Meeting with Chief Inspector Andy Prophet

As your representative on the District Council, John Mason met with Chief Inspector Andy Prophet and PC Steve Joynes at Rochford Police Station on Thursday afternoon.

They gave him the opportunity to talk in depth about the problems that residents have been experiencing and the concerns that they have.  John emphasised that if Essex Police see Clements Hall as a good place for the young people to congregate and they support the Teen Shelter then Essex Police must be resourced both for supervision and action to be taken about under age drinking and drinking anywhere in that area because it is banned.

Teen Shelter at Clements Hall

Hawkwell Parish Council has obtained permission from Rochford District Council to site this new development near the skate board ramp in the playing fields.  Residents at the Central Area Committee held at Hawkwell Village Hall last year voiced their concern but the consultation conducted in the Parish Council Newsletter did not raise any objection.  The Parish Council has the funding and it is now going ahead.

A resident has, however, found out that another teen shelter of a particular design has run into big problems and has had to be removed.  I have asked Hawkwell Parish Council to check this out before going ahead.

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.

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.

Hawkwell Parish Council is sitting on the fence on green belt housing development

This has been published by the parish council in its Spring 2008 Newsletter. Every dwelling in the Parish will have received a copy so I will not repeat it here (there is a Hawkwell Parish Council Web Site). 

It is a very comprehensive policy on what the parish council thinks about any future housing development in Hawkwell.

But what does it mean?

The District Council says that Hawkwell will get 365 new houses.  Where? We have already been notified a four options.

Local Residents in Hawkwell Meet to Oppose New Housing

The meeting was so well attended that the organisers, Jamie Popplewell and his neighbours in Mount Bovers Lane, asked Belchamps if they could move the meeting to the larger upper hall.  Luckily, Belchamps were happy to do this otherwise about 90 people would not have been able to get in because the small hall only held 60.

Over 150 concerned residents attended mainly because of the possible threat of new housing being allocated to the Mount Bovers field but also the threats to land at Thorpe Road and behind Rectory Road adjoining Windsor Gardens and Clements Hall.

Hawkwell Parish Council Opposes the loss of Green Belt for New Houses

Stuart Mennell
Clerk to Hawkwell Parish Council

Dear Stuart

I am writing further to our conversation this morning concerning the RDC public consultation on the LDF Core Strategy which took place in May and June of this year. 

As a District Councillor I informed residents by Newsletter that the RDC allocation to Hawkwell and Hockley was 400.  The District Council also released details of those landowners who had put their land forward for consideration of allocation for development.  You can find maps and descriptions on the RDC web site at http://www.rochford.gov.uk/rdc/main.asp?page=1101

365 New Houses for Hawkwell

365 Houses Allocated by Conservative Party to Hawkwell West but only 36 houses to Hockley

So far the only land put forward is all in Hawkwell West -  53.3 hectares = 1599 to 2665 houses at the density required by Government of 30-50 houses per hectare.

Where?

Off Thorpe Road (residential but ‘open to discussion’) 11 hectares = 330 to 550

South of Ironwell Lane 0.3 Hectares = 10 to 17

East of Clements Hall Sports Centre (‘residential or mixed use’) 14.6 hectares = 450 to 750

Magees Nursery, Windsor Gardens 3.1 hectares = 90 to150

So much for local consultation - Ignored !!

The Central Area Committee on 20 September in Hawkwell Village Hall considered a request by Hawkwell Parish Council for a Teen Shelter to be sited on the field adjoining Clements Hall Leisure Centre.  No details had been submitted before the meeting but the Central Area Committee was supposed to recommend this in principle to the Executive Board.  A large number of residents from Hawkwell West, my Ward, attended and some spoke out very strongly against this proposal.  Because no details had been submitted before the meeting no one knew if it required Planning Permission or not.  If it did not then the Chairman, also a Member for Hawkwell West but a Tory (Executive Councillor Derek (Steve) Stansby), said that the Executive Board would approve it.  Not so said an Officer and indeed Councillor Hudson, Deputy Leader of the Council, but the Chairman, wishing to push this through regardless of local opinion, the people he represents, insisted otherwise.  Under the circumstances I publicly voted against because it went against the views of residents and I had not even seen the details.  So much for local consultation.  Indeed I discovered in the Minutes of Hawkwell Parish Council that only 6 adults had attended their public meeting - so the rest,54,were young people and Parish Councillors.

Hawkwell/Hockley Anti Social Behaviour Reduction Plan

Anti Social Behaviour : Matter of Concern Number 1, Residents Survey - Hawkwell West 2007

So the Police want the Youth to congregate at Clements Hall Leisure Centre. Not good news for Hawkwell residents living nearby.  But the Police want the Youth to be able to use the facilities.

So will Virgin Active and RDC offer the use free or subsidised?

I have written to a senior officer of RDC to ask how this Police request will be actioned. Read more

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