Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

My thoughts and prayers this christmas are with the families who have been flooded out of their homes. These families will not have the opportunity to enjoy Christmas as their homes are inhabitable and unsafe. In my opinion the spirit of Christmas should be a time of reflection to think of others who are less fortunate then ourselves.

Web Cams!!

I do not agree with the Southend Council spending £20,000 on web cameras and streaming the council meetings onto the internet, I have always believed spending on web cams was a waste of council tax payers money. However, I now looking forward to the experience because it could become more entaining then watching Big Brother or I am Celebrity!! My passion is watching how humans interact with each other and I am aware in my observations the majority of Southend Borough Councillors have over inflated egos, Southend Borough council meetings could be the only thing to watch in 2013!!

A Real BBC Soap Opera

I started this week with a heated to debate with a collegue about the recent saga (I call it a saga, because I hope it will end soon), at the BBC and allegations about Jimmy Saville. Our concern was the repeated interest in discussing and writing about sexual abuse. The victims of sexual abuse and victims who have never disclossed these victims of abuse are being traumatised by the repeated media attention to this horrific crime. The victims have been robbed of their childhoods and their future, victims of sexual abuse can go to have mental health problems, drug and alcohol issues, family breakdown, been in prison, and they could become abusers themeselves. The NSPCC has seen an an increase in victims coming forward over the last three weeks, and these investigations will have to be referred to the local authorities and the police and these investigations will have to come out an every decreasing budget. In my opinion Eric Pickles the Secretary of State should offer a compensation fund for the victims of sexual abuse who have been in the care of the local authorites. If this doesn't happen these victims have been let down again.

Police and Crime Commissioner

I always believed the police should be impartial and should be void of politics. The Police and Crime Commissioner role is another way for the Coalition government to have more control over the police force. In my opinion the electorate need to made aware if they vote for a Police and Crime commissioner who represents a polictical party, they will effect vote for the the policitcal party and their values. I do not want security companies to be brought in to replace police staff because they are a cheaper opition. I want and I also speak for the majority of the people I know, would like a police force who are compentent in their role and will deal with crime effectely and will also look after the victims of crime, the polictical parties have not identified to help the vicitms of crime and strategies to reduce crime in their campagining. I have campaigned for Mick Thwaites Independent c andidate because I believe he is the only suitable candidate for the role as Police and Crime Commissioner.

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!!