MINUTES OF WELCOM FORUM THURSDAY 26TH NOVEMBER 2016

Present: Brian Marin in the Chair, Bob & Marian Kuyper, Canon Paul Robinson, Linda & Fred Mulley, Jill Draper, Iris Crane, Lesley Keefe, Cris Bowling Cook, Dave Bowling, Karen Dobson, Peter Risk, Cynthia Adams, Sue O’Mara, Ken Hayward, Gordon Stevens, Mike le Surf, Julie Morrissey, Rose Phillips, John Purkiss, Daphne Harvey, Jo Wakeling, Same Smith, Eileen Smith, Steve, Elaine & Caleb Swinney. Special Guests David Stokes and Sophie Jerrem from Healthwatch

Apologies: Councillor Barry Palmer, Councillor James Baker, Chris & Kim Ford, Mel Turner, Mike Tarbard, Alan Fuller, Carol Fielding, Revd Brenda Gutberlet, Paula Knowles

MATTERS ARISING

St Catherine’s should hopefully be finished early 2016. Services are now being held there and the usual Christmas Services will all be taking place.

Thameside Nature Park. No new staff have been appointed, Marc Outten is still there two days a week and the warden from Chafford Hundred visits some of the time.

They hope to soon have gullies dug at the side of paths to allow the water to drain off and make the paths more accessible. This will be a temporary/mid term fix. John Connolly is moving to Wales in early 2016 and will therefore be giving up his voluntary work in Linford Woods. Steve Swinney volunteered to get in touch with him and have a walk over the woods to see what the job entailed. Brian thought that perhaps St. Cleres students could get involved.

James Baker has not reported back re the TBC view on East Tilbury Village Green.

Brian has met with Christina Jackson about applying for money for a feasibility study on setting up a local hub.

No further forward with the nursery re-opening at the school.

ASBO department has been extended not disbanded but only relates to Council tenants. There is an out of hours service from the Environmental Health Department, Friday & Saturday 9.00 pm – 3.00 am

Brian asked the secretary to write to the library manager, Jenny Meads, to see if we were further forward in opening the library to local groups outside library hours with perhaps a self checking in and out for library books.

Buckingham hill ECO Park. Planning application 15/00649/FUL:

This application request is to import 250,000 cubic metres of inert material (160 lorry movements per day) to raise the ground level by 2 metres and create an ECO park to rehome all the creatures on the site which stretches from the old golf course in the north to the railway line in the south. This would clear the area of wildlife prior to beginning gravel extraction between the pylon line north of Walton hall farm and the railway line. Although not part of the request the plans include moving the Buckingham hill site entrance 100 metres south and 300 lorry movements a day between the new site entrance and the Buckingham hill/ A1013 junction with wheel washing facilities at the entrance. Also included in the plans are a set of traffic lights on Walton hall roadwith an estimated 300 lorry movements across the road. The assumption is that the gravel washing will be taking place south of Walton hall road beside the railway which is the only place on the site with the required ground water readily available. On a positive note the plans do include a footpath/bridleway from the north edge of the site, south along Buckingham hill as far as the Tarmac/Durox entrance and the current work on the ECO park seems to have stopped the off road bikes at the weekend.

Can Buckingham hill sustain these extra lorries especially with the extra traffic from the current and proposed housing development and the potential extra traffic on the A1013 when the A13 road widening program kicks in.

THURROCK HEALTHWATCH

David Stokes and Sophie introduced themselves and outlined some of the problems experienced by the phlebotomy department throughout Thurrock. Patients are sometimes waiting up to two hours to be bled which is unacceptable. They have recently introduced a booking system at Basildon hospital which seems to be successful, (I have taken the liberty of putting the website here so the facts are correct)

Patients can now book online or over the telephone, and can specify all of their blood test requirements, such as fasting, glucose intolerance, warfarin (INR), so the most suitable time can be offered. Additionally, the online option allows friends, relatives and carers with permission from patients to book blood test appointments on their behalf.

The new SwiftQueue online booking service went live in October, so that patients can book a blood test appointment for Thursday 29 October 2015, and beyond.

Online booking is available from the Basildon Hospital website and is very easy to use. Patients simply visit the blood tests section on the website, and click on the ‘book online’ button under Basildon Hospital. They will then need to follow the instructions on how to register and select the date and time for their blood test. An automatic email confirmation is then sent to the patient. Those wishing to book by telephone can call 01702 422555; lines are open 7.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding UK public holidays).

Patients may still choose to turn up and wait for a blood test if they prefer, apart from on Saturdays which will remain appointment only.

There have been a few teething problems but the average time now for a blood test is 13 minutes.

Brian pointed out to David and Sophie that we have no public transport to Orsett Hospital now, the bus to Basildon is every 90 minutes and the local Doctors surgery who hosts the phlebotomy once a week only allows for the first 20 people to attend. Dave Stokes stated that they were hoping for that service at Rigg Milner Centre to be extended to a six hour period hopefully in January/February 2016. Ken reported that two nurses at this surgery had been trained to take blood.

Karen reported that she had been able to acquire the use of a room in the Children’s Centre if that would be a viable alternative.

Linda Mulley asked if it would be possible to have a mobile unit travelling around Thurrock 5 days a week. David Stokes said this could be problematical if someone collapsed with no doctor on site and very few places have adequate parking facilities.

HOUSING DEVLOPMENT

Brian reported that we had staged a very successful demonstration with placards and banners on 7th November with some 200 people attending. Cogent/Iceni will probably put in plans at the end of the year. We must be vigilant so we can make positive objections (not NIMBYS) in the time frame provided. Please remember if we demand a road over the railway line it will mean even more development. Instead, concentrate on safety issues, Basildon Hospital not being able to cope etc.

Barry Palmer had passed on to the secretary a 79 page document on Neighbourhood Development Plans. Communities can shape development in their areas through the production of a Neighbourhood Development Plan, Neighbourhood Development Plans become part of the Local Plan and the policies contained within them can then used in the determination of planning applications. As a Forum we could participate with Thurrock Council and others in drawing up a plan. It is very involved and once in place will be valid for 10 or 15 years. The first thing we have to do is have 21 local people residents/businesses people who work in the area sign up to work through the process. A NeighbourhoodDevelopment plan had first been suggested by Paul Robinson some months ago and Scott Sullivan has volunteered to guide this process if we decide to become involved in making a plan. Twenty three members present signed up and Scott will approach Thurrock Council to see the way forward.

Concerns were expressed by several people that making this plan would be admitting we are happy with further development. It was pointed out that it should give us more say on how many houses we have and where they should be built i.e. brown field not green belt. If we have a robust plan then we should be able to get a lot of improvement in East Tilbury. Scott pointed out that the council will say No to the Cogent/Iceni plans which will then go to appeal, if we have a Neighbourhood plan in place it will be well received by any inspector.

Brian suggested that we have some plans in place:-

  • Brian would undertake to write a newsletter this weekend for distribution to all residents with up to date information.
  • We should have posters and banners in various key places saying NO to development so people coming into the area are aware.
  • To go ahead with the Neighbourhood Development Plan.
  • Respond rapidly as a Forum and individuals when the plans are submitted.

SPORTS HALL

There are still several problems between the Forum and school staff regarding the Sports Hall. Paul Robinson had met today and recommended that a joint use agreement with the Trust, setting out access, and maintenance and develop with the school a new constitution. There will be a meeting on 13th January which Sue Sheppard who is Village and Community Hall Advisor for the Rural Community Council of Essex will attend.

AROUND THE TABLE

A number of dates for various Christmas functions were given but were advised by separate email at the end of November.

Gordon Stevens had been asked by someone if we could put on our website the addresses to write to re planning objections.

The secretary asked for a volunteer to take over secretarial duties for the first three months of 2016.

NO MEETING IN DECEMBER NEXT MEETING THURSDAY, 28TH JANUARY.