Stock By-Election (again)

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Cllr. Gillian Bonnett and Cllr. Sue Dobson - elected!

Cllr. Gillian Bonnett and Cllr. Sue Dobson – elected!

Further to our recent post regarding the by-election that was called following the sad passing of Cllr. Ian Grundy, it’s pleasing to be able to report that Sue Dobson has been elected to represent the residents of Stock Division at Essex Council.

Even if it’s only for five months!

Once again, this by-election was really unnceccessary, called by Reform UK before Ian Grundy’s funeral had taken place.

Having worked with Sue Dobson at Chelmsford City Council, we’re confident that Sue will work hard to represent the residents of Stock Division.

In other news, as they say, Gillian Bennett was elected to serve the residents of South Hanningfield, Stock and Margaretting Ward at Chelmsford City Council until the next election, scheduled for 2027.

Stock By-Election

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Sue Dobson - image from Chelmsford City Council

Sue Dobson

While not directly a South Woodham Ferrers post, residents may be aware of the recent, untimely, death of Ian Grundy, who served as City and County Councillor for Stock.

One of the vagaries of the political landscape is that the Stock ‘division’ at Essex County Council is that it encompasses Margaretting, Rettendon, Runwell, Woodham Ferrers and Bicknacre.

There is an accepted tradition that by-elections are not called until after the funeral of the deceased councillor. There’s also a rule that by-elections are not called during the final six months before a major election.

The Reform Party – somewhat disrespectfully – called for by-elections on October 31st, the day before the 6 month rule would have cut in, and three weeks before Ian Grundy’s funeral. The elected County Councillor will serve for just five months before next May’s elections.

The by-election will be held on Thursday December 12th.

And of course, it is we residents who bear the cost of elections, officers to staff the polling stations and count votes.

As to the by-elections, the Conservative candidate for the County Council election is Sue Dobson who has served as a City Councillor for several years, and stepped up as Mayor after the sad passing of Cllr. John Galley. Sue has said that she accepts that she will only serve residents for five months, but that she’s standing in Ian Grundy’s Memory. The candidate for the City Council elections is Gillian Swain, a long-standing Stock Parish Councillor.

The Reform candidate has no record of serving residents on any other public body, has had his past business interests called into question by the Advertising Standards Authority and the Financial Services Authority. He is being supported in his campaign by an Epping Forest Councillor who was expelled from the Conservatives.

 

Clements Green Lane (again)

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Clements-Green-Lane
It’s taken longer than anyone would have wanted (tarmac surfaces on concrete roads require specialist equipment) but, after patching the A132 a couple of weeks ago, Essex Highways are now due to resurface Clements Green Lane in a couple of weeks.
Residents should report highways issues through the Essex County Council website here.
If the problems are severe, please notify me through my County Council email here, and I will seek to prioritise them.

ECC’s Holiday, Activity and Food programme

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ECC’s Holiday, Activity & Food programmeThis summer, Essex County Council’s international award winning Holiday, Activity and Food programme saw 9,435 children take up 78,652 places at 238 clubs across Essex!

The scheme was introduced by the last Conservative government with additional funding provided by Essex County Council. It makes a massive difference to vulnerable children and those on free school meals; providing them with engaging activities, positive role models and a healthy meal during the school holidays.
Cllr. Louise McKinley wrote to the new Chancellor on the 2nd August outlining the benefits of this vital scheme and asked her to commit the funding for the lifetime of this Parliament.
70 days on, she is still waiting for a response…
Let’s hope it doesn’t end up on the same bonfire of political choices as the Winter Fuel Allowance…

Leadership Hustings

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Conservatives Hustings - 1It was great to attend a hustings last week where three of the four candidates for the leadership of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, and Robert Jenrick, presented their visions for the party’s future.

Tom Tugenhat was represented by Jackie Doyle-Price.

Craig Rimmer facilitated, former MP Stephen Metcalfe hosted the evening, and 200 local conservatives attended. We will get to vote after Conservative MPs have whittled the four candidates down to a final two.

Conservatives Hustings - 2

Open Day at Freighter House Recycling Centre

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Free family fun at Chelmsford’s Recycling Open Day | City Life
Chelmsford City Council are holding another open day on Saturday 31st August at their recycling centre at Freighter House, Boreham (between the Car Auctions and Maccy Dees).
If you haven’t been, it’s a fascinating place to visit, and you can see what happens to all the cardboard and cans that the City Council collects.
For more information click here.

Clements Green Lane

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Clements Green LaneLast month – after many months of ‘badgering’ – I met with the Essex Highways Director and the Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways to discuss the parlous state of Clements Green Lane.

Following that meeting, Essex Highways have advised that Clements Green Lane will be closed overnight (19:00 – 05:00) for 3 nights from 6th November 2024.

“The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while Essex County Council undertakes Machine patching, jointing prep and relining.”

Emergency and residents’ access will be maintained, subject to the works being undertaken.
https://one.network/?tm=139746563

Enjoy the silence!

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South Woodham Ferrers at night

I moved to South Woodham Ferrers thirty eight years ago this month. I love it here and have no plans to move, unless the Omaze draw comes through.

Since 1988, The Curlew pub on Gandalfs Ride has been my ‘local’ and in true ‘use it or lose it‘ style, I have frequented it through a dozen or so landlords.

Sometimes, as I wander home, late in the evening, I stop and soak in in the silence.

Occasionally I’ll hear the train pass through the fen, or the last of the Heathrow flights, but often it’s just… silence.

This is a great place to live!

Withdrawn motion at City Council regarding health infrastructure

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Chelmsford City Council is holding a Full Council meeting this evening (July 17th) and the agenda shows a Motion to Council submitted by Councillor Mike Steel, Member for Broomfield and the Walthams.

It was a non-political Motion, asking that the health authorities work even more closely with the City Council to utilise funds available from developers to provide more, much needed, health facilities.

However the Administration wanted to politicise the Motion, and so Mike has sadly had to withdraw it.

Given that today’s King’s Speech will undoubtedly feature planning as a key item, it is essential that our residents get the much-needed infrastructure that is necessary if new homes are to be built.

Here is our press release.

“Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Stephen Robinson attempted to wreck Cllr Mike Steel’s Motion to Chelmsford City Council Meeting this evening by adding political statements to Mike’s original wording. Mike is very disappointed at this, as his Motion was entirely non-political and simply trying to get the local Health authorities to work more closely with the City’s excellent planners to increase the health facilities for our residents. Mike is keen to progress what we as City Council can do, here and now, to increase primary care facilities, rather than just revert to the usual political blame game.

Although it is not possible for the City Council to directly dictate the provision of new doctors’ and dentists‘ surgeries, Members can and do ensure that such infrastructure is included in all the major planning applications (for example, at the new Beaulieu development) but Mike’s Motion went beyond that to facilitate and encourage the health service to set up such surgeries.

Cllr Steel has reluctantly withdrawn his Motion to Council to stop political statements spoiling what was a genuine cross-party attempt to improve health facilities in Chelmsford, but will continue to fight for these in his role as both a City and County Councillor.”