We’ve launched a business survey today…see below:

http://www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk/news/000119/local_business_survey_launched.html

I know quite a few of my residents in Brentwood West have small businesses so please do fill it in if you have a chance!

Well, things go awfully quiet once the council “breaks up” for Christmas!

The New Year will bring continued debate on William Hunter Way with a special Citizens Panel meeting, Planning Committee, Stakeholder meeting and another debate at Ordinary Council where a decision will finally be taken.  For those interested, the Citizens Panel is on 7th January and I will keep you updated on this one.  The other meetings are to be confirmed.

For all of you who sent Nigel, David and/or me a Christmas card, thank you!  It’s nice to have such kind wishes at this time of year and your Brentwood West team like to hear from you!

For all those who I’ve done case work for, it was a pleasure to help where I could!  For those who have a burning issue, give me a call and I will see if I can help!

Finally, I wish you all a lovely Christmas!  I’m now off to plan the cooking schedule for Christmas Day in Brentwood West with my family!

Karen

For me, yes!  I like sending cards and I like receiving cards!  I like writing messages to old friends and wishing people a happy time at Christmas.  I also keep the most special ones for posterity…I’m sentimental like that.

However, I also make sure that I recycle them and I’m pleased that M&S, Tesco, TK Maxx and WHSmith will all have recycling bins for the Woodland Trust.  We have three of those stores in Brentwood so please, after Christmas, drop your cards in the box and help them plant 24,000 new trees!

Full story here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3320097/Charity-to-turn-Christmas-cards-back-into-trees.html

Just after I was elected, the Conservatives voted in some fairly extensive parking restrictions in Clements Park. 

I’ve always been of the opinion that they were too much and that a more staged approach would have been better, but I am really interested in knowing how you feel.

So let me know!  Follow this link and fill in my survey: http://www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk/surveys/6/

Just thought I would share this thank you note with you with reference to a much-delayed repair to a council fence:

 ”Dear Karen,….the fence has been fixed and they did a good job.  Thanks for your support, it was very much appreciated.

This is an example of local democracy where a councillor supports the people -well done!”

Of course, I appreciate that I’m here to help my residents with such issues, but it is always nice to feel appreciated!

I’ve been helping with a dog rescue in Junction Road this morning.

On the phone to my mum and suddenly she said “There’s a dog walking down the road on it’s own”. She dashed off to see what was happening, with no phone call after a minute or so I knew there was a problem so I shot over there (with spare lead and collar).

When I got there she had, with neighbours Alan & Judy, managed to catch said mutt and they were all in the garden with him. He was a huge Staffy, but friendly and happy.  He seemed well looked after so I hope he is reunited with his owners.  I will keep you posted.

As I’ve said before, a micro-chip would have enabled the dog warden to ring up the owner straight away.

UPDATE: Doggy reunited with owner and, even better news, when they scanned him again at Wallace Kennels he WAS chipped so the owner was contacted straight away!

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

I’m so pleased that this bus stop has finally been moved back to where it should be.  I received the news from a London Road resident who wrote to me to say:

“Dear Cllr Ms Chilvers

I am pleased to say I was able to catch a bus on Friday from the old Kavanaghs Road bus stop - thank you for all your help.

I hope whoever changed the stop is made FULLY aware of all the inconvenience and cost in time & money their “idea” had caused.”

I’ve certainly already made that point and I’m pleased to be able to have played a part in getting this result.

Last year, I spoke to a number of residents in Firsgrove Crescent about the parking situation in their road.  Since the Clements Park area was yellow lined, displaced cars were making parking in that road very difficult.

We all favoured residents parking so we were very surprised when the recommendation came back with a mixture of double yellow lines and residents parking.  In my view, and in the view of a number of objectors, this would compound the problem even further and make parking difficult for Firsgrove residents.

I’m pleased to say that I have, at tonight’s Highways Panel, been able to convince the committee to go back to the drawing board and revise the proposals.  I hope this means we will get the residents/permit parking that we all want.

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.