Thursday’s Yellow Advertiser carried a number of stories relating to the Local Plan, BAG and the OAN numbers. Links are available at the end of this post.The front page of the YA sees the Leader of Basildon Council, Cllr Turner, with promises of more trees for the Borough. In response to a campaign by the Yellow Advertiser about rising levels of air pollution Cllr Turner has decided to change the rules of the Local Plan to ensure that developers plant trees as a condition of their planning permission. Read on....
At first glance it sounds a great idea. After all, who wouldn’t want less pollution and more trees ? But all is not well with Cllr Turner’s reasoning. Keep this story in mind, because we’ll come back to it in a minute...
At first glance it sounds a great idea. After all, who wouldn’t want less pollution and more trees ? But all is not well with Cllr Turner’s reasoning. Keep this story in mind, because we’ll come back to it in a minute...
Page 5 sees the reappearance of BAG Chairman Mike Andrews, apparently in his alter-ego of “Mr Angry”. Along with others from the Billericay Action Group Mike attended the recent Basildon Council meeting to ask questions to clarify what is happening with the Local Plan in the light of Basildon delaying a number of stages for the best part of a year. Like many others he was angry about the lack of time afforded for residents to ask questions of their elected representatives, questions that the vast majority would see as both important and relevant. All in all it wasn’t the best example of democracy in action.
Move on now to Page 18 where we have more visibility for BAG and the Local Plan. In the “Speed Read” column we have Cllr Richard Moore (responsible for planning in Basildon Council) announcing that Basildon “is considering revisiting the Objectively Assessed Needs” which might see the numbers change - numbers that BAG have already proven to be excessively high. BAG will of course keep up the pressure to ensure that the number reduces. Significantly.
Despite Basildon deciding to delay the next stages of the Local Plan process allowing time for more detailed research (a decision which we believe was significantly influenced by the work of the Billericay Action Group and its supporters) and despite Cllr Moore’s comment that the OAN might be revisited and changed, he announced in the meeting that Basildon has rejected consideration of our widely praised and respected White Paper. Why?
Because it was submitted outside of the original consultation period. Reading and understanding the huge number of complex documents produced, doing further research of neighbouring authorities and putting together a comprehensive argument took a lot of time with our limited resources. And despite BAG’s successes in forcing Basildon to extend the original consultation period even this wasn’t enough time.
Basildon have now moved their own goal posts delaying the Local Plan process for about a year. They have also said the numbers might now need to change. So don’t you think it sensible that they publicly accept that they should consider our new evidence ? After all, it was Cllr Moore who thanked us for “developing your ‘White Paper’ which is a useful contribution to the debate”.
Basildon Council have clearly said that they cannot take on advice and information outside of the Consultation period and so we return to our first point where Cllr Turner has reacted to a campaign by the Yellow Advertiser (outside of the consultation period), taking on advice and information (outside of the consultation period) and changing the rules of the Local Plan to force the planting of more trees. If he can take information from the front pages of a newspaper, should he not also take on board our “useful contribution” of a well researched White Paper?
So with one hand they’re proposing to counteract existing pollution whilst with the other destroying huge numbers of well-established trees in our beautiful Green Belt to build unnecessary houses! The irony of this has probably passed Basildon Council by.
The next edition of our newsletter, MailBAG: will carry a more in depth review of these issues. To receive your own FREE copy of MailBAG, simply email info@BillericayActionGroup.co.uk
Move on now to Page 18 where we have more visibility for BAG and the Local Plan. In the “Speed Read” column we have Cllr Richard Moore (responsible for planning in Basildon Council) announcing that Basildon “is considering revisiting the Objectively Assessed Needs” which might see the numbers change - numbers that BAG have already proven to be excessively high. BAG will of course keep up the pressure to ensure that the number reduces. Significantly.
Despite Basildon deciding to delay the next stages of the Local Plan process allowing time for more detailed research (a decision which we believe was significantly influenced by the work of the Billericay Action Group and its supporters) and despite Cllr Moore’s comment that the OAN might be revisited and changed, he announced in the meeting that Basildon has rejected consideration of our widely praised and respected White Paper. Why?
Because it was submitted outside of the original consultation period. Reading and understanding the huge number of complex documents produced, doing further research of neighbouring authorities and putting together a comprehensive argument took a lot of time with our limited resources. And despite BAG’s successes in forcing Basildon to extend the original consultation period even this wasn’t enough time.
Basildon have now moved their own goal posts delaying the Local Plan process for about a year. They have also said the numbers might now need to change. So don’t you think it sensible that they publicly accept that they should consider our new evidence ? After all, it was Cllr Moore who thanked us for “developing your ‘White Paper’ which is a useful contribution to the debate”.
Basildon Council have clearly said that they cannot take on advice and information outside of the Consultation period and so we return to our first point where Cllr Turner has reacted to a campaign by the Yellow Advertiser (outside of the consultation period), taking on advice and information (outside of the consultation period) and changing the rules of the Local Plan to force the planting of more trees. If he can take information from the front pages of a newspaper, should he not also take on board our “useful contribution” of a well researched White Paper?
So with one hand they’re proposing to counteract existing pollution whilst with the other destroying huge numbers of well-established trees in our beautiful Green Belt to build unnecessary houses! The irony of this has probably passed Basildon Council by.
The next edition of our newsletter, MailBAG: will carry a more in depth review of these issues. To receive your own FREE copy of MailBAG, simply email info@BillericayActionGroup.co.uk
What can I do!
This is possibly the most important paragraph of our BAGGER post. We rely on our supporters to help keep the Local Plan in the press and the minds of our local Councillors.
So please, write a letter to one of our papers or write to your local Basildon Councillor or MP. After all, a number of them are seeking re-election this year.
Write to your local MP
Mr John Baron, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA or email him : John.Baron.MP@parliament.uk . Please remember to be polite, keep your email or letter short and sweet - but let him know what you think!
Write to your local Basildon Councillor:
In Billericay(East) it is:
In Billericay(West) it is:
And in Burstead it is:
Write to your local paper:
So please, write a letter to one of our papers or write to your local Basildon Councillor or MP. After all, a number of them are seeking re-election this year.
Write to your local MP
Mr John Baron, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA or email him : John.Baron.MP@parliament.uk . Please remember to be polite, keep your email or letter short and sweet - but let him know what you think!
Write to your local Basildon Councillor:
In Billericay(East) it is:
- Cllr David Dadds (david.dadds@members.basildon.gov.uk)
- Cllr Andrew Schrader (andrew.schrader@members.basildon.gov.uk)
- Cllr Stuart Sullivant (stuart.sullivan@members.basildon.gov.uk)
In Billericay(West) it is:
- Cllr Tony Hedley (anthony.hedley@members.basildon.gov.uk)
- Cllr Daniel Lawrence (daniel.lawrence@members.basildon.gov.uk)
- Cllr Phil Turner (phil.turner@members.basildon.gov.uk)
And in Burstead it is:
- Cllr Andrew Baggott (℅ Basildon Council, The Basildon Centre, St. Martin’s Square, Basildon, SS14 1DL)
- Cllr Kevin Blake (kevin.blake@members.basildon.gov.uk)
- Cllr Richard Moore (richard.moore@members.basildon.gov.uk)
Write to your local paper:
- Billericay Gazette : editorial@Gazettenews.co.uk
- The Echo : echo.letters@nqe.com
- Yellow Advertiser : letters@yellowad.co.uk
