Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Illegal bikes need Cracking down on Harder


This week, I have called for more to be done in stopping illegal motorbikes in Havering Country Park and Bedfords Park, both in “Havering Park” ward in North Romford

As the opposition spokesman for the Environment at Havering Council, I have called for more help from the Council and the Borough Police Commander in supporting the Safer Neighbourhood Team working in “Havering Park” ward in cracking down on illegal motorbikes.

I recently spent the day with the “Havering Park” ward SNT on an operation in Havering Country Park, seeing how they work and surporting their operation.

The SNT in “Havering Park” ward have been doing a good job to date, with operations at weekends in the parks, however they only have a limited number of officers and resources. Don’t forget that for every operation in the park with the team, days are lost on the beat during the week”

Despite Havering Council recently allocating £10k for a new steel fence for part of the park, it is only 150m long. “It is madness to pay all that money for such a short piece of fencing, in my view, it is a knee jerk reaction to a far bigger problem, the bikers will just go to another part of the park that does not have steel fencing. At that rate it would take over £1/2 million pounds to fence the whole park, however, as both parks have legal bridal paths, any gates would have to allow a horse, but not a motorbike, something so far the Council has not been able to resolve.

As someone that was brought up just a few hundred yards from the Country Park, I am concerned that someone will be seriously injured by a biker. We have lots of families with children, old people and horse riders using the park, if we do not stop this anti social behaviour soon and come down hard on any offenders, I am worried that they will not just be seriously injured, but we could see someone being killed.

Monday, March 26, 2007

No more chips for Collier Row

Following a campaign by the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association, Havering Council has refused a planning application for a KFC takeaway in Collier Row. Officers commented that the proposal “would result in a row of three non retail uses in the core retail area of Collier Row”

Which in English means, there is already plenty of takeaway outlets in Collier Row and adding another one will not benefit the Town Centre in one way?

When the application was made some 6 weeks ago, m self and Graham Price spent some time in Collier Row talking to residents and shopkeepers about the application. Graham Price said, “We already have chips shops, Indians, Chinese, Wimpy, kebabs, pizza, chicken and cafes, I think Collier Row is at saturation point in relation to more takeaway outlets.

We are worried that this application is one too many for our Town Centre”.The Council have spent a lot of time and money on regenerating the Town, to enhance the area and to improve the shopping environment, for Collier Row to gain yet another take away outlet is a step in the wrong direction”

Friday, March 23, 2007

Spring Newsletter now being delivered

The latest edition of the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association newsletter is now being delivered across Havering Park & Mawneys Wards. 11,000 copies will be delivered by the end of the month to every house, flat, shop and business in North Romford.

The new style, 12 page booklet should be easier to read and is now in a handy size that allows you to keep it by the phone to refer to the contact numbers inside.

We also have a selection of advertisers, many of them local to Collier Row, if you use any of the traders, dont forget to mention that you got the number from the newsletter.

Please feel free to drop me a line with any comments you may have about the newsletter.




Residents Association 2012 Olympics Petition

Residents Association Councillor, Clarence Barrett recently presented the 3,519 strong Havering Residents Association petition, which protests about the funding arrangements for the 2012 Olympic Games, it was presented to the Mayor of London via the GLA Assembly. Havering and Redbridge GLA Member, Cllr Roger Evans

Cllr Clarence Barrett said: “Whilst welcoming the Games to London in 2012, the issue of funding the Olympics and who will meet the overspend has a particular significance to the residents of Greater London. I am very pleased that the thousands of people who have signed our petition will now have their views expressed to the Mayor. Indeed, I shall be making sure the Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, also receives a copy.

“I am very grateful to the support given to this petition by the residents of Havering and beyond and firmly believe that the existence of this protest has and will make a difference to the outcome of this issue”.

The wording of the petition is as follows:

To: Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London

Under a pre-arranged deal with the government, council taxpayers across London are compelled to pay an additional £20 per year (based on an average Band D property) for up to eleven years to raise £625 million towards the total cost of the 2012 Olympic Games.
The average council tax across London has increased by 35 per cent over the last five years and has become a significant financial burden for many thousands of residents.

a) There has been no direct consultation with Londoners regarding the setting of an Olympic levy and we do not consider it fair to impose the charge on London residents alone. The 2012 Games is set to benefit the country as a whole and we submit that the costs, including the £625 million, should be shared across the country as a whole.

b) Should the staging the London 2012 Olympic Games result in an overspend against budget, we seek absolute assurance that Londoners will not have this deficit added to council tax bills beyond the pre-arranged period.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Is it chips for Collier Row ?

The CRM Residents Association has concerns at yet another planning application for a take away outlet in Collier Row, which we understand has been made on behalf of KFC.

My self and Graham Price recently spent some time in Collier Row talking to residents and shopkeepers about the application. Graham Price said, “We already have chips shops, Indians, Chinese, Wimpy, kebabs, pizza, chicken and cafes, I think Collier Row is at saturation point in relation to more takeaway outlets. I am worried that this application is one too many for our Town Centre”.

The Council have spent a lot of time and money on regenerating the Town, to enhance the area and to improve the shopping environment, for Collier Row to gain yet another take away outlet is a step in the wrong direction”

The CRM Residents Association accepts that shops close and have to change; however filling Collier Row with takeaways is not the answer. There is support available from the Council to help small businesses and we wish to encourage new retail outlets, not just chip shops.

However, I am pleased to welcome a new business to Collier Row, a new estate agents is set to open in Collier Row. “Steps” will be taking over an old shop that has been empty for over 12 months, based in Dagenham; they plan to open in April, we wish them luck.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Chief Executive of Havering Retires

Stephen Evans, Havering’s Chief Executive, retires from his post this week and I was pleased to be able to attend a fair well drink at the Town Hall last night. We heard the usual stuff when someone retires, funny stories; he’s a good bloke really, we will miss him, everyone loves the boss, etc,etc.

To be honest, I have always got on with Stephen, during my time as a Cabinet member we disagreed on a few things and did not see eye to eye on everything, but as a whole, we sorted any issues out that we had and got the job done.

Stephen Evans has been at Havering Council for eight years and Chief Executive for the last four and a half years, during that time he has overseen the delivery of a programme of stabilisation and improvement at the Council. A lot has happened over the last four years or so that he was in charge and has been resonsible for a culture change in the Town Hall.

Stephen Evans recently said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Chief Executive. Havering is a great borough and has a Council committed to improvement and regeneration. Havering has improved much over the last three years and I feel that the task I was set has been completed. The Council is ready for a succession-planning exercise that will allow an orderly transfer to a new Chief Executive. I would like to thank staff, councillors, local organisations and residents for making my time here so pleasant. I will look forward to working with them all until March next year."

I would like to wish Stephen all the best for his retirement, now he is not politically restricted in his post, he may wish to come and help deliver some of our news letters up in North Romford, we are always looking for helpers !
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Best wishes Stephen and thanks.

Andy

Monday, March 05, 2007

Chelmsford Avenue Play Site

Your Residents Association team is pleased that the gates have finally re-opened at Chelmsford Avenue Park, off Gobions Avenue. The park was closed last June, by the Council and the local Police after the equipment and ground had become so dangerous it was felt it would be un-safe. The work to reopen the park, should have taken just a few weeks, but in the end it took almost 9 months.

Cllr Mann said “Chelmsford Avenue Park was allocated £65 thousand pounds over two years ago and it is a disgrace that the money has still not been spent, I would like to know why are Havering Council dragging its feet on this issues”

“There is no reason why this park has been left to rot, the Council closed the gates months ago, it has left local kids with no park to play in and there is no excuse for this delay. I am also concerned about the recent comments from the Leader of the Council, Michael White, on his public announcement that some play sites may have to be sold, part of Havering’s heritage is its green and open spaces”. You can count on the Residents Association in fighting any plans for selling of parks.

It seems like forever, when i was first pictured at the park in front of the closed gates, i only hope now that it does not take Havering Council another 9 months to sort out the new play equipment and works rquired in the park.