Borough Diary Summer 2016 by Basildon Council

Your Election round-up

Regeneration around the borough SEE PAGE 4

SEE PAGE 6

Summer Events Guide

SEE PAGE 11

BOROUGHDIARY SUMMER 2016 WWW.BASILDON.GOV.UK

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NEWS FROM BASILDON BOROUGH COUNCIL & YOUR COMMUNITY

Jobs and business boost for Basildon

Chief Executive Bala Mahendran with John Morgan, Chief Executive Morgan Sindall alongside representatives from Basildon Council and Morgan Sindall

BUSINESSES and young people across Basildon will benefit after the council agreed a multi-million pound contract that will prioritise spending with local suppliers and create up to 150 local apprenticeships.

One of Morgan Sindall’s first projects will be the setup of a social enterprise called BasWorx. A social enterprise is a not for profit organisation, and any surplus made by the enterprise will be re-invested back into the business or local community.

The 15-year contract, with Morgan Sindall Property Services, brings together all maintenance and repair services for the council’s properties - which include more than 10,000 council homes, Towngate Theatre, the Basildon Centre and a range of community centres and village halls.

In its first year, BasWorx will be responsible for delivering some of the council’s estate and planned improvement works. They will have an apprenticeship scheme, and will partner with Prospects College of Advanced Technology (PROCAT) to deliver a wide variety of local apprenticeships over the length of the contract. They will also be looking to recruit apprentices for careers in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, roofing and business administration roles.

As well as providing an improved and lower-cost service to residents and council tenants, the council has ensured the contract places a high priority on social value - with bidders encouraged to deliver employment, training and supply opportunities to local residents and businesses.

It is anticipated that the will provide up to 30 ticeship opportunities one time and work to

contract apprenat any improve

employability by offering CVwriting courses and interview training through local skillsbased workshops. There are also further plans to develop partnerships with local schools, to deliver work experience placements and a construction careers event, titled ‘Morgan Sindall Prospects’. Basildon Council Chief Executive, Bala Mahendran, said: “This great partnership with Morgan Sindall highlights our commitment to our residents and allows us to provide a more efficient and streamlined maintenance service. “We’re pleased that this new contract will provide better servicing and renewals works for tenants across the borough. In addition, the introduction of new services means that people will have a better choice and improved access to what they need to maintain their homes.”

Dignitaries from the Council and South East Essex College mark the official start of works to rejuvenate Basildon Town Centre. (L-R) Naisha Polaine, Homes and Communites Agency, Ian Woolford, Basildon Council Interim Director for Strategic Partnerships, Chief Executive of Basildon Council Bala Mahendran, and Angela O’Donoghue, Principal and Chief Executive of South Essex College. For the full story, see page 6.

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News

Mayor’s Column

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

New public services hub just months away WORK will start in July to create the new public services hub that will bring an even wider range of support into one place for residents. The co-location of the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) into the Basildon Centre will bring a whole host of vital services into one building.

Helping local children’s charities will be top of my agenda IT IS almost 30 years to the day that I was elected as Chairman of what was then Basildon District Council. It was a privilege then, and it is an even greater one now to be elected as the Borough’s Mayor for the next 12 months. I’ve lived here nearly all my life, and I have a huge passion for the area. In particular I hope to play a role in ensuring residents see open, transparent decision-making on local issues - reflected not only through the meetings of the Full Council that I chair, but also in our committees and working groups that investigate local issues. Being a councillor is not a job - it is a privilege, and a responsibility we should all take very seriously. The elections showed us that, whilst turnout was low, democracy is certainly not dead - it is there to be cherished and I hope to be able to encourage more people to be a part of it. Another important role for me over the next year will be to raise funds for local charities - using the chain of office as a mechanism to help promote and support the groups that do such good work in the borough every day. As Mayor I have chosen two charities to support. Firstly, I have chosen the Wagtail Children’s Ward at Basildon Hospital, with its oncology treatment rooms. The hospital is a receiving hospital for Great Ormond Street. I’ve had the unfortunate benefit of seeing first hand just how terrific they are - my young grandson was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2012, and it is through the fantastic efforts of Basildon and Great Ormond Street Hospitals that he is now three years in remission. My second charity will be “Lukes” the part of St Luke’s Hospice that recognises the needs of children. “Lukes” Counselling Service for children and young people, acknowledges the impact of a life challenging illness, or bereavement, and gives the children and young people an opportunity to express their feelings in a supportive environment during a challenging time. I have a longstanding relationship with St Luke’s dating back to my earlier term as a councillor, and raising money for this part of the hospice is important to me. I would be delighted for your support for these charities - and if you wish to donate you can do so by sending a cheque made payable to Basildon Borough Council ‘ Mayor’s Charity’ via the Mayor’s office. Or you can contact the Mayor’s office on 01268 206736 to discuss other options. I look forward to using this column to promote the great work these charities do, and to encourage readers to get involved in the council’s decision making.

As well as council services such as housing, council tax, leisure, environmental services and benefits support, the new-look Basildon Centre will also host the DWP’s Jobcentre Plus and employment advice, as well as the new Citizens Advice Bureau. This is in addition to the library run by Essex County Council, already located in the centre.

will see an increase in our opening hours and improved access to information, advice and guidance.” Chief Executive Bala Mahendran said: “At a time when public services are funded less than ever before, this is a genuine achievement. Residents will get a far better service, with all their public services in one place - from housing to employment support, legal advice, council tax and early years support. Our first priority is to give value for money to taxpayers, and I don’t think anybody can argue that this doesn’t achieve that.”

Improvements will include a new layout and a modernised self-service area where residents can pay bills, look for jobs, complete online applications and access help with job searches. A community and enterprise stage will also display achievements taking place around the borough. Building work is anticipated to start in July, with a short period of disruption. Services will continue as normal where possible, with the majority of partner agencies in place from November 2016.

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Existing ground floor

Conservatives retain decision- Leader’s View making control at Basildon The Conservative Party will continue to make the key decisions at Basildon Council after the local elections saw them retain almost half the seats on the council.

The votes were counted during a night of drama at the Sporting Village, where 150 council staff worked into the night to count the 34,000 votes cast by local residents.

Although it does not hold an overall majority, the party will run the council as a minority administration, after the elections saw them end up holding 18 of the council’s 42 seats - the same overall number of seats they held before polling day.

At around 1.30am, after votes from all 77 polling stations were counted, the Conservatives had won 18 seats, UKIP 10, Labour 9, Wickford Independents 3, and Independence from the EU 2 seats. Not all councillors were up for election - the council is voted in by thirds, meaning a third of councillors are re-elected each year.

That means they will continue to form the council’s decision-making Cabinet committee, setting the council’s overall priorities and direction. Most of the council’s major decisions are decided by the Cabinet - although some, such as the annual budget, require a vote of all 42 councillors.

Following the elections, councillors met to decide who would be the borough’s new Mayor, replacing the outgoing Cllr Don Morris, as well as voting on who would take roles including Council Leader and the chairmanships of the council’s various scrutiny and regulatory committees. The new Mayor is Cllr David Harrison (Wickford Independents), while Cllr Phil Turner (Conservatives) was confirmed as the Council Leader again for the next two years.

Overall number of councillors on Basildon Council

people working into

the night at 77 polling stations

% of the council controlled by the conservatives, the largest group

total number of votes

cast by residents

Basildon Borough Council Election May 2016 Summary of Results Pre-Election

Post-Election

Artist impression of proposed ground floor layout, November 2016

Conservative

Forget Me Not Memory Café

Conservative

Labour

UKIP

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.

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

News

42 265 42 34K

Sandra Valentine, Jobcentre Plus Manager, said: “The relocation of our Jobcentre presents us with an exciting opportunity to work alongside other partners to deliver improved services to local people”. Kathy Peach, Chief Executive of Basildon’s Citizens Advice Bureau said: “We are delighted to be moving to a central location…the first phase of improvements

SUMMER 2016

The borough also has a new main opposition party, after the UK Independence Party (UKIP) moved ahead of the Labour Party with a total of 10 seats. Labour is now the third largest group on the council with 9 seats.

The partnership will be the largest of its kind between the DWP and a council. As well as saving money for taxpayers and generating revenue for the council through leasing part of the Basildon Centre, the changes will see a completely new look to public services on the ground floor of the building.

Wickford Independents

Independence from EU

EVERYONE IS WELCOME. The George Hurd Centre, Audley Way, Basildon Essex SS14 2AB (01268) 465854.

Cllr David Harrison, Mayor of Basildon

SUMMER 2016

Lib Dem & Green

Now more than ever, we need to put Basildon first This is the start of a really important municipal year for the council - and with the elections over and no overall change to the council’s leadership, we all have to focus on delivering our ambitious plans for the borough. Our core priorities - delivering regeneration and growth by investing in our high streets and town centres, creating homes and supporting local business and education - are on the verge of having a real impact. We now have a property stake in the town centre through Freedom House, which will help us market and unlock that end of town for redevelopment. The plans to create a brand new campus for South East Essex College in the heart of the town centre are progressing, and work will start this summer to bring the town market into a brand new St Martin’s Square. The market move should be complete in 2017, and the college in 2018. This year will see plans come forward for the next phase of improvements at Pitsea centre, the first look at proposals for the long-awaited redevelopment of Laindon, plans to improve East Square, the development of the new GP surgery at Wickford, and improvements to a range of parks including the refurbishment of Wickford Pavilion. And that’s just naming a few. In the past year we’ve welcomed Costa Coffee, Amazon and other big brand employers to the borough, and this summer The Range superstore will open its doors at Pitsea, creating another 80 jobs locally. And as we refine the Local Plan - the strategy that sets out how we will meet demand for homes and create another 8,000 jobs by earmarking land for new employment premises has been under consultation, and will create even more opportunities for local people. It’s genuinely an exciting time. But to make sure we deliver the best for the people of Basildon, all the political groups on the council will need to work together - differences of ethos are welcome in the council chamber, but we all have to remember that we’re here to work together to deliver for the borough. So with the elections over, I look forward to getting on with the job in hand, and seeing our borough improve.

Cllr Phil Turner, Leader of Basildon Council

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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Elections

SUMMER 2016

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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Elections

YOUR BOROUGH

YOUR VOICE

EVERY resident in the borough is represented by a local councillor - they are there to help you with local issues, and to make sure your voice is heard when the council is making decisions about the area.

Anthony Hedley 01277 626198

David Dadds 01277 829808

Danny Lawrence Phil Turner (Leader of the Council) 01277 633918 01277 657480

Adele Brown 07791 109436

Allan Davies 01268 459285

Andrew Schrader Stuart Sullivan 07769 651708 01268 560477

Alan Ball 01268 562851

Billericay East

Most councillors hold surgeries where local residents can go along and talk to them about any issue, and details of these can be found on the council website, basildon.gov. uk.

Stuart Allen 01268 284225

Burstead

The council elects its councillors in “thirds” - a third of the council’s seats are placed up for election each year, with everybody standing for election over a period of three years.

Andrew Baggott Richard Moore 01277 634375 01277 627266

Following the elections, seats on the council’s various committees - such as planning, licensing and scrutiny committees - are divided proportionally to reflect the overall balance of power on the council.

Mark Ellis 07712 706892

Hazel Green 07903 480549

We also explain on these pages how the council makes decisions, and how it ensures local councillors are able to influence and scrutinise decisions that affect the area.

All members can be contacted via email: firstname.surname@members.basildon.gov.uk

Wickford Castledon

Laindon Park

Carole Morris 01268 457488

David Harrison Christopher Jackman (Mayor & Wickford 07762 888775 Independents Leader) 01268 734768

St. Martin’s Gavin Callaghan Imelda Clancy (Labour Leader) 07563 748334 07908 698743

Gary Canham 07415 309446

Vange

Linda Allport-Hodge Stephen Hillier (UK Independence 01268 490201 Party Leader) 07711 937619

Langdon Hills

Nethermayne

Kayte Block 07703 577548

Pitsea South East Frank Ferguson 07817 311373

Wickford Independents

Andrew Buxton 07900 154418

David Burton-Sampson 07480 339823

The Leader & Cabinet Following the elections, Cllr Phil Turner (Conservative) was re-elected as Leader of the Council – the most senior political role. The Leader is responsible for choosing Cabinet, which directs strategic policy and budget setting for services. The Cabinet takes all decisions on major strategy and spending priorities. It does not deal with planning or licencing applications (see below). Each Cabinet Member is given specific areas of responsibility, such as environmental services or regeneration, and are responsible for the strategic direction and performance of those services. They also take some decisions on their areas individually through delegated authority.

Stephen Hodge 07842 086712

Kerry Smith (Independence from the EU Leader) 01268 661812

Amanda Arnold 07510 385744

Jose Carrion 07908 439441

Melissa McGeorge 07545 237217

Scrutiny Committees Basildon has four Scrutiny Committees that support the work of the Cabinet and Council, allowing people to have a greater say in council matters by holding reviews and inquiries into issues of local concern. These committees act as a check and balance to the Cabinet, and ensure decisions are monitored and scrutinised by elected councillors. Regulatory Committees There are five regulatory committees in total – they are non-political but are representative of the number of seats held across the council by different parties. The Planning Committee determines the outcome of planning applications, based on legal and planning advice from council officers. The Licencing Committee grants licenses for a range of local services and businesses to operate.

Andrew Gordon 07817 865202

Derrick Fellowes 07788 298007

The Mayor The Mayor is the ceremonial face of the council, and plays a key role in community engagement. As well as being the independent chair at meetings of the Full Council, the Mayor works with community groups, represents the council at community and ceremonial events, and plays a significant role in raising funds for local charities.

All Cabinet decisions are published on the council’s website, basildon.gov.uk.

Labour

Independence from the EU

Michael Mowe 01268 463564

Wickford Park

Lee Chapel North

Alan Bennett 01277 626236

The majority of council decisions are made by the Cabinet, which is formed by the Leader of the largest group following the elections. Some decisions require a vote of all councillors, at a meeting of the Full Council.

Pitsea North West

Conservative

UKIP

Peter Holliman 07956 395818

Fryerns Andrew Barnes 07427 356812

Don Morris 07960 959689

Wickford North

Crouch

Kevin Blake (Deputy Leader of the Council) 01268 470597

This year, the council has some new councillors, following the changes that saw UK Independence party increase their number of overall seats.

Visitors to the council’s website can simply type in their postcode on the homepage and find out everything they need to know about their area - who their local councillor is, recycling dates, school locations, parks and health services.

David Sheppard 07743 383777

Terri Sargent 01268 288766

They can advise on how to get involved in decisions, who to contact, and can take issues up on your behalf.

These pages will help you find who your councillor is and how you can contact them. Every councillor’s full details, including postal addresses, are published on the council website, basildon.gov.uk.

How local decisions are made

Billericay West

While the majority of council decisions are made by the decision-making Cabinet or a meeting of the Full Council, local councillors are there to raise local views or concerns and make sure they are taken into account.

Stephen Ward (Deputy Mayor) 07908 439441

Other regulatory committees are Audit and Risk, Employment and General Purposes, and the Joint Standards Committee.

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Regeneration

SUMMER 2016

College and market plans on the move Plans for the regeneration of Basildon town centre are underway, and the first step is the move of the market to its brand new home. Works have begun to move the Basildon market from its current site in Market Square to its new home in St Martin’s Square. The move has been welcomed by traders, allowing the market to provide improved facilities and stalls, and it will bring a much needed boost to the economy and increase footfall to the local area. The proposed plans are part of a complete makeover for St Martin’s Square. As part of the redesign to create an attractive visitor and shopper experience in the town centre, you will soon see a complete revamp.

There will be new coordinated paving, street furniture, and planting amongst the enhancements.

SUMMER 2016

New paving around the iconic fountain will enhance this focal feature and improvements will be made to the area of the bell tower and church car park. These works will complete the green link from the town centre to Gloucester Park via the new pedestrian crossing and boulevard.

The capital investment of just over £8million will generate an annual income for the council which will support its financial position and contribute to the overall funding of services to the community. It is a part of the council’s ongoing commitment to the economic resilience, growth and sustainability of the town centre.

The Basildon Market will add to the rejuvenation of the town centre, creating a bright new attraction for the town, which will bring a much needed economic boost to market trade. Artist impression: proposed plans for St Martin’s Square Garden aerial view

The council plans to transform the area into a ‘leisure quarter’ which will include restaurants and bars, and comprise a mixture of housing and retail space around a central leisure square. The acquisition will also enable the council to look at opportunities to support its economic development strategy - such as using empty units to support local start-up businesses. The council can now become a member of Basildon Town Centre Management Limited, giving it additional influence in

Regeneration

town centre decision making. “We are pleased to see the council investing in the town,” said Iain Bond of BTCM Limited. “The regeneration of East Square is an important objective for BTCM, and the council’s acquisition will help unlock its potential. We look forward to working with the council and sharing our ideas for a revitalised ‘heart’ to the town.”

as their aspirations for town centre regeneration means the shoppers and residents of Basildon will be the real winners in this acquisition” With revamp work planned to create a new piazza around Basildon station,

Ross Campbell Director of Retail Investment at Cushman and Wakefield said: “Basildon Council have been very proactive in securing this block of retail and vacant offices that has previously seen high vacancy rates and squatter problems - and their ongoing plans for the block as well

The Range Superstore in the heart of Pitsea, will be opening its doors on 15 July. Generating a significant number of new jobs for local people, this will bring an economic boost and increase footfall to the centre of town.

Work starts on South East Essex College Campus Following the relocation of the market, South East Essex College will move into a newly constructed building in Market Square. This is part of an estimated £39million investment in the town centre and involves a new state-of-the-art building centrally located in the town centre, with accessible links to train and bus transportation networks. The new Basildon Campus will have a variety of courses on offer and a strong STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) influence to its curriculum, for which there is a skill shortage in these areas impacting business and growth. This will in effect enhance the local training and skills provision in key subject areas, attract-

ing a far-wider pool of college students. The recent completion of the freehold sale of land to developer Redrow Homes for the first phase of development at Dry Street, will see the first 181 homes being built. The site close to Basildon Hospital, will release funds to support the relocation of the market and the construction of the new college. The new estate will eventually provide 725 high-quality new homes with planned infrastructure, including a new primary school and health centre to support the new residents and minimise the impact on existing services. Anthony McGarel, Deputy Principal and Chief Executive of the College, said: “We can’t wait to bring much-needed

further education facilities to the heart of Basildon. “Our motivation is to develop first-class facilities for young people and adults in Basildon, in line with what employers need. We will not compromise on the quality of education we provide. The local community deserves the best and that is what we are going to deliver. It is vital that Basildon has its own state-of-theart campus that inspires young people to succeed. “We also hope the new campus will kick start the regeneration of the town centre. The increase of students in the area will help the town’s economy like our other campuses in Southend and Thurrock have proved.”

Cllr Phil Turner, Leader of the Council said: “In the new world of public services, this is a great example of how local services work together to deliver community benefit. Our ambition is to generate economic growth, but in a way that allows local people to prosper and gain the skills to benefit from a thriving local economy.

which would link to the modern town centre, Basildon is set to become a vibrant, attractive place to visit, live and work in. Look out for updates about your town in forthcoming editions of Borough Diary.

Cushman and Wakefield advisors to the council on the regeneration of the town centre, confirm that acquiring the block will be a further catalyst to this regeneration. There is an increasing trend of inward investment in the town centre; with other projects including the recent planning application for the Mighty Rhino restaurant, the conversion of Trafford House as well as the successful housing developments at Acacia Park and Gloucester Gate.

Freedom House, East Square Basildon

Pitsea to celebrate opening of The Range, creating 80 new jobs

Artist impression of St Martin’s Square

Council buys retail block to create a leisure quarter as re-development edges one step closer In a bid to allow the council to play a more proactive role in reviving East Square, Basildon Council has acquired Freedom House and the southern side of East Walk- the retail block which runs from East Square to Toys R Us.

A new design for St Martin’s Gardens will be implemented bringing a more open and peaceful space for rest, relaxation and reflection.

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The Range is a British home, garden and leisure retail chain, with currently over 100 stores in the UK. The new flagship store will occupy all of the 75,000 sq. ft. building and will create jobs for local people. The Pitsea store will be spread over two floors offering a wide range across 16 departments including DIY, arts & crafts, furniture and homewares, and will include a family café. This in turn will bring a much wider retail landscape for local shoppers in the area, to now include two major supermarkets and The Range superstore.

“The council can do so much - regenerate town centres, support local business to grow and encourage new businesses to locate here. But the college is a key part of the borough’s future - by leveraging investment from housing developers to fund the new campus, both the council and the college are on the same page, moving towards the same goal.” One of the existing Range Superstores in Hertfordshire

The occupation of the unit, is the largest for developer London & Cambridge’s £30million regeneration of Pitsea town centre, and completes the first phase of the revival of the area. Other projects have been; the creation of a new market square, new Aldi store, refurbishment to the outside of Pembroke House and new parking and landscaping. The news has been welcomed by 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 in Essex. Market traders are hopeful that the greater retail offer will quickly start to draw shoppers back to Pitsea town centre, creating a positive upturn for a revival of the market. The official opening will be attended by Basildon Council representatives.

On the horizon… In addition to the plans for Basildon town centre, the council is working on proposals for further improvements to Pitsea and Wickford town centres, and public realm improvements to Billericay High Street.

The council is also continuing to work with Swan Housing to bring forward their plans for the redevelopment of Laindon Town Centre. Plans for public consultation this summer will be released shortly.

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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

SUMMER 2016

Community Building a community Some of the community activities to enjoy in Nevendon in Nevendon... Nevendon has been proving how big things can grow from small beginnings. People across the community have been coming together in the past year, for events and activities that have brought the community closer and strengthened community spirit. In May, residents marked a year of the launch of the Nevendon Neighbourhood Agreement (NNA), a partnership between community groups to work together to improve the local area. The NNA follows on from a project that took place in the Highcliffe area of Wickford, which left a legacy of the Poppy Pavilion Café, a work club, a computer club and a time banking project. To understand the views and opinions of people in the area, to make Nevendon a better place to live in, a large-scale community survey was conducted including a question and answer session. Four priorities were identified; opportunities for children and young people, improving community spirit, support for older people and improving knowledge

and communication. A steering group was also set up in April 2015, with the help of Basildon Council’s Community Involvement team, after it secured funding from Essex County Council for community support. Over the year, events have drawn a great response, see right for some of the activities going on in the area.

Residents enjoy an activity session at the Nevendon Senior Social Club

Here is a round-up of activities that are being held in the Nevendon area. Further sessions are dependent on demand. If you are interested in any of the below, please contact Heather Wood via email: heather.wood@basildon.gov.uk or telephone: 01268 208072. Artistic Creations Exhibition at the Wickford Community Centre This exhibition gave the opportunity for local artists to display their many talented creations. Various exhibits at the event included oil, pastel and chalk pictures, photography, embroidery, tapestry, quilt making, bead work, flower arranging and table decorations. A weekly “Meet and Make” session is held weekly at St Andrews Church Basildon, on Tuesday afternoons from 1pm - 4 pm. Sign post A weekly held internet job club, to help the unemployed, and people who may be looking

for a change in their career is available. Sessions will offer not only CV writing and job searching but will include self-esteem and confidence building courses. Drop-in sessions are running every Wednesday from 1pm 4pm at the Wickford Library. IT device support This work group is for people who need a confidence boost in using an iPhone, iPad, laptop, or camera. A six month programme proved so popular that a further six-week programme has been developed and 15 successfully finished the course. Support drop-in sessions are continuing on Friday mornings 10am to 1pm, at the Wickford Library, supported by volunteers and library staff. Highcliffe Children’s Centre Triangle Family Fun A taster session, including arts and crafts, free face painting and a healthy option lunch was held at the Downtowner in Wickford. It has generated further weekly sessions, which will take place on Saturday

mornings from 10am -11.45am at the Downtowner, Irvon Hill Road, and Wickford. Bridging the Gap This activity which has united older people with teenagers, was so successful that following three programmes, which included after school sessions, a fourth is in the planning. Volunteers are very important to this activity, so if you can spare some time, and are interested in participating, please contact Heather Wood for information on further sessions. Health and quality of life training Following the installation of two life-saving defibrillators, training is being offered in the community on how to use them and provide essential advice for users. 105 residents have already been trained, and further sessions are to be held for young parents which will be available widely in schools. If you are interested in the training courses provided, please contact Heather Wood.

SUMMER 2016

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Community

Local girl receives three awards for recognition of her outstanding voluntary work Chair of the Basildon Youth Council, Carla Clifford age 18 from Essex, became a volunteer after being a victim of bullying. She since has gone on to regain her confidence and speak out against bullying and its harmful effects, helping others in similar situations. In a truly outstanding achievement, Carla has recently won three prestigious awards for her voluntary work; The Diana Award, Jack Petchey and the Duke of Edinburgh. She recently said: “I love volunteering and have received three awards from being on the Youth Council. It has helped me learn many new things and meet new people. I would recommend volunteering no matter your age, because doing something for someone else is a great thing to be proud of”. Every day volunteers across the borough give up their time to help, support and improve their local community through many different ways. However there is still a shortage and the council is keen to highlight the positives of volunteering and encourage people who may have considered or have misconceptions to take the plunge. Could you be a volunteer? Basildon Council has recently launched a campaign to urge people to think about taking up a voluntary placement as a positive means of making a difference and helping out their communities. Organised on behalf of the

Basildon Community Involvement Team and the Essex Youth Service it is a borough-wide initiative, that will highlight the need for more volunteers to come forward and celebrate the success and great achievements that volunteering can bring. To celebrate all that being a volunteer entails, the council would like you to nominate your local voluntary hero in recognition of their hard work and dedication for the annual Volunteer Awards. There are nine categories to choose from, with awards for young people, groups and long serving volunteers.

smile on someone’s face and help them greatly”. If you are interested in finding out more about voluntary opportunities, please contact the Community Involvement team email: communityinvolvement@basildon.gov.uk or telephone: 01268 208224. Social media: Facebook page Basildon-Community-Involvement. Twitterfeed @Community_Invol.

All nominees will be invited to the awards ceremony later in the year. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges who will receive a trophy and cash prize. All nominations open in July and the ceremony will be held on 10 October 2016, at the Towngate Theatre. Cllr Terri Sargent, Cabinet Member for Environment and the Community said: “Volunteering is a great way to reach out to others in the community and it can be really rewarding knowing you are making a difference to peoples’ lives. There are many diverse organisations you can volunteer for. We all lead busy lives today, however, helping out for a couple of hours volunteering a week or even a month, can put a

Carla Clifford with Suzanne Barwell, Community Development Officer

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

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Environment

SUMMER 2016

Sizzling hot summer fun for everyone to enjoy in Basildon Residents in the borough will be delighted with the fantastic line up of free events and other activities, at low prices planned by the council for families, friends and visitors alike this summer in the borough’s parks and open spaces. Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea is hosting events catering to everyone’s tastes this summer. Along with the regular children’s play area that will be open 7 days a week, there are kid’s education activities during the school holidays at low prices, such as the Woodlands Warriors (booking needs to be made in advance). Nature enthusiasts can take walks on the new perimeter path, visit the bird hides overlooking the relaxed habitats or stroll along the marina. For people who want to experience nature over the summer, there are pond dipping sessions and bug hunting on various days in the RSPB Wat Tyler wildlife garden, during July and throughout the rest of the summer. Visitors can stop by the RSPB visitor centre, to find out more information or pop along for refreshments at the Wat Tyler Café and shop at the gift store. Based at the Wat Tyler Green Centre, Basildon Heritage are open to help anyone with local and family history, research on Mondays and Wednesdays between 10am -1pm and Saturdays 11am -3.30pm. History and photography fans can visit the current Basildon Heritage exhibition in the Wat Tyler Green Centre in Down Memory Lane, featuring photographs from Five Bells to Saddlers Farm and the Future Basildon Heritage exhibition in the Wat Tyler Green Centre, runs until Monday 1 August and is a history of Girl Guiding in the borough. The Essex Natural History Show on Sunday 21 August will be teeming with birds of prey including owls. There will be demonstrations of Stone Age living history with a Stone Age dwelling and flint hand tools demonstrations. There will be a chance to see nature close-up, such as fossils, rocks and look at stunning wildlife photography. There will also be mini beast hunts, local history with Basildon Heritage, RSPB involvement, Essex Field Club craft activities, identification drop-ins, natural history displays, pond dipping and lots more. On Sunday 3 July, Essex Field Club have a course at the Green Centre run by the County Recorder for grasshoppers and crickets. The event costs £10 and is free to Essex Field Club members, refreshments are provided, however, it’s advisable to bring your own lunch or stop by at the Wat Tyler café for a bite to eat. Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member for Arts and Leisure said: “The council is inviting everyone to come and join in the summer’s activities, of which there will be many over the holiday period. Bring your families and friends and relax with the free music and other fun activities. There’s plenty to suit everyone’s tastes, and if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, why not try something different? Many events and activities are free too and others are low priced, so we’re expecting a big turnout for residents and visitors. Make sure you book in advance where you need to and we look forward to seeing you over the summer!” People are invited to come along to Wickford Memorial Park and enjoy a walk along the River Crouch. At Lake Meadows, there’s plenty of activities to take part in as well. People can enjoy a picnic, as Jazz in the Park 2016 returns on Saturday 16 July, with the popular Daisy Bowlers, who are back for the third time. Additionally, there will be a host of local talent to keep music fans happy. People can also watch out for the spectacular Love your Borough free event on Saturday 3 September, which will

be held in the Basildon Town Centre and is a celebration of Basildon, featuring the communities in the borough and highlighting its produce and industry. There will be community groups and sports activities for everyone to enjoy on the day too.

New play areas for children in the borough

SUMMER 2016

Lake Meadows Park, Billericay

Expectations are high for the fourth Bark in the Park event, which will be held on Saturday 17 September. There will be plenty to keep children entertained, and many stalls for adults to browse through. Anyone who wants to explore the borough more can visit Norsey Wood and the Wick Country Park. The ancient woodland in Norsey Wood will appeal to those with an inclination towards natural wildlife and a visit to the Norsey Woodland Crafts adds a touch of creativity to a peaceful day out. People can also escape the summer crowds and relax in the natural surroundings of the Wick Country Park. Cllr Kevin Blake added: “The summer months are also a great time for people to keep fit and we encourage residents to take part in activities and classes in outdoor environments. Your local leisure centre can give you details of all events and you can contact them for further information. Cyclists are welcome in the parks too and cycling is a great way to keep fit and get around the borough. We encourage leisurely cycling on our different perimeter paths, which are of course, also for use by pedestrians. We would encourage people to take care over the summer and enjoy your chosen activity at the same time.”

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member for Arts and Leisure said: “Basildon Council is passionate about providing enticing and fun play facilities at the heart of local communities to encourage healthy physical activity for children and young people and to provide the challenges that they thrive upon.” Children will notice the attractive new play equipment in eight play spaces around the borough, as work was completed in time for the summer so youngsters could get out and get active. Residents in Pitsea and Laindon can look forward to further upgrade work in local play spaces later this year. The play areas span the borough and can be found in one of the following locations:

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.

Paws in the Park Sunday 12 June 2016 12pm to 4pm The Wick Country Park Registration desk is open from 11am for show entries this will be located at the front of the pavilion. A hugely popular annual fun dog show, for dogs of all types, ages and sizes. This is a must for all dog lovers. Free to spectators and visitors, show entry £2 per dog per category.

Skylarks 3K Race Wednesday 20 July 2016 The check-in desk will be open in the

• Kingswood Open Space, Basildon

Cycling for health and fitness

• Langham Crescent, Billericay • Passingham Close, Billericay • Mopsies Park, Basildon • Great Gregorie, Basildon

• Riding a bike is a healthy, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages • Cycling is fun, cheap and good for the environment, and is easy to fit into your daily routine • Cycling is good for strength and stamina - it increases stamina, strengthens muscles and is an all-round aerobic work out Playgrounds at Worthing Road, Laindon Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea

pavilion from 7pm, please check-in by 7.15pm at the latest, to enable a prompt race start at 7.30pm. Entry £3. Another chance to participate in a race around the park organised in conjunction with the Pitsea Running Club. Open to all runners and power walkers. Supporters are welcome.

Nature Quest

• Cycling can help to protect you from serious diseases such as stroke, heart attack, depression, diabetes, obesity and arthritis

For information on the park events listed above, please visit: friendsofwickcountrypark.co.uk or for further details, please telephone: 01268 734293.

British Open Putting Championships Thursday 1 - Friday 2 September 2016 8.30am - 6pm Basildon Golf Club, Clay Hill Lane, Basildon Essex SS16 5JP

Sunday 24 July 2016 11am to 4pm A free day for the family and for children to explore the nature of the park, with ten or more different activities to try. Feel free to bring along a picnic.

Telephone: 01268 533532

Festival of Golf Monday 19 - Saturday 24 September

Sunday 7 August 2016 Starts at 2pm (for two hours)

Basildon Golf Club, Clay Hill Lane, Basildon Essex SS16 5JP

Led by the park ranger, catch and identify insects found in the park, and observe the beautiful dragonflies. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Telephone: 01268 533532 for more details.

Kite Festival & Classic Car Display

Saturday 3 September 2016 10am - 5pm Basildon Town Centre

Sunday 11 September 2016 11am to 4pm

Love your Borough

A community family-fun event to celebrate Basildon.

A great family day out. Learn how to make There will be stalls, entertainment, food & and fly a kite. This event is held in conjunction with the Essex Kite Group and the South drink. Admission is free. Eastern Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club. Entrance is free.

Getting Basildon Cycling

• Worthing Road, Laindon

• Cranfield Park, Wickford (with new outdoor gym)

Environment

Wickford at the Somme 100 Event

The borough of Basildon has an excellent infrastructure for cycling, with wide bicycle lanes that are clearly marked, safe, well lighted and signposted. They are available to encourage you to get out in the fresh air and get on your bike! Cycling is a great and fun way to see the great outdoors, the beauty of nature and all that there is to offer. There are also many positive benefits to cycling.

• Delmores, Langdon Hills

Summer Events for your calendar

The following events below will be taking place at the Wick Country Park Pavilion, The Wick, Off Tresco Way, Wickford SS12 9GP. Pre-booking is not required and refreshments will be available at all events. Basildon Council have been working to enhance the safety and enjoyment of the borough’s playgrounds with joint funding and investment from various partners, especially Veolia North Thames Trust. Hundreds of pupils from local schools took part in design consultations to ensure the revamps met their needs. The new playgrounds have been redesigned and fitted with modern play frames and equipment, improved safety features and more resilient eco-surfacing.

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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

• Cycling is time-efficient; it is a great way to combine regular exercise with your everyday routine. An estimated one billion people ride bicycles every day for transport, recreation and sport. For more information on the cycle routes available in Basildon, please visit: essexhighways.org/cyclingroutes.

New date planned for fundraising workshop “Show me the money” A new fundraising workshop “Show me the money”, organised by the Community Involvement Team will be held on Wednesday 21 September, at The Basildon Centre from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. The workshop for local charities, community groups and voluntary organisations will advise on how to apply for funding, writing applications, access to the councils funding portal, tips for success and more information about our services. It is open to all community and voluntary organisations. Places are limited and advance booking is required. For further details email: communityinvolvement@basildon.gov.uk or telephone: 01268 208224.

Local schools promote anti-littering and recycling

In April, a new initiative was launched to raise awareness within local primary schools about anti- littering across the borough, organised by the council’s Community Involvement team. Suzanne Barwell and Carolyn Mallott from Tovi Eco Park, visited pupils at the Cherry Tree Primary School in Basildon to teach about the nuisance of litter in public places, and the benefits of recycling. If you would like to find out more information on the initiative, please contact Carolyn Mallott email: cmallott@urbaser.co.uk or telephone: 01268 728365.

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Community Safety

Walk Online Roadshows

During March and April, the Community Safety Partnership delivered Walk Online Roadshows to over 3,000 pupils and teachers from primary schools across Basildon. The roadshows provided young people with important information and advice on how to stay safe online, the dangers and inherent risks associated and what the tell-tale signs are. The project was aimed to highlight the dangers of child exploitation online, helping to reach young people in an interesting and interactive way. To understand their position and how vulnerable they are when using popular online sites, apps and games. The information sessions made it clear just how easy it is for young people online to potentially become a victim of grooming and exploitation. Following the event the feedback from pupils was extremely positive and highlighted that it had made them think about their online usage and what they could do to keep themselves safe online. 56% of pupils rated the roadshows as excellent and 81% stated that they now knew more about internet safety. The High Sherriff of Essex, John Woodley attended the roadshows and reported: “I certainly learned a great deal about the various dangers of online safety and looking at the children’s faces during the video sessions, it also seemed to strike a chord with them. The world of technology has changed so dramatically in a very short period of time and the work that you help to promote is essential for the safety of our future generations”. The Community Safety Partnership will be looking to deliver the roadshows to the new cohort of Year 5 pupils in primary schools within the borough later this year.

Detective Sargeant John Woodley presenting at the Walk Online Roadshow in March

Crucial Crew

Crucial Crew is a project delivering Community Safety messages targeted at 10 - 11 year olds to support children in their time of transition from primary to secondary school. These projects have proven very successful and have continued to be delivered

for four consecutive years across the borough. One of the CSP’s key focus is early intervention and prevention with the aim to reduce the number of young people who are affected by crime. To reflect the partnership’s key themes a decision was made to move away from the traditional delivery of Crucial Crew; changing the key topics of the scenarios, increasing the session length and making it more engaging for the audience. This enabled a greater depth of information to be delivered and provided the opportunity for the young people to get more involved and ask any follow-up questions. The role-play scenarios were based around the CSP’s key themes. It was considered overall that all the topics covered at the events were linked together, and resulted in the pupils having a greater awareness and stronger understanding of healthy relationships, grooming and online safety. In general the changes were well received by both teachers and the 1,100 pupils that attended with very positive feedback from all the students involved. We will keep you updated on the next series of Crucial Crew events to be held, in the next edition of the Borough Diary.

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

SUMMER 2016

and Anti-Social Behaviour’ in the Basildon Borough 2015-2018 and the Community Safety Partnership annual report 2015-16 is now available on the council’s website. The CSP has recently updated and developed the ‘Basildon CSP Plan on a Page’, to provide a visual tool for partners and members of the community to easily identify the partnership’s priorities and delivery mechanisms available. To view a copy of these documents please visitbasildon.gov.uk, click on the community tab under more services, to find further details on the Community Safety pages for the borough.

Community Safety Action Zones to hold ‘pop-up’ sessions

at quick interventions which have an immediate impact”. All upcoming action engagement days to be held will run on the following days from 11am to 3pm. Please save the following dates for your diary below. The locations are to be confirmed, please follow our twitter feed @basildoncsp for details and regular updates. Wednesday 27 July 2016 Thursday 8 September 2016 Tuesday 25 October 2016 Wednesday 7 December 2016 Tuesday 10 January 2017 Wednesday 15 February 2017

Risky Behaviours Parents Conference Report 2016

Research shows that young people spend a vast amount of time using social media, the internet and socialising. For the majority of the time spent online it is normal adolescent activity but sometimes it can have a hidden risk to children that parents should be more aware of and have the ability to control. As a parent would you be able to tell the difference? To help raise awareness and inform parents of the danger, an information awareness session was held for parents to coincide with National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day held annually in March. This year’s event was held at The Woodlands School, Basildon with a large number of parents in attendance. The session lasted for two hours and included guest speakers, and engaging presentations on topical issues of drugs and alcohol, gangs and online safety. The sole purpose of the event was to inform parents and hear important information about what their child could be at risk of and how to spot the warning signs and in return support young people to make more informed and wider choices.

Parents attend the Risky Behaviours Parent Conference, at Woodlands School Basildon

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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Primary school attainment on the rise

The Community Safety Partnership will be holding ‘pop-up’ sessions in 2016, to help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour within the borough. This has been arranged in a series of community engagement days to be held throughout the year and is in partnership with key agencies and authorities. From using crime and anti-social behaviour data from the Essex Police, areas The headline results from the Crucial to showcase in will be defined according Crew event were are as follows: to those that have a high crime need. • 87% of the pupils overall impression Partner agencies will then be out and of the event was very good or good about to speak with residents, communi • 65% of pupils enjoyed online ty groups, businesses and schools about safety with pupils selecting very good how best to tackle problems as they arise. when asked to rate their enjoyment Forthcoming dates for the ‘pop-up’ of each scenario events are set (see the table right for fur • The teachers were asked to rate their ther information). overall impression of the event, 92% The exact locations will be announced rated the event as very good or good. within 3 days of the proposed date; • 50% of teachers selected the with a particular focus on areas that are online safety session as the most experiencing specific concerns or issues useful scenario, it was the most of high crime and reported incidents relevant for pupils and highlighted to best provide community presence the dangers they were not previously and reassurance. Partner agencies will aware of as members of staff engage with local residents, businesses and schools in the identified areas in or • All of the teachers that attended der to reach the right audience and make said that the event was well the most impact. organised, informative and relevant to all young people Cllr Anthony Hedley Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety • Most of the teachers that attended said: “This is an exciting new approach the sessions identified learning to community safety which allows us to points that they would like to take be far fleeter of foot in responding to and implement in their school concerns. For the past ten years we have curriculum. run ‘Community Action Safety Zones’ taking one area at a time, creating action plans to respond to community concerns and working in that area until the action plans were delivered. These Community Action Zones have been successful but were long in-depth pieces of work. The The revised Community Safety Part- new pop-up model allows us to be much nership Strategy; ‘Reducing Crime more responsive to local need and look

Basildon’s Community Safety Partnership Strategy, Annual Report and Plan on a Page

SUMMER 2016

Ground breaking work in primary schools across the borough, through school-led partnership has seen an increase in the level of primary education according to national rated standards. In 2012, Basildon Council, Essex County Council and the Basildon Education Services Trust (BEST) worked in partnership to establish the Basildon Excellence Panel (BEP). The new panel was tasked with delivering school improvements within the borough. Sir Mike Tomlinson CBE, former Chief Inspector of Ofsted was appointed Chair of the Excellence Panel. Today the Excellence Panel, have successfully increased the level of primary education with 90% of Basildon pupils attending a school, rated as ‘good’ or ‘better’ by Ofsted. In addition the gap between Basildon and the rest of the country in terms of achievement at key stage 2 has halved and is anticipated to reduce even further this year. Collaboration between the schools, according to Sir Mike, has been the beauty of the model. The schools all celebrate each other’s successes. “It is changing the dynamic,” he said. “If there’s one thing that drives me, it’s this. As a child, I went to primary and second-

ary schools where there were teachers who thought this kid might be capable of doing something. With this, there is a good chance that every child in the town will have that opportunity.” Further developments will see schools in Basildon moving towards a ‘Multi Academy Trust’ (MAT), and a new Basildon Education Partnership, building on the foundations of the Excellence Panel is being established to secure further improvements in pupil achievement and school standards. Sir Mike Tomlinson, after four years will be leaving his position as Chairman this year, however his work will continue with the objective to move schools to ‘outstanding’ status over the next three years; and with a vision for the borough to become a beacon for primary education within the region.

Sir Mike Tomlinson, CBE Chair of the Basildon Excellence Panel

Education

Basildon’s Budding Entrepreneurs

Iain Bond, Director Basildon Town Centre Management addresses year 9 & 10 pupils and teacher

Basildon has a great crop of budding entrepreneurs, and they have been selling their ideas about the positive future of Basildon market to industry leaders. In a bid for the top accolade, secondary school pupils pushed their entrepreneurial skills to the limit, when they took part in a schools challenge that showcased the borough’s potential business talent. This year, the young entrepreneur theme was “developing Basildon market”. Several school teams competed to come up with the best strategy to attract local residents to Basildon market, who then filmed a video advertisement before facing a panel of industry experts Basildon Council worked in association with Enterprise in Education to organise the event. Enterprise in Education is an organ-

isation offering development programmes designed to motivate, inspire and build confidence in life skills for senior school students. The challenges were designed to bring out innovation, creative flair and develop key skills including; communication, team work, decision-making, problem solving, leadership and negotiation. The final winners were; Jordon Burdett, Krishan Patel, Adrian Dirbas and George Georgiou; whose presentation wowed the judges with an excellent production of their innovative and creative advertisement. A number of representatives from commercial businesses, were on hand to provide advice and support throughout the sessions. The main sponsors were the Private Ambulance Service, a local based company from Leigh-on-Sea.

National Apprenticeship Week is a roaring success! Thousands of young people attended the annual Basildon Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair. Youngsters aged from 14 to 18 took the opportunity to talk with representatives from a variety of industries; including engineering and manufacturing as well as law and accountancy, with organisations such as the Royal Air Force on show. Those attending were able to look into possibilities for their future, and find out about routes into employment. As well

as discussing possible career entry, young people were able to discuss CV writing, interview tips and finding and applying for apprenticeships. The event which took place at the Woodlands School in March, was organised by Basildon Council in partnership with Essex County Council. Simon Cox, Head teacher of Woodlands School, said: “The event gave families the opportunity to explore apprenticeships as a route forward.”

Yetunde Adeshile, STEM Ambassador with apprentices from Basildon Borough Council at Woodlands School

BOROUGHDIARY

Community & Services

NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

SUMMER 2016

Local voluntary and community organisations annual funding award

Celebration to mark year-long community project a success

Over the past year a total of £20,000 has been awarded to 13 local voluntary and community sector organisations within the borough. The funding is available from the council’s annual grant and is awarded to organisations that match the project criteria of meeting a community need, creating an innovative idea and supporting a worthy cause.

The Memories and Generations is a community led project that was launched with the opportunity to bring together students from South Essex College Basildon, and older people living in the borough, over a period of 10 weeks to share and record memories. The project was captured on film, by a local charity Essex Media Workshop. The celebration marked the culmination of a full year of action by the Nevendon Neighbourhood Steering Group. Fifteen young people have spent the past few months talking to elderly people about their memories and important landmarks in their lives, and recently all those involved celebrated the project that has made a real difference and created a lasting impact.

In the final round of 2015, five organisations successfully secured the funding these include: The Samaritans, Essex Community Development CIC (ECD), The Laboratory, St John’s Cricket Club and The Badminton Academy. They will all use the money to promote and expand the good work of their organisations. ECD were awarded £1,760 and will use the money to set up a project for primary school children in Pitsea. Naomi Ndlovu from ECD said: “This grant will enable our organisation to empower young people who are challenged by various barriers in their education.” There are now three funding rounds

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, and *P* is the pink sack recycling vehicle. 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

2 July 2016

Ramsden Bellhouse - Village Hall *G* CM11 1RH Wickford Kershaws Close SS12 0LJ Vange Barge PH SS16 4SY 9.00 - 10.30 Vange - Glenmere SS16 4QS 10.30 - 12.00

9 July 2016

Billericay - David’s Walk CM11 2EZ Wickford Keats Way *P* SS12 0BP Vange Redgrave Road SS16 4DB 9.00 - 10.30 Southview Road SS13 3RQ 10.30 - 12.00

16 July 2016

Billericay Radford Crescent *P* CM12 OBW Wickford Alderney Gardens SS11 7JP Craylands - Jordan Way SS14 3QL 9.00 -10.30 Barstable Club - Long Riding SS14 1PD 10.30 - 12.00

23 July 2016

Billericay Hannikins Farm CM12 0EZ

run every year, local organisations can submit applications to secure a funding place. Round one of the Grants to Organisations fund is now open for applications for 2016/17, and organisations are encouraged to visit: basildon. gov.uk/grants for more information. Alternatively you can contact Billy Crossman, Community Involvement Team telephone: 01268 208224.

Naomi Ndlovu Director, Essex Community Development CIC with Billy Crossman, Voluntary Sector Development Officer

Pitsea Wilsner SS13 1HP 9.00 - 10.30 Pitsea Great Ranton SS13 1JP 10.30 - 12.00 Chalvedon Mill Green SS13 3PB 9.00 - 10.30 Chalvedon Plumleys SS13 1NQ 10.30 - 12.00 Fryerns Frypa Hall SS14 3PL 9.00 - 10.30 Fryerns Downey Close SS14 2NF 10.30 - 12.00

30 July 2016

Wickford Rettendon View SS11 8HU 9.00 - 11.00 Pippin Court SS11 8JW 11.00 - 12.00 Fryerns Ghyllgrove SS14 2JU Laindon Link - Kingdom Hall SS15 5UR 9.00 - 10.30 Laindon - Leinster Road 10.30 - 12.00 SS15 5FA

6 August 2016

Lee Chapel South - SS16 5TF Pitsea Chevers Pawen *G* 9.00 -10.30 Steeplehall SS13 3HP *G* 10.30 12.00 Laindon West Dunton Caravan Park CM13 3SX 9.00 - 10.30 Steeple View - Kinds Crescent SS15 4AW 10.30 -12.00

13 August 2016

Crays Hill Recreation Ground CM11 2YA Wickford - Salcott Crescent SS12 9AG Pitsea Kenneth Road SS13 2AT 9.00 - 10.30 Pitsea - Beambridge Road SS13 3NF 10.30 - 12.00 Laindon Five Links *G* SS15 5TZ

gained confidence and in turn helped the older people overcome their feelings of isolation and loneliness. Cllr Terri Sargent, Cabinet Member for Environment and the Community said: “This intergenerational project was a magnificent way of bringing young and old together. The outcome was some wonderfully evocative memory books – as well as a new understanding between generations. These youngsters did a great job in getting involved with helping the older people create these lasting mementos and sharing memories.”

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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

FUNDING FOR SUCCESS! Are you involved in organised sport in the borough of Basildon? Could funding support help to develop your sporting talent? Now is the time to apply for a grant that will help you or your club achieve all its potential.

Fifteen Basildon sports clubs and residents have benefited from Basildon Council’s Sports Development Grant Scheme over the past year, but there are more who could get help. The scheme which recognises over 100 sports, is in place to help individuals living in the borough and non-profit making clubs, societies and organisations based in Basildon to develop their sport and enhance sports provision within the borough.

Since receiving the funding, Ellie has gone on to become the British champion level 4 for her age group, and has been selected to become part of the National Squad 2016. She was shortlisted for the Young Sports Personality of the Year Award, at the Active Basildon Sports Awards 2015 in recognition of her achievements last year.

The coming year will be a challenging one ahead for Ellie, as she works towards her next level and defends her British Championship title.

Heather Wood with Michael Storey and Jarod Collier at a community session

Ellie Petroui, is a 10-year old gymnast from Wickford who trains at South Essex Gymnastics Club, she dreams of representing Great Britain at the Olympic Games. Ellie was awarded funding from the Sports Development Grant scheme in 2015, which allowed her to continue her training in the run-up to competitions, and enabled her to purchase necessary equipment in order for her to compete at national level.

Sports the under 15 age group, and holds the title of British Junior Squash Champion. She has since moved up to the under 17 age group where she is currently ranked number 3. The funding that Alice received from Basildon Council’s Sports Development Grant scheme enabled her to enter the French Junior Squash Open earlier this year where she reached the finals. Alice won the French Junior Open, adding this title to her impressive achievements. Alice is an Active Essex Inspired Athlete for the third year running and she hopes to progress to be able to play professional squash at a senior level.

in 2015 and were keen to make the game of cricket more accessible to the local community and increase levels of participation in the sport. The Sports Development grant scheme allowed the club to purchase new equipment which have proved invaluable for its newly formed junior section. The club which started its junior section last year, have seen a 25% increase in junior members for it’s planned summer’s programme. There has also been around a 40% increase at senior level during the indoor practice net sessions. The club will celebrate its 70th anniversary next year, and with further improvements planned for the year, exciting times are ahead for the club. If you are interseted in finding out more about the St Johns Cricket Club, please visit their website: stjohnscc.play-cricket. com.

Amongst those who have achieved success over the past year as a result of recent funding; are Ellie Petroui, Alice Green and St John’s Cricket Club, Billericay.

Research shows that developing relationships between the elderly and the young can be beneficial for the well-being of both parties. The project was a highlight in a series of workshops created by the Nevendon Neighbourhood Agreement. The youngsters in the project were all enrolled on the Pathway to Independence course at the college, and the aim was to create a bond through which students

SUMMER 2016

If you are an individual, non-profit club, society or organisation based in Basildon and would like further information about the council’s sports development grant, please visit: basildon.gov.uk/ article/2386/Grants-to-Sports-Organisations-and-Individuals. Or alternatively email: tracey.bromley@basildon.gov.uk. Elise Adeyemo and Ellie Petroui at the Active Basildon Sports Awards 2015

Alice Green is a 15-year old squash player from Billericay, ranked number 1 in

Alice Green and Mark Farmer, Head of Moulsham High School at the Active Essex Sports Awards

St John’s Cricket Club made considerable improvements to their ground and facilities

Individuals may apply for up to £200 and groups up to £400. For a list of ‘recognised sports’, please visit: sportengland. org/our-work/national-governing-bodies/ sports-that-we-recognise.

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NEWS FROM BASILDON COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY

Sports

SUMMER 2016

Basildon Sporting Village is the first leisure centre in the UK to employ an Occupational Therapist Basildon Sporting Village have worked very closely with the Sport for Confidence programme over the past year, to successfully provide an occupational therapy approach for residents with learning disabilities in the borough; helping them to integrate better into sports and leisure environments and to further develop independent living and social skills. The tailored programme has helped vulnerable residents achieve their full potential by providing them with the right support and advice to overcome any barriers, which may have prevented them from previously taking part in sports and leading an active lifestyle. Residents who have most recently benefitted on the programme include Sarah an active member, who has learning disabilities and has been the victim of an assault. As a result of the assault, Sarah had difficulty in building new relationships and was referred to us for occupational therapy treatment. Since the sessions, Sarah has been encouraged to participate in a multisports group with the help of a coach, where she was able to interact with other people. She has been offered a choice of various sporting activities, specifically designed to improve her learning and development. Lyndsey Barrett, Senior Occupational Therapist at Sport for Confidence said:

“This is the first time that an occupational therapist has been employed by a leisure provider, anywhere in the UK and that’s incredibly exciting. It has been great to see Sarah’s progress and how the Sport for Confidence programme has benefitted her. The programme has helped a number of vulnerable people already and we are delighted that all our support networks involved have worked hard to help us succeed together. “Not only do the participants improve their social skills and develop personal management techniques, they also get to experience a wide range of sporting activities of their choice, which leads to better integration with their social skills, improves their overall fitness and interaction with others and they gain more self-confidence too.” The interactive group setting helps with the assessment of individuals and their needs inspires some clients to achieve further vocational skills, such as coaching qualifications. The Sport for Confidence groups, have applied a holistic approach towards personal well-being, with the aim to reduce the reliance of people on social care support and specialist services. For further details on the service available, please contact Lyndsey Barrett, Director & Senior Occupational Therapist. Email: lyndsey@sportforconfidence.com or telephone: 07809 142805.

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.

Lyndsey Barrett, Senior Occupational Therapist alongside members of a boccia session at the Basildon Sporting Village

News in brief Are you in the Younique Six? Younique Six events of the summer, is an activity scheme taking place for six weeks from Monday 25 July to Monday 29 August 2016. Every Monday, sports leaders will be running different sessions in activities such as parkour, wall climbing, tennis, rugby, cricket and football. Set up by the Heart of Pitsea Group and Active Basildon, people of all ages are welcome to attend. Events will take place daily from 11am to 3pm at Elm Green in Pitsea and are free of charge. For more information, please email: Hannah.Moat@ creativesportandleisure.co.uk.

Basildon Golf Club Celebrates 50th Anniversary Basildon Golf Club in Clay Hill Lane, is celebrating its 50-year anniversary, and will host the British Open Putting Championships, Thursday 1 September to Friday 2 September. A Festival of Golf will run from Monday 19 to Saturday 24 September and will include special events for seniors, ladies and a mixed event. PGA professionals Will Farrow and Colin Jenkins, will be involved in the launch of the championships and will be offering free taster sessions. Look out for more information on the event, basildongolfcourse.com or telephone: 01268 533532.

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. 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 Telephone: 01268 533333 Email: customerservices@basildon.gov.uk Chief Executive: Bala Mahendran Leader: Councillor Phil Turner