Opinion Pieces – GAG2011

Letter to the Echo

miriam_secretary — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 11:04:31 +0000

The echo have today published a letter sent on behalf of the GAG2011 committee. They have given it the title ‘Underhand move over college plan’
Here is the original version sent to them:

The Green Action Group GAG2011 have campaigned against the Nethermayne development, and the interdependent plans to build a new college in the town and relocate the market, since the plans were first made public. Despite considerable opposition from the community the three plans have all been passed by Basildon Council either in full or as outline planning permission. GAG have long argued that the housing development on a scheduled local wildlife site (LoWS) is unsustainable and will be damaging to the community, and that the economic and educational gains of the new college have been overstated.

We are extremely surprised to see the agenda of the cabinet meeting for Thursday 8th January which sets out a plan by Basildon Council to acquire properties that have legal rights that may prevent the new college being built in the current market place area. Put another way, the council are proposing to use compulsory purchase powers, and unspecified amounts of public money, to remove the possibility of legal action by property owners who will lose light and access to their premises if the new college is built. Surely Basildon Council must have been aware of this at an earlier stage or are they just making it up as they go along? This, by Basildon Council’s own admission, is a risky financial transaction. In a time of extensive public cuts it appears to be an act of desperation by planning officers, supported by a few councillors and the chief executive. The majority of councillors have already made their feelings clear and do not support any part of the development but they do not get a vote on this outrageous plan to risk public money.

We ask that members of the cabinet seriously consider the views of the local community on the Nethermayne development, new college and market relocation and the perception of such speculative public spending. Readers may like to email their views to the two party leaders who are members of the cabinet, Phil Turner and Linda Allport-Hodge.

Yours Faithfully,

Miriam Heppell
GA2011 Secretary

Basildon Council Continues to Fail the People of Basildon

miriam_secretary — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 08:32:38 +0000

At a meeting (open to the public) of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission yesterday evening it was apparent that democratic decisions are impossible and that officers of the council have a great deal of power. The meeting was called because a councillor had ‘called in’ the decision to withdraw the Westside north area from the regeneration plan so that the market can be moved to St Martin’s Square and the college relocated on to the current market site. Many of you will remember the plan to have a green boulevard from the station to the Acacia Park to compensate for the loss of Gloucester Park. It was argued by the councillor who ‘called it in’ for scrutiny that the decision had not adhered to the council’s decision making constitution which includes considering all relevant factors, taking into account results of consultations, a presumption in favour of openness and clarity of aims.
It was clear to those present that that the commission, made up of councillors from all parties, wanted the decision debated at a full council meeting but after many hours of questioning the chair of the meeting gave the commission two options, to adjourn with the possibility of no further meeting due to other scheduled meetings or to vote to refer it back to the officer who made the decision. The officer concerned was present and the chair deemed that he had answered the required questions and had been consulted. The chair declared that voting to refer the decision to a full council meeting was NOT on the agenda. The commission queried what their role actually was if they couldn’t take decisions on how the matter should be dealt with and reluctantly they voted to adjourn.
It was extremely disturbing to see how the council planning officers can ‘make it up as they go along’ by citing deeds of variation. Their decisions it seems are unquestionable. Something is rotten in the ‘state’ of Basildon.

Press coverage from the Yellow Advertiser

miriam_secretary — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 09:07:20 +0000

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Don’t Destroy our Green Lung

miriam_secretary — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 14:15:54 +0000

The article on the front of the Yellow Advertiser is astonishing. Why have the council given outline planning permission for a development at Nethermayne/Dry Street on a large piece of the Landgon Living Landscape which runs all the way from Vange to Dunton in Thurrock and is a large green lung when they now have to come up with ways of negating dangerous pollution levels? See the article here http://www.billericay-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=10110&headline=Tree%20cheers%20for%20Turner%20-%20Council%20could%20plant%20forests%20on%20green%20belt%20land%20to%20fight%20air%20pollution