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

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/

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/

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

Did you see the front of the Yellow Advertiser this week?  Cllr David Kendall, Lib Dem group leader, and Brentwood West’s Nigel Clarke are campaigning against the Conservative decision to close the council’s last cricket pitch in the borough!

Under the headline of “That’s just not cricket”, the boys are hoping that potential cricket pitch users will come forward!

Nigel is a cricket coach, spending a lot of time coaching young cricketers in Essex so he knows his onions on this one!

I’m no big cricket fan, but I am very disappointed that the council’s one remaining free cricket facility is to be shut down.

Demand might be low, but once a facility like this is gone, it’s gone forever.  Cllr David Kendall, Lib Dem group leader, asked the Conservative committee chair of the Leisure Panel to consider keeping it until the end of the season given that a lot of funding is going into the sport.  But no, the Conservative majority voted for it to go, so it’s going.  As of now.

Brentwood West’s Nigel Clarke (Cricket coach and Phoenix FM cricket correspondent) said: “Cricket is really on the up and up in this country and a lot of kids are now getting interested in the game.  I’ve used this facility before and would have happily done so again.  I can’t believe it is just going to be left like this”

What a shame!  Let’s hope everyone can afford to join a club if they want to play.

Read the full story: http://www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk/news/000057/cricket_facilities_hit_for_six.html