Being a Woman

I like write about local issues, but as a woman I felt compelled to write about the Austrialian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her recent rant to the speaker in the Austrialian Parilament about his ongoing sexist comments and his dislike for women. The world needs more policiticians like Julia Gillard to speak out about Women's rights, far too long women have been discriminated in policitics and our opinions and haven't always been valued. My other issue of the week. The Jimmy Saville sexual abuse case has brought to my attention how the community has a responsibilty to care for the most vulnerable of society. The council tax paying public need know they can trust a council to make ethical decisions, when they are investigating allegations of child or adult abuse. This all costs money and comes out of the local authority budget and council tax revenue. In my opinion child and adult protection should be priotised over flower beds or grass cutting!!! I am aware this may be difficult for some of the council tax payer public to understand and they may be believe it the council duty to provide flower beds, however the council also has a duty of care to keep their residents safe.

Great Wakering and Rochford

I had a chance meeting with a delightful woman from Great Wakering. We discussed the future of Great Wakering and Rochford and this woman concerns which are also mine. The building of new houses on Starr Lane Great Wakering and Hall Road Rochford. The conclusion of our conversation, was these new builds would eventually put a strain on the infrastructure on and around Southend-on-sea and primary care services senior schools, and public transport. The new builds in Great Wakering would also put a strain on Shoeburyness and the station as there would be more commuters and where will they park. I am sure they will not use the East Beach car park and the residents of Shoeburyness will see more commuters cars parked around the High Street. I am all for economic growth, but how many houses and flats do we need in the Thames gateway? I like to see green fields and rapseed growing (no good if you suffer from hayfever). I don't want to see one big housing estate.

The Road from Rochford to Shoeburyness

In last week's Standard Recorder there was a small article about Rochford Council's propsals to build a road from Rochford to Shoeburyness. A Rochford Councillor (I am unable to recall his name) asked for feedback to ascertain if the road would become a viable asset for Rochford Council. In my opinion the road would become a viable asset for Rochford Council as it would ease congestion on the A127, for commutors from Rochford and the surrounding areas who are traveling to Chelmsford and the north of the county. However, I like to look at the bigger picture, my concern if a road is built from Rochford to Shoeburyness, it would give Southend Borough Council a green light to built on our green belt land, around Bournes Green and Shoeburyness. This road would not decrease congestion in the long term, eventually the road would cause other issues with the infrastructure in the surrounding areas. The people of Bournes Green and Shoeburyness will be left dealing with the problems which this road will create!! Thanks Rochford Council from the people of Bournes Green and Shoeburyness!!

The Green Grass of Home

I would like to start on positive note. The Green Party have elected a new leader Natalie Bennett, and my opinion this is another good day for women in politics. I believe when a policitical party has a female leader it appeals to more to the voter. On a negative note the Infrastructure Bill will be in the statute books next month and councils have will have the opportunity to built on Green Belt land. Bournes Green and Shoeburyness will definitely be looked at, as potential places where new houses, flats could be built on, this would be disastrous for the communites around these areas. Southend has already admitted there is a baby boom and will have to accomodate a new infants school, are roads become conjested with far too many cars because public transport is too expensive, there is only one big supermarket in Shoeburyness and this supermarket is unable to cope with the amount of footfall and the carpark is too small for the community it serves. I am totally against the loss of our green belt as eventually there will be no green areas left and this will be the legacy of the Coalition Government!

Councillors Expenses

The Tax Payers Alliance will be investigating councillors expenses, as the Tax Payers Alliance believe the expenses given to councillors are far too much, and the role of the local councillors is about providing a community service and should not come with expenses more than the average salary of the area they represent. Volunteers and charity workers receive a small expenses or no expenses for the great work they do in the community, and little recognition. I am aware times have changed in local government and councillors need to make telephone calls, have mobiles and have access to the internet and attend meetings which all cost money, and these facilities are paid from their expenses. My issue is with the portifolio holders and the leader of the Southend Borough Council who does earn more than the average Southend salary. In the public interest I would like to see a break down of all the portifolios holders and the leader of council expenses to see where savings can be made. The majority of the people of Southend are having to budget their finances and make cutbacks. I believe portofolio holders expenses should be cutback to!!!

Girl Power!!

The last two weeks the British nation has been watching intensley to the London Olympics, and the Olympics has given the British public a sense of pride I was more interested in how many woman competited in the Olympics and the radical change of women being able to competete in a male dominated sports (Nicola Adams Team GB woman's boxer and gold medal winner). I wish I could write the same about local government politics, however I am aware our time will come!!! I believe there should be more women and ethic minorities in local government it would be a much fairer system and more people would vote in local elections. The majority of local councils are pompous white middle-class men who nothing in common with the people they represent. The political parties should be addressing the lack of women and ethic minorities councillors, if they want Localism to work!!!

The London Olympic's

On the eve of the greatest event London has seen in years, please rememember the victims of the 7th July 2005 bombing. the day after London was given the bid to host the olympics. These people were robbed of the opportunity to attend the event. Come on Team GB!!!