Clements Hall Swimming Pool Filthy

From the Echo

A DISGUSTED swimmer has slammed “filthy” conditions at a council-owned leisure centre.

The 23-year-old, who asked not to be named, said he was shocked at the state of the changing rooms on recent visits to Clements Hall Leisure Complex in Hawkwell.

The leisure centre, in Clements Hall Way, is managed by Virgin Active on behalf of Rochford District Council.

“Recently, I noticed a used plaster that had been deposited by the side of the pool. The following day, it was still there.

Could this have meant the end for the Hawkwell Surgery?

From the Echo

 

The fight put up by the Hawkwell Community saved the old Dr. Sen Surgery from closure but is this proposal another threat from the local NHS?

“A DOCTOR has launched a campaign against plans to develop a new super clinic in Rochford and Rayleigh.

Dr Jamie Nicholls, of the Jones Family Practice, in Hockley, said patients could have to travel miles to see a doctor, and the personal touch will be lost.

Rumours have been circulating about derelict land next to Rosedale Court in Hockley Road, Rayleigh being the likely site for the super clinic.

GPs would be given the option to move into the new superclinic, but Dr Nicholls fears there will be no choice in the matter.”

For more information about a campaign, including a petition, to save the surgeries go to http://www.supportyoursurgery.co.uk Read more

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‘Fair Shares for All’ Housing Allocation? – 365 is NOT a Fair Share in Hawkwell West

The story so far:

In the Summer of 2007, after the first public consultation, 32 Conservative Councillors met in private to allocate 2200 new housing units across Rochford District.  They came up with 365 for Hawkwell West and just 740 for the whole of Rayleigh.

The Liberal Democrats seem to have gratefully accepted the reduced allocation for Rayleigh and have not raised any objection yet to the allocations across the remainder of the District. Not surprising because any objection to what is going on elsewhere might lead to the Rayleigh allocation increasing !! 

But Lib Dem Councillor Chris Black, Leader of the Opposition at RDC, has written “We support a ‘fair shares for all’ policy for new housing in Rochford District.”

But how can 365 new houses in Hawkwell West be described as ‘Fair Shares for All’ ?  It is not Fair Shares At All !!

• A ‘Fair Shares for All’ policy would mean just 110 new houses in each of the 23 District Wards
• Rayleigh should have 1000 new houses not 740
• Hockley should have 330 not 36
• So why is one Ward in Hawkwell allocated 365?
• This would mean an increase in the number of houses in Hawkwell West by 25% Read more

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Not Sustainable – 3700 Homes for Rochford District

From the Echo 19 May 2008.

PLANS for 3,000 new jobs and 3,790 new homes in the Rochford district are not sustainable without improvement to the area’s transport links, according to an RDC Councillor.”We wonder if the Government has any idea at all of the daily problems our residents face due to the severe lack of infrastructure in our area and the East of England generally.”

But Rochford District Council has come up with a spin strategy to make everyone feel happy about things.

Proposed “Pay-as-you-throw” refuse charges to be scrapped by Labour Government

The BBC reported as long ago as 2006 on the spectre of Pay-As-You-Throw wheelie bin collections that would see families charged for their rubbish.  It was said that Town Hall Chiefs were planning the rapid introduction of schemes across the country that will work through microchip-equipped wheelie bins. The plans would have meant that every household would have got a rubbish bill based on its waste left for collection, in an attempt to encourage recycling. But it is widely being said that Gordon Brown will now be ordering a U Turn of such ideas.

Illegal Diversion of a Bridleway in the vicinity of Hawkwell Park Drive

I was called out by residents early on the morning of Saturday, April 19 to the work being carried out by a developer on the land running alongside 63 Hawkwell Park Drive and Park Gardens.  I spoke to the Architect and Builder advising them that they were illegally diverting and surfacing a bridleway.  They refused to stop the work.

I contacted our County Councillor by email immediately and also Rochford District Council.

The Hawkwell Action Group (HAG)

A group of residents in Hawkwell West have formed a organisation called the Hawkwell Action Group (HAG) which has the purpose of ensuring that all of the residents of my Ward are independently advised of proposals affecting Hawkwell West in the Local Development Framework (Planning for Housing) and that as many residents as possible respond to the public consultation.  I was invited to join the HAG Committee and I have done so.

From the Echo, 12 May 2008 – Do you believe that Hawkwell Green Belt will be saved? Or is it still at risk? 

District’s green belt aims to skirt housebuild quotas

Anti Social Behaviour in Hawkwell on 7,8,9 May

“On Wednesday night/Thursday morning the kids were over there [Clements Hall] drinking and shouting abuse until 1.30 in the morning. The state of the park on the Thursday morning was disgusting, spirit and wine bottles and cans.
 
Last night, Friday, 9 May was worse, the kids were still over there shouting abuse, drinking, lighting a fires until 4.15 am.”

There were over 250 youths gathered. Youths had come from Rochford, Rayleigh and possibly Shoebury, to mix with Hockley / Hawkwell youths.
 
It is now a wider problem when Year 11 students get together and consume alcohol in large numbers. It has become an annual event with no signs that it will stop in the immediate future. Clements Hall is designated no alcohol and signs indicate that, but the youths ignore it.