Month: February 2016

 

I have had confirmation from a Planning Officer at Tendring District Council “that there is consultation on the proposal for a new seafront café taking place.” No planning application has been submitted – Yet.

The proposal is to site a new café at Star Point, at the eastern end of the greensward opposite Third Avenue. There is considerable opposition to this proposal. The attached picture  from a demonstration on the site includes Cllr Joy Broderick (HRA), front row blue jacket, and Cllr Mark Stephenson (UKIP), wearing spectacles behind Joy. My apologies to all the others not named.

There is certainly a need to improve facilities at our magnificent new beach, principally parking. However, when I raised that with TDC officers, I was told that there was already sufficient parking. That is, in my view, nonsense. Last September, before the final bays were opened, I could not get parked for over half an hour, on a dry but not particularly hot day. I seems as though parking will have to be a mess, before anything gets done.

It is difficult to understand what the Conservative administration thinks it is doing here. The existing cafes may be inadequate next summer, but despoiling the greensward is [obviously] not the answer.

You will have a chance to “send a message” to this Conservative TDC administration at the Essex County Council elections, and Essex Police and Crime Commissioner elections this May. Please do use this opportunity to give expression to your resolution never, ever to vote Conservative again.

 

 

 

 

Please click on this link to sign the petition “Re thinking the budget for Essex Police to save PCSO s jobs”:- https://petition.parliament.uk/signatures/9383919/verify/5dH5Wf4jSsPAbFq2jqc

The plan currently under consultation proposes to reduce PCSO numbers from 251 -> 60. Essex Police have clearly faced some very difficult challenges with regards to savings demanded by the government in Westminster. However, George Osbourne found money in the Autumn Statement.

As well as his U-turn on tax credits, he also performed a U-turn on proposed cuts to the police service. “The police protect us, and we’re going to protect the police,” said the Chancellor, as if he had forgotten that until then, the person from whom the police most needed protecting was himself. Police chiefs had been warned to expect cuts, but they are not going to happen this year. We need to make sure that this reprieve is reflected in Essex as retained PCSO’s.

You will have an opportunity to directly influence this debate in a few months time. In May 2016 the role of Essex Police and Crime Commissioner is up for election. I supported Nick Alston (Con) last time around and had high hopes. However, that was a mistake – he has simply not been visible. The heart of the PCC role is to represent the people of Essex to the authorities and not the other way around. Sadly Nick Alston seems to have been captured by the machine.

So – Sign the petition, and vote for the UKIP candidate in May.