Losing a car park – how this affects Brentwood West
Posted May 19, 2013
Recently, we have learnt that Crossrail are looking to compulsory purchase a car park in Shenfield. You might think this doesn’t affect you but, for those living near Brentwood station, then it certainly does.
If parking is pushed away from Shenfield station then the next best option is probably parking at Brentwood – in the already busy streets and car parks.
So, let’s show Crossrail what we think by signing this petition.
Comments (0)Scrutinising Again
Posted May 19, 2013
Now Annual Council has been held, I can announce that I have been appointed as the Chair of Brentwood Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
This is the committee that, as the name suggests, scrutinises what the council does. Last year it was chaired by Cllr Barry Aspinell, now Lib Dem leader.
Scrutinise I will, that’s for sure. However, I won’t be speaking too much about it on this blog which is, primarily, for Brentwood West ward matters. I will link to any posts on www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk and will be tweeting as ^KC on @LibDemsBwd.
Other changes this year are that Cllr David Kendall has stepped down as Lib Dem Leader, allowing him to spend more time on being a County Councillor for Brentwood West, with Cllr Barry Aspinell stepping up as Leader and Shenfield’s Cllr Graeme Clark as Deputy Leader now.
All details of Brentwood’s Lib Dem councillors are here, as well as details of the allowances we get. I will say that I do get an additional allowance of £3,510 for being O&S chair but the fact is that I am self-employed and not independently wealthy so, to do this role, I have to give up working time and I still have to pay my mortgage and bills. Allowances are there so that anyone is able to be a councillor, not just retired folk or rich people.
I like to think that I earn my allowance – I cost every voter £1.13 in Brentwood West and, as chair of a committee on behalf of the borough 5p per person. If you don’t think you are getting value for money – try me and see if I can help.
Outside the (post)box
Posted May 19, 2013
Something forward thinking for #BrentwoodWest, rather than just complaining about what can’t be done!
Although we do an awful lot on line these days, we do all still post stuff with a stamp (despite it costing 50p or more!)
For a long time, I have thought that we need an extra post box for those in Rollason Way and the end of Wharf Road especially. The nearest post boxes are out in Kings Road and Warley Hill…not massively far but one a little nearer will certainly help.
So, today I have written to Royal Mail to ask them to consider placing a new box in the area – accessible to those at the area identified above.
I will keep you – no pun intended – posted!!!
Brentwood Housing Survey
Posted May 16, 2013
So, there is going to be a Housing Survey – don’t miss your chance to tell the council what you think. This is important and there’s a short window for responses!
From the Council’s website:
More than 5,000 Brentwood residents will be asked by Brentwood Borough Council to take part in a housing survey during May and early June.
The Council is required by Government to have a clear understanding of housing requirements in the Borough and to carry out a housing survey every few years. The results of the survey will help the Council to develop its housing and planning policies to meet the future accommodation and support needs of local people.
On 15 May, the Council will send out more than 5,000 surveys to a random selection of households in all wards across the Borough, covering accommodation of all kinds including private and social housing.
The survey will ask people for their views on whether their current accommodation is adequate and what they think their future housing requirements will be. Residents will be asked to return their surveys by 5 June to an independent research company appointed by the Council. Each survey will carry a unique access code enabling residents to complete the survey online if they prefer that method.
#ChilversChase
Posted May 13, 2013
Regular viewers of ITV’s “The Chase” probably got a bit of a shock tonight when I popped up as a contestant! I know a friend of mine, Cllr Daisy Benson, got a bit of a shock in Reading at the gym and local Bryan Powis did a double take too!
I recorded it back in January having passed an audition back in October 2012 but I had to keep it quiet! Not now though!
Being on TV (and yes, I’ve done it before – 1998 on Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush and in 2007 on The Weakest Link) is a lot of fun – a great experience and, you know what, you only live once so go for it if you want to!
It’s already on the itvPlayer so you can watch and find out how I did!
Planning recommendations w.e. 10th May 2013
Posted May 12, 2013
In #Brentwoodwest this week there are applications in Crescent Road/Junction Road, London Road, Hubert Road and Warley Hill.
Please note these are NOT yet decisions – I am able to refer to planning committee now.
- CLEVER TOTS DAY NURSERY, CRESCENT ROAD – CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE STOREY CLASSROOM WITHIN NURSERY PLAYGROUND (app no 13/00232/FUL). Recommended for approval.
- 90 LONDON ROAD – TWO STOREY EXTENSION TO REAR WITH SINGLE STOREY ATTACHED GARAGE TO SIDE (app no 13/00255/FUL). Recommended for approval.
- UNIT C HUBERT ROAD – INSTALLATION OF NEW ALUMINIUM WINDOWS AND DOORS. NEW EXTERNAL CLADDING TO FRONT FACADE AND NEW MAIN ENTRANCE WITH CANOPY AND NEW LIGHTING. REPLACEMENT ROOF COVERING INCLUDING FASCIA PANEL. INSTALLATION OF MEZZANINE FLOOR CREATING ADDITIONAL WAREHOUSE (B8) FLOOR SPACE FOR STORAGE. (app no 13/00321/FUL). Recommended for approval.
Also, there are a couple of things in neighbouring wards to make you aware of:
- On Warley Hill I have noticed that the yellow notices have gone up by the Warley Tavern and, therefore, the consultation period has started. This means your representations can be made. Please copy me in on any correspondence so I can speak up for you.
- 42 Warley Hill (which is in Warley ware) has asked for a dropped kerb, but it has been recommended for refusal.
You can find full details of all applications on the Brentwood site here.
If you have any issues with the above officer recommendation then please get in touch with me as soon as possible. The deadline for referral is midday on Monday 20th May 2013 to refer the above item to the Planning Committee for further discussion. For more information on the planning process, please see my advice here.
In your community: Brentwood Bus & Rail Users Association
Posted May 8, 2013
If you use trains and buses around Brentwood, I would like to strongly urge you to spend a huge £3 to join BBARUA.
#BrentwoodWest resident Stuart Wilks is Chair and the group lobby for better transport in Brentwood. Recently, there’s been some great success in getting the 498 to go straight in to Queen’s Hospital in Romford and, closer to home for residents in Crescent Road and Clements Park, lobbying by the group has stopped the 73a Service being curtailed and leaving #BrentwoodWest residents stranded.
This was reported in the Brentwood Gazette today (naturally, the Conservatives are trying to claim they saved it by that’s another story).
So, if you commute or use the local bus services then take action and join!
What a year!
Posted May 4, 2013
“May the Fourth” does rather go with me! Both times I have been elected it has been from an election on 3rd May (which also happens to be my brother-in-law’s birthday and STILL he got a card!) and the result has been announced just after midnight on 4th May in 2007 and 2012.
So, I have been back for a whole year as a councillor today and what a year it has been!
With my colleagues, I have been constantly challenging the Tories, as we are supposed to do. One of the first senior officers I ever worked with advised me that the opposition were there to “oppose and expose” the administration…that’s why we get voted in.
So, a bit of a recap of this past year:
This is how my return was reported in “How The West Was won“!
Then we campaigned against another block of flats “The Tower of Greed” in St James Road – a matter that was brought up by a Labour activist with me at the count.
We put a stop to a new road in Honeypot Lane.
We saw the demise of localism.
There was an evacuation in Hillside Walk!
We cleaned up Railway Square.
We started to campaign more heavily on potholes!
We voted against the Tory council tax plans.
St Peters Park was saved!
I challenged the Tories on the Highways situation
I wrote to fellow councillors asking for help on the A12 noise campaign
We were told to “be resourceful” by the Tory Deputy Leader if we have no job
We made a stand over William Hunter Way
We elected our second councillor in Shenfield
It was revealed that the Council Depot will be sold off
We heard about the Tesco planned for Warley Hill and shopped Warley
The Tories stormed out of a meeting and left me in charge and then stopped bothering to consult! Then they put headlines above services.
We sorted Warley Country Park.
A campaign started to bring back the hour car parking charge.
We exposed how the Tories spent your money.
We started to make some progress on Rollason Way parking.
There was #fencegate.
A Titanic Tory failure!
I endorsed Cllr David Kendall as our county councillor AND he got elected!
Plus ward walks, meetings and planning alerts….I hope I’ve not been slacking Brentwood West!
Planning applications week ending 3rd May 2013
Posted May 4, 2013
There are no recommendations this week, but a number of applications have been received from Tesco for the Warley Hill site.
13/00406/FUL – Installation of 6 no. bollards to front;
13/00407/FUL – Installation of plant equipment on the roof of the rear extension, including the removal of an existing skylight;
13/00408/FUL – Installation of ATM (Automated Teller Machine);
13/00409/FUL – External alterations to building including new shopfont;
13/00410/ADV – 1 no. illuminated hanging sign, 3 or 4 no. illuminated fascia sign and 4 no. non illuminated car park signs. (agent to clarify 3 or 4 illuminated fascia signs before letters sent out to local residents).
Residents in the local vicinity should be consulted by Brentwood Council on this matter but you can have your say on the site or by writing a letter/email. Feel free to copy in me (brentwoodwest.libdems@gmail.com) and Cllr William Lloyd (william.lloyd@brentwood.gov.uk).
At the moment, there are no recommendations to report, but if you keep an eye on the website, relevant documents should appear as they are scanned in.
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