Freedom Pass Mischief from the Tories

Cllr Andy Mann has hit out at the Collier Row Conservatives after producing a leaflet that is full of inaccuracies and lies in relation to the Freedom Pass, by implying that the Government have withheld this year’s payment of £1.8 Million from Havering Council. The leaflet was written by Silly Billy Taylor, who has a habit of printing mis-leading leaflets for the Conservative Party.

Cllr Mann is particularly unhappy about a quote from Cllr Binion and Leader of the Council Cllr Michael White who say “The Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association have failed to defend the free travel and that he (Cllr Mann) regularly votes with the Labour party in the Town Hall”

Cllr Mann said “I am amazed that the Leader of the Council can get himself involved in another leaflet produced by Silly Billy Taylor (he of the Bower Park School to close leaflet, which was full of lies), I expect this sort of thing from Cllr Binion, as she does not know any better, having been mentored by former Councillor, Alby Tebbutt. However for Cllr White to associate himself with such deliberately misleading statements scarring the elderly of our Borough is an abuse of Power”

The Facts

· The Government have not withheld any money this year !

· The Government have actually started a consultation with London Councils on the possibility of withdrawing the last year of a three year grant in 2010 / 2011. The total grant across London is £55 million, with Havering’s part being possibly £1.8 million.

· Havering Council actually received a saving last year from the Freedom Pass budget of some £2.65 million, which it used to prop up some of its overspending Council Departments.

London Councils first raised this issue, after they attended a meeting with Whitehall Officials and came away with some concerns from it and are now seeking reassurances that the money will not be cut. (Cllr Merrick Cockell, Chairman of London Councils speaking in London Bulletin Sept/Oct 2009)

Cllr Mann said “If the Conservatives managed to run the finances of the Borough better they would not be in this mess, we have £12.5 million tied up in Iceland and they took £2.65 million out of the Freedom pass budget last year and spread around overspending budgets in the Council”.

Cllr Mann goes on “Everyone knows you can not trust Gordon Brown when it comes to finance, if the Conservatives had been a but more prudent last year and not spent their savings of £2.65 million form the Freedom Pass budget, we would not be in this position now”.

The Collier Row and Mawneys Residents Association have an on-line petition at their web site www.collier-row.co.uk that residents can sign if they wish to show their support for not cutting funding from the grant.

As Chairman of the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association, Cllr Mann has written to Cllr Michael White and Mr Billy Taylor warning them that any further lies printed in a Conservative Newsletter will result in Court Action. It is not the first time this has happened, Cllr Mann issued proceedings in the County Court against Cllr Michael White two years ago.

Cllr Mann said “I will do whatever is needed to protect my good name and that of the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association, if that mean we have to take the Leader of the Council back to Court again, then so be it. The residents of Collier Row deserve far better than what they are getting from the Five Conservative Councillors at present, and if we need to put all of them in a witness box to prove they are lying then so be it”

Joe Webster beats the Chatsworth Challenge

Mawneys Action member, Joe Webster, walked 25 miles across the hills of the Peak District to raise money for the charity, Breaks 4 Kids. Joe said “Not only was it a long walk but also involved ascents totalling 3500 feet. Fortunately the weather was just right for walking and I managed to complete the course in ten hours and sixteen minutes.”

By his efforts Joe has raised over £600 for the charity which sponsors young people who otherwise could not afford residential courses in climbing, caving, canoeing and other outward bound type courses run by the Youth Hostels Association.

Joe quoted a statement by the Department of Education and Skills in 2006, “Staying away for a few or more days is a powerful way of developing key life skills, building confidence, self esteem, communication and team working.” He added, “I do not necessarily agree with everything that emanates from the department but over this I totally concur. If it helps to get a few youngsters off the streets into something useful it is worth every penny spent".

Joe is pictured on the summit of Helvellyn in the Lake District earlier in the year whilst training for the Chatsworth Challenge.

Young Artists on Display

From the 25th September until the 1st October 2009, Havering will host a free exhibition of young contemporary artists and writers. Open everyday from 11am until 5pm the exhibition will be held in the former shop 'Heart of Dixie UK' (opposite the Salvation Army building) in Romford.

Free workshops and talks will be available to attend for both individuals and groups. Everyone is welcome, please come along and support youth arts in the area.

Romfest 09

On Sunday 27 September Havering Council will present 'Romfest'; a free, day-long festival of music, dance, sport and the arts. The day will get off to a flying start at 10am with a 5 kilometre Fun Run in Raphael Park. You can walk, run, jog or be pushed around in a buggy – it doesn't matter.

From midday until seven in the evening, Romford market place will be the venue for a non-stop programme of free, live entertainment featuring a host of superb local talent.

The programme also includes some great headline acts - Chico, Blazin' Squad and “Lemar” – with some of our most popular local presenters from Time 107.5 and Link 92.2 comparing the lavish stage show.

Don't worry if you can't make it to the front of the stage – we've laid on an overhead big screen so you don't miss out on any of the action!

And there will be lots of other things going on to keep visitors of all ages entertained. Why not try your hand at the arts and crafts workshops on offer; pick up some handy personal safety advice from the borough's experts; check out the active sports zone or pop along to the fashion show in The Liberty Shopping Centre?

There'll be street entertainers, amusements and, at 5pm, the Romfest Best Rock Band competition taking place at Brannigans in South Street concluding with a special performance by London Blackmarket. Doors open at 5pm at Brannigans and entry is FREE before 8.30pm.

Romfest will offer something for everyone. And the great thing is the admission is FREE. So mark the date – Sunday 27 September – on your calendar, tell your friends and join us for a great day out.

Latest Newsletter Delivered

Issue 16 of the Collier Row and Mawneys Residents Association newsletter is now being delivered across Mawneys and Havering Park Wards. Over 10,500 copies are issued free by volunteers across Chase Cross, Collier Row, Mawneys and Havering-Atte-Bower.

Items in this issue include, the alcohol license approved by the Conservative controlled committee for Newsboy, Websters Walkabout, St Francis 25th Anniversary Celebrations, Travellers invade Bedfords Park again and Bower Park exam result success. See the full details by clicking below.

Click here or on the the newsletter to go to our archive and read the newsletters on-line.

Friends of Havering Country Park Quiz Night

The whole Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association team attended the Quiz Night of the Friends of Havering Country Park last Saturday, to help raise funds for the group to spend in the park.

Over 80 people attended the night, helping to raise over £600 that the group can use to good use in the park. Our team kept up with the top teams for a good part of the night, but we lost out on the music round and ended up a close 5th out of the 13 or so teams who took part.

The friends group has been running for over almost 3 years now and has grown in that time, with new members and has consistently pushed the Council in setting out its plans for the parks investments.

Cllr Mann said “We were all very pleased to be able to support the friends group for the second year running out their quiz night, it was a great night and we all very much look forward to coming back next year, maybe we can improve on our score”

For more information about the group, take a look at their web site at,
http://sites.google.com/site/fohcpg

Charity Abseil down YMCA building

Havering Park Ward members, Cllr Andy Mann and Kevin Tonks, both took part in a sponsored abseil at the weekend. Andy and Kevin dropped in at the YMCA building during Saturday (the 5th Sept), to take part in the sponsored abseil event. Upminster and Cranham Residents Association Councillors, Clarence Barrett and Linda Van Den Hende also took part on Sunday.

They dropped down the 120 foot building in aid of St Francis Hospice, who are based in Havering-Atte-Bower. The hospice offers specialist care to patients who have cancer or other life-limiting illnesses. It costs over £6.5 million every year to run the service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can care for more than 1,600 patients and their families each year.

Its still not to late to sponsor Cllr Andy Mann & Kevin Tonks, who aim to raise over £700 for St Francis.

If you would like to sponsor Andy & Kevin please go to the just giving web site at http://www.justgiving.com/AndyandKevsbigabseil/ Or you can send a cheque made payable to St Francis Hospice to Andy Mann, at 380 Havering Road, Romford, Essex, RM1 4DE.

YMCA Charity Abseail Event

Its not to late to sponsor Cllr Andy Mann & Kevin Tonks, who will be literally dropping in at the YMCA building this Saturday (the 5th Sept), to take part in the sponsored abseil event. They will be dropping down the 120 foot building in aid of St Francis Hospice at 3.30pm tomorrow afternoon.

Andy and Kevin aim to raise £500 for St Francis, who are based in Havering-Atte-Bower, the hospice offers specialist care to patients who have cancer or other life-limiting illnesses.

It costs over £6.5 million every year to run the service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can care for more than 1,600 patients and their families each year.

If you would like to sponsor Andy & Kevin please go to the just giving web site at http://www.justgiving.com/AndyandKevsbigabseil/ or send a cheque made payable to St Francis Hospice to Andy Mann, at 380 Havering Road, Romford, Essex, RM1 4DE.