Hampden Lodge Update

Another planning application has been submitted by Havering Councils developer for flats and now houses on the former care home site. The new application is for the demolition of the existing building and the construction of 30 dwellings, 13 of which are 3 and 4 bedroom houses, and 17 are one, two and three bedroom flats. However there is only provision being made for 36 parking spaces for the whole site.

We have been contacted by lots of residents about the new scheme, with mixed views, most are happy that the scheme has a reduced number of units, however it still does not deal with the extra traffic coming from the site onto Clockhouse Lane and the impact this will have on the surrounding streets and the closeness to Clockhouse Primary School.

The lack of parking provision is also way below what is needed, only 36 spaces for 30 properties, however if you add the total number of bedroom up, you get almost three times that amount, we know some will be for young families, but over time, these young people will learn to drive.

Cllr Mann, Kevin Tonks and Denis Steven all can not understand why the Conservative Administration are hell bent on flogging of this site at any cost and still refuse to look at options for a desperately needed health centre or other community use.

The Councils Cabinet agreed a secret report last year, reducing the amount of money that the developer ad to pay. Cllr Mann has a copy, as all Councillors are allowed to see it, however he has been warned that he can not disclose the contents as it will be a breach of the members code of conduct. However the local Romford Recorder have printed suggestions that over the last 2 years, the price being paid could have been reduced by as much as £1/2 to £1 million pounds.

If this is true, the loss of £1 million in cash that could be spent in Collier Row is a grave indication of the type of people that are currently running Havering Council. Both of your Tory Councillors for Havering Park ward suggested last year that they had “Saved” Hampden Lodge, yet they are both part of the Administration agreeing to sell it off, Cllr Starns is actually a Cabinet member, who voted to sell it off, yet they both protest that they are on your side !

We would ask all residents that have a view to write to the Head of Regulatory Service, at Mercury House, Mercury Gardens, Romford, RM1 3BD with their comments, it would be a great helpful you could copy in Cllr Mann by e-mail at andrew.mann@havering.gov.uk or by post, address on the right of this page.

We are grateful for the developers for agreeing to host an informal meeting at Clockhouse School, for residents to view the plans recently. However we are not sure how much this was politically motivated, as Cllr Mann was only invited less than 24 hours before the event ! Luckily for us, we were able to get three of our members along on the night and Graham and Karen Price and Joe Webster were able to spend some time, talking to local residents about the revised plans which were on display.

Whatever the outcome, it is likely to come before the Planning meeting just the week before the Local Elections on May the 6th how very convenient. We still feel that on balance this scheme is not as good as it could be, we except they have now proposed houses, which the majority of residents said would be acceptable, however there is still a great amount of flats to houses and the traffic situation is still not going to be resolved properly.

Tories Baked Bean Budget

It seems the Conservative budget this year will go down in history as the “Baked Bean Budget”, following the generous rebate that they have given you of just 13p a week. Not even enough to purchase a cheap tin of beans.

Local residents have inundated us with comments, the most popular being “this is just election year gimmick” and “how much will it cost you next year when it goes up again”.

Your Conservative Councillors have made a big issue about how they have reduced your Council tax by 1/2% this year. Whilst we agree you pay too much, their saving equates to £7 a year, or 60p a month, or 13p a week. That’s right, they waste Millions and save you just 13p a week.

In a recent news flyer the Tories say “We Understand how hard you work to earn the pound in your pocket. That’s why your Conservative Council has worked hard to cut your Council Tax Bill”. However, they have had above inflation increases for the last three years and then increased just the Tory Special Responsibility Allowances by over £ 7,000 !

We looked at what you can actually purchase for your 13p a week saving, and our best option was a tin of Tesco Value Beans. Perhaps if the Tories had not wasted so much money over the last eight years of being in control, with Council Tax increasing a whopping 46%, there would be more available now to make proper reductions for the residents of Collier Row.

Council Tax has gone up 46% in 8 years under Tory Control, from £1,037 to £1,511. A 1/2% reduction is nothing compared to this increase.
It is also suggested that the Conservatives deliver better value for money? Well not according to the latest MORI poll which placed Havering Council at the very bottom of all 33 London councils, when residents were asked if the council provided Value for Money. Let us knot forget that Havering still has the third highest Council Tax in the whole of London !

Residents will not be fooled by a Council Tax reduction, just a few weeks before people go and vote for a new Council, I wonder when a Tory Candidate knocks on your door if he or she will assure you that their will not be an increase ext year to pay for it.

Andy

Cllr Andrew Mann

StreetCare Matters, but not in Collier Row !

Kevin Tonks and Denis Stevens have been out and about in the ward recently, meeting residents and discussing their biggest complaints at present, StreetCare and the lack of it.

In particular, the large amount of pot holes that have opened up on our roads like small craters on the moon, well to be honest, some are not that small.

Kevin Tonks said “The down side of any cold spell is the snow and water turns into ice. This then runs through any cracks or pot holes and gets under the road surface. When this freezes again, it expands and blows the road surface out, hence an instant pot hole”.

“These are always made worse by roads that are not well maintained. You are able to tell if a road is looked after by the amount of pot holes in it, the more holes the more neglect”.

Denis Stevens said “Three of the worst roads are Burland Road, Highfield and Hillrise Roads. These are not by any means the only roads, just three that we have found that have more holes in than a bag of Hoola Hoops, there is dozens of them”.

Cllr Mann, Kevin and Denis have all reported dozens of pot holes in the last two months as they continue to appear. We all call on this Conservative Administration to stop spending all their Capital money in Harold Hill and their new priority areas and to start spending more in Havering Park Ward. Of a recent Capital spend of £4 million, over half was spent in just two wards in Harold Hill, with the rest being shared amongst the other 16 wards in Havering !

Freedom Pass Delays

Freedom Pass users may have encountered difficulties in obtaining their new pass. According to the scheme administrators, London Councils and the Post Office, the delay in issuing the passes is due to the sheer volume of renewals which is affecting production and distribution, in some cases up to a month.

Residents are able to use their current pass until March 31st. The link below will take you to the London Councils website where there is tracking system for residents to use. The message on their website states; "We're working hard to produce the new passes.

If you do not receive your pass within 10 working days, please be assured that it is on its way. You can use your current pass until 31 March".

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/freedompass/default.htm

Alternatively, there are two Havering e-mail addresses that have been set up to answer resident queries. If residents send in their full name, address and the application tracking number detailed on their Post Office receipt, council staff will track the application and provide an update to residents.

The e-mail addresses are;
mailto:Freedom-Passes@havering.gov.ukor freedom-pass@havering.gov.uk

Massive Countil Tax Debt

According to the 2008/09 Council accounts, residential Council Tax debt has increased by £2.6m since 2006 and now stands at a breathtaking £13.8m, despite an average of £2.8m being written off in each of the last three years.

Information emerging from a Council question by Leader of the Residents' Association, Cllr Clarence Barrett, revealed that there were 10,413 recovery actions for council tax arrears in 2008/09. Of those actions, there were:

81 Attachment to earnings orders
244 State benefit reductions
7,174 referrals to bailiffs
30 bankruptcies obtained
264 summons to court

The balance were either withdrawn or paid up.

In 2006/07 there were 9,461 recovery actions and in 2007/08 10,500.

Cllr Barrett said: "It is important that Council Tax debt is pursued in a firm, fair and efficient manner, and that residents who pay should not be expected to subsidise those who do not.
"However, despite an average of £2.8m being written off in each of the last three years, it is very worrying that residential council tax debt has now increased by £2.6m to £13.8m under the watch of this Tory council".

notes:

Residential council tax debt (as per LBH statement of accounts)

2005/06 £11.205m
2006/07 £11.526m
2007/08 £12.523m
2008/09 £13.842m