I have a letter in the Brentwood Gazette today, here it is:

Dear Editor

Such a very one-sided view of the Conservatives’ refusal of planning permission for a Multi Use Games Area at Sawyers Hall College appeared in the Gazette (5th November) that the balance has to be sensibly redressed.Opposition councillors were particularly surprised to see this rejected as it was fully supported by the Conservative Mayor of

Brentwood, Cllr Dudley Payne, who sent a statement, read out in support of the application.Liberal Democrats have a strong record of standing up for the Green Belt, but a facility which would encourage young people to participate in sport is certainly not harmful to the green belt and, in our view, would be welcomed by the many residents who tell us there is nothing for their children to do. The application complied with all the relevant policies and was, therefore, recommended for approval.

Specifically, it was considered that the proposed development of a sports pitch would not have an unacceptable detrimental impact on enjoyment of the countryside, would not have resulted in the permanent loss of the best or most versatile agricultural land, would not have an unacceptable detrimental impact on a SSSI, a County Wildlife Site or an area of special landscape and would not have required unacceptably prominent ancillary facilities.Yes, it is appreciated that fencing and floodlighting would be required but not to an unacceptable level. The site benefits from existing tree screening and the fence constituted netting, not a palisade fence.

It’s a shame that the Conservatives did not apply the same attitude to the retrospective application for two classrooms on the Green Belt (recommended for refusal and approved by them) when we were considering an application for Woodlands School.

Cllr Karen Chilvers

Liberal Democrat Councillor, Brentwood West

Yesterday I attended Brentwood’s Remembrance Day service and was again moved by the whole ceremony.

It’s been really great this year to see how many young people are proudly wearing their poppy and wonderful to see hundreds of people involved in this service in the town.

On Tuesday night, the council granted a drinks licence to the Junction Cafe in Victoria Road.  The new owners had plans for this establishment which included live music and an evening bistro-style offering.

In the end, the live music licence wasn’t granted at this stage but I have high hopes for what they want to do in the evenings.  Not, as some may fear, a rowdy wine bar but the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a meal and a glass of wine.  I hope that this is a positive addition to the area, and I will be keeping a close eye in case it causes any problems, but this could be a benefit to the area.

Another month, another planning committee.  Another shoe-horned development turned down in Ingrave Road and a house extension in Hanging Hill Lane approved.

I am disappointed that the committee were not minded to approve a Multi Use Games Area in Sawyers Hall Lane at the college.  As a ward councillor, I am always being asked why there is not enough for youngsters to do in the evening but the Conservative majority turned down a solution in our town centre.

Although it is on green belt, the planning officers considered this to be an appropriate use of the area, as did I, however, most of the Conservatives didn’t agree.  This was a bit of a surprise, given that the Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Dudley Payne, wrote a letter of support for the facility, read out at the committee, saying that this should be approved for the good of the community.

Oh well!

Power to the people!

I’m delighted to report that the Conservatives have had to do a fairly big about-turn and give up on their preference to go to a Cabinet System for Brentwood Council.  This would have seen a small clique of councillors making the decisions.

The Lib Dem team may have highlighted the issue: we ran petitions, we spoke about it in the press via press notices and lettrs, we spoke to you on the door and made the case for keeping the status quo on our websites…but it was you, the residents, who sent, in support of our preferred option 3, the following to the council:

• 468 consultation papers by post
• 104 responses on-line via the Council website
• 21 responses on www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk
• 32 responses from a door-to-door petition
• 93 responses from a postal petition

A total of 718 responses in favour of Option 3 with only 281 in favour of the Leader and Cabinet System (Option 1).  In addition, it’s still worth watching the recent Citizens’ Panel where 99% of the attendees wanted Option 3!

Well done to everyone who got involved!  The committee system stays and we can continue to speak up for you and put your points across in the chamber and live on the internet!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this meeting on Thursday.  Councillors were asked not to attend so that residents could actually have their say without any Tory highjacking!  I was fully in support of this so watched at home.  What an event!

99 per cent of the residents there were totally against the move to go to a cabinet system in Brentwood - a show of hands at the end was 100% against with the one person in favour abstaining from the vote totally!

It’s worth watching: http://www.brentwood.ukcouncil.net/site/

Yesterday, my letter regarding the practical implications of the cabinet system was published in the Brentwood Gazette.  In case you missed it:

Beware snake in the grass with Brentwood council cabinet plan

You should now have received the Conservative proposal to move to a cabinet system with a leader and executive. If you don’t think that a change to the cabinet proposal will affect you, then read on to appreciate what it would mean in everyday terms.

Supposing that someone wants to draw double yellow lines all over your road and you don’t want them, for good solid reasons. Today, you have the opportunity to contact me and I can refer this to committee for debate. I can speak up on your behalf, put your case forward, speak to your neighbours and work with you to find a solution to present at the committee. Hopefully, as ward councillor, other members, from all sides of the political spectrum, will respect the knowledge I have about my ward and I may try to convince them to go with an alternative route. This decision will be made in a public chamber, available to view on the internet.

Under the cabinet system, this won’t happen. The decision will be made by one person, who could reside anywhere in the borough. From my point of view, elected as representative for Brentwood West, how well will they know the people who live there and their everyday issues? Every ward is different, and every ward has its own needs, this is the strength in a committee/panel system …we all get heard.

The Conservative administration will tell you that there will be an opportunity for scrutiny with members able to call items into a scrutiny panel. Well, that’s where we find the ’snake in the grass’… they haven’t put this out for public consultation because they tell us they haven’t decided on it yet. Surely this is a crucial part of the process. So, if you vote for their option one, you haven’t even been told the detail of what you’re voting for.

Remember also, there are only nine opposition members in total. We could have a situation where 10 members have to call an item in to the scrutiny panel – which Tory member would be brave enough to back us up in that situation?

They will also tell you that this will enable “quick” decisions. Can you honestly say that the quickest decisions you make are always the right ones?

If you want to stop this, you must let us know. With 28 Conservatives and nine opposition members the people of Brentwood must rise up and tell us their views! Sign our petition on www.brentwood-ongar libdems.org.uk or fill in the consultation document and choose OPTION THREE to retain the committee and panel structure.

Cllr Karen Chilvers

Lib Dem councillor Brentwood West Ward

You can also vote in our on-line petition:

http://www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk/petitions/6.html

We’ve set up an on-line discussion forum, on a trial basis, let us know your views on this or any other topic by registering at www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk.

To go to the discussions, click here: http://www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk/externals/PhpBb2/

Brentwood Musuem, in Lorne Road, Warley Hill (part of Brentwood West ward) is open this Sunday, and the first Sunday of every month from April to October between 2.30pm and 4.30pm and entrance is free!

Brentwood Museum is housed in a picturesque 19th century building (once a sexton’s cottage), and although small it offers a fascinating insight into Brentwood life in the early part of this century, with an exciting collection of social and domestic objects dating from around 1840-1950.

Combine your visit with Lorne Road Nature Reserve adjacent to the museum, a peaceful and now disused cemetery where the graves are an interesting and varied collection, some maintained under the auspices of the War Graves Commission bearing witness to the enormous number of troop movements that passed through Brentwood during the First World War.

Wave if you see me!  I might well be in my mum’s garden, which looks over the museum!

I’ve just come back from a really enjoyable picnic on the Homesteads estate and thanks and appreciation must go to John Davies and everyone who had a part in organising such a brilliant afternoon.  I hope it becomes an annual event!

It’s great to see a community come together and enjoy themselves.  The theme for the event was “getting to know you” and it was fantastic for me to meet so many residents in an informal way…rather than knocking on your door and interrupting your dinner!

For those who met me for the first time today , I hope you will feel comfortable contacting me about issues in your area. I also hope you enjoyed my home baking!

Last night, I was a guest on Mike Le Surf and Julie Morrissey’s Phoenix FM show “Centre Ground” (or “Middle Earth” as Julie would have it).  I had my “work hat” on (promoting Consumer Direct) rather than my “councillor hat” and I was telling anyone who would listen about Consumer Direct, the government service which gives clear, practical and impartial consumer advice.

I was pleased to be able to offer some consumer advice to fellow guest, Louise, on a number of items.  The advice (from one of the highly trained Consumer Direct advisors) seems to be helping her get a fair result on a number of consumer issues that she was experiencing.

I’ve noticed in the news that there are problems with some local residents who have booked tickets on-line for the V Festival, only to find that they haven’t materialised.  If this affects you, or you have any other consumer issue from a problem with a builder to a pair of shoes that fell apart after one wear, then do call on 08454 04 05 06 or visit the website, www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.

Thanks again to Mike and Julie for inviting me on again!  Don’t forget, you can listen to Phoenix FM at www.phoenixfm.com.

This evening I was pleased to have the opportunity to tour the new hospital in Crescent Drive, Lib Dem Deputy Leader Cllr Barry Aspinell also joined in the tour.

It is an extremely impressive health facility with everything looking clean, modern and bright.  It’s clear that the team have worked very hard to make the hospital work and key areas I was impressed with include:

• Patient rooms, which have a maximum of four beds and are single-sex wards, with wonderful views
• A comprehensive physiotherapy department with state-of-the-art equipment.
• A roomy audiology facility
• A good number of waiting areas, moving patients through the hospital process
• A meeting room facility for local healthcare groups and charities.

It’s a place where you wouldn’t mind being looked after and I hope that it lives up to all our expectations!

The staff certainly seem enthusiastic on getting going!

Well done to all involved.

Cllr Kendall and I visited the Brentwood Centre today and met with the management team. Thanks to Roger Davinson and his staff for their kind hospitality!

It’s certainly looking good - the gym looks as shiny and well equipped as many of the big name fitness centres and membership is extremely reasonable, starting at £30pcm.

Take a look at what’s on offer here: http://www.brentwood-centre.co.uk

I’ve just got home from the Citizen’s Panel at the council offices.  There were quite a few residents there and it is great to see people take an active interest in Brentwood. You can watch both sessions on www.brentwood.gov.uk and see what went on.

There was a lot of discussion, specifically about local roads and the gipsy and traveller consultation.  It was strange that there was no mention on the agenda of the proposed cabinet system that the Conservatives are proposing and certain members of the administration seemed to be quite upset that not everyone agreed with them, shouting a parish councillor down and suggesting he resign if he didn’t like it!!!  Of course, you can have your say at www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk.  We’ll listen to you and we won’t shout you down!

One of the key issues is the traveller consultation.  The deadline for this is extended until 25th July and, with one of the sites proposed in Brentwood West, it is important that you have your say.  Contact me if you would like a copy of the consultation document.

Last night, I spent a very enjoyable evening at the House of Commons meeting, amongst others, Lembit Opik MP, Jo Swinson MP, Jenny Willott MP, Shirley Williams and, our leader, Nick Clegg MP.

The evening was a celebration of women in politics and, one thing is for sure, the Liberal Democrats, and Nick in particular, are fighting for representation in politics from all sectors of the community.

It was a very motivational evening and I’m sure that with Nick in charge, and such an active team of MPs, the Lib Dems will have a significant impact over the nxt few years…and beyond.

This Saturday will see a fun day on Shenfield Common with the annual Strawberry Fair.  The programme includes a vintage car rally, donkey rides, craft stalls, a teddy bears’ picnic and, of course, strawberries and cream!!If you’re going, wishing you a lovely time and some good weather!

Last night I attended the launch of the Eclipse Nightclub.  The club, which will now replace Sam’s, looks absolutely fantastic!

Good luck to everyone involved in the club and I hope, if you go for a night out, you have a great night!

Quincy, Brentwood West Dog and political animal (pictured below), and I have just returned from our interview on Phoenix FM’s Centre Ground show, hosted by our friends Mike and Julie.  We were there to talk about the “Dogs Trust Freedom Project” - a charity scheme I have supported for a few years.   Listen to us here: http://www.phoenixfm.com/story/1632.php

The project helps women and children flee domestic violence by offering a safe heaven for their pets.  You can read more about it here: http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/wayswehelp/freedom_project/

We’re looking for dog foster carers in the Brentwood area - the link on the left explains it all!

Brentwood’s annual cycle races will take place this Sunday, from 9am to 4pm.  Cheer on those taking part in the High Street!

A road closure will be in place from 6am-6pm, which will affect the High Street, Moores Place and Hart Street as well as parts of St Thomas Road, Crown Street and Kings Road.Good luck to all those who are taking part in this event.