality of knife crime. Terri Sargent, cabinet member for environment and community, said: “This is an important initiative in the light of some recent incidents and is intended to show that the majority of people in Basildon are against knife crime and want to take positive steps to stop it happening. Basildon Council is pleased to be working with many of its partners to unite the community and I’m particularly pleased that the message and dangers of knife crime will be taken into the schools to educate our youngsters. The knife amnesty bin is currently opposite Chalvedon Social Club, in Mill Green Pitsea.

Child Sexual Exploitation The sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations,

Child sexual exploitation can occur through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition, for example the persuasion to post sexual images on the internet or via mobile phones with no immediate payment or gain. In all cases those exploiting the child or young person can have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and, or economic or other resources. Child sexual exploitation can happen within any relationship. All young people from all walks of life can be affected by child sexual exploitation. Vulnerable young people who may be suffering from low self-esteem, having difficult family relationships, having suffered a bereavement or loss, or are in care homes are known to be targeted for this type of abuse. Young people who go missing for periods of time, skip school, have unexplained possessions or begin displaying over-sexualised behaviour may be demonstrating the signs of CSE. If you know or are aware of a young person who you suspect may be suffering from this type of or any other type of abuse please contact the following services for support Essex Social Care - Helpline: Where there are immediate concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or young person: Telephone: 0345 603 7634 Email: initialresponseteam@essex.gcsx.gov.uk For all other enquiries: Telephone: 0345 603 7627 Email: initialresponseteam@essex.gcsx.gov.uk You can ask for help, advice or information for yourself, someone in your family, a friend or a neighbour. NSPCC - worried about a child? Contact our trained helpline counsellors for 24/7 help, advice and support. 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk. In the event of immediate emergency always dial 999.


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BOROUGHDIARY

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Sports

Great developments at sporting

SPRING 2016

Never too late to try a new sport

centres across the borough

Sport Centres around the borough have acquired an exciting new range of equipment and exercise classes. The Basildon Sporting Village and Eversley Leisure Centre, managed by Everyone Active on behalf of Basildon Council, have made an investment of over £370,000 into the areas gym and sporting centres, to meet the growing needs of the community. The refurbishment programme has meant an upgrade to facilities, improved services and the installation of new equipment. The Place in Pitsea managed by Basildon Council, has also extended its range of exercise classes to include pedal mania and punch, and has a wide range of equipment available, including cardiovascular machines, a power plate, and a range of weight resistance machines. At Eversley Leisure Centre in Pitsea, the developments include the installation of a new sound system, a rangeof cardiovascular machines, power plate and a variety of weight resistance machines, along with new spin bikes for the spinning studio. The centre celebrated the arrival of the new equipment with a spinning session in the main hall in January.

The Sporting Village received an array of new equipment, including gravity trainers and new strengthening equipment,

along with machines such as seated cross trainers, to make the gym more accessible for visitors with additional needs. This equipment builds on the success of the Sport for Confidence programme at the centre, which adapts coaching and sport to meet different levels of ability to cater to a variety of additional needs. The re-opening of the Sporting Village was celebrated in January by Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member for Arts and Leisure, and Brinn Bevan, GB gymnast who trains with the South East Essex Gymnastics Club based at the centre and whose recent accolades include bronze on the pommel horse in the European Games and team silver in the 2015 World Championships. Cllr Blake said: “These new state-of-the-art facilities reflect the fantastic changes made in the three leisure centres. We’re delighted that residents will now have the chance to use the new spin bikes at Eversley Leisure Centre, try the gravity trainers at The Sporting Village or visit the refurbished gym there. We hope the new facilities will play a part in their programme to get fitter and stay healthier in 2016.” For more information on the centres please call: The Place 01268 207885, Eversley Leisure Centre 01268 583076 or Basildon Sporting Village 01268 722450.

A badminton taster session at the Sporting Village

Sporting activity does not have to stop when people leave school. Active Basildon, which promotes sporting activity in the Basildon borough, has been holding taster sessions for a variety of sports, which will culminate in a sports festival to be held later in the spring at Basildon Sporting Village, which will be open to everyone. The various sessions held at Basildon Sporting Village included badminton, cricket and hockey to encourage residents to take up a sport. Focusing on

parents aged from 21 to 35 years old, an inspired sport programme also offered sessions in badminton, lawn bowls, netball, hockey, table tennis and cricket. Children, volunteers and others were also welcomed. The over-45s were catered for by an active plus games programme of taster sessions; which included cricket, walking, football, badminton, bowls and netball. Keep a look out for other sports events organised by Active Basildon around the borough. Please visit for information, or email activebasildon@basildon.gov.uk for further details about the festivals.

BOROUGHDIARY NEWS FROM BASILDON BOROUGH COUNCIL & YOUR COMMUNITY

To comment on stories in this edition of the Borough Diary, or to make suggestions, please write to: Michelle Daniel, Editor, Borough Diary, Basildon Borough Council, The Basildon Centre, St. Martin’s Square, Basildon, Essex SS14 1DL, or email michelle.daniel@basildon.gov.uk. About the Borough Diary: This newspaper is produced by the Corporate Communications Team at Basildon Borough Council. It is published four times a year and delivered free to almost 80,000 homes in Basildon, Billericay and Wickford.

Cllr Kevin Blake, left, Tom Fletcher, Manager of the Sporting Village and Connor Harold, with Brian Bevan, centre, at the re-opening of Basildon Sporting Village following refurbishment.

Young people have enjoyed going rock climbing - in the middle of Basildon! Active Basildon, which works with Basildon Council to promote sports activity for residents, held a course of sessions at the Basildon Sporting Village rock climbing wall for people aged 17 - 25.

young people the chance to discover a sport that they love.

The Rock Rave event was a series of fun, tutor-led climbing sessions, supported by funding from Sportivate, a Lottery funded London 2012 legacy project that gives

For more information about rock climbing or other activities, contact Hannah Moat by email at hannah.moat@creativesportandleisure.co.uk, or call her on 07709 592784.

The sessions were part of the sporting programme provided by Active Basildon in conjunction with Basildon Council to enable people to be more active.

Advertise in the Borough Diary: To advertise or enquire about rates and deadlines, call 01268 208198. Basildon Council accepts no responsibility for the content of any advertisement published in the Borough Diary and the inclusion of any advertisement does not imply approval or recommendation by the council of either the terms of any offer or service contained in it or of the advertiser. Other formats: To receive or download the electronic version of this newspaper via email, or to download the spoken word version, please visit www.basildon.gov.uk/boroughdiary For translations, or to receive the Borough Diary in an alternative format, please call 01268 208239. Printed on recycled paper. Please recycle your Borough Diary after reading. Basildon Borough Council, The Basildon Centre, St Martin’s Square, Basildon, Essex, SS14 1DL. Website: www.basildon.gov.uk Switchboard: 01268 533333 Email: mailroom@basildon.gov.uk Chief Executive: Bala Mahendran Leader: Councillor Phil Turner


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