Road Works …

 18th April, 2018

Yeah … 

 You’ll excuse the lack of a shirt, there, but I’ve just had a walk: just to get a bit of exercise.

And found that, just around the corner from where I live — on Rollason Way, in Brentwood — workmen building at the junction with Warley Hill … have closed off half the street.

Building a building that many in the area have long opposed, for a mix of reasons.

For some years, now?

I’ve been concerned that the various planning decisions in my area mean getting police cars down my street is hard.

Getting ambulances and small delivery vans down it, harder.

Getting a fire engine down the street?

Extremely hard, indeed.

I’m also very aware that this wee, one of my neighbour’s smoke detectors went off.

At least once a day, over the course of three days, as a result of smoke generated by frying bacon!

Fire engines were called out, each day, to deal with it.

This was before the workmen narrowed the street.

~≈§≈~

About That Cinema …

Brentwood Gazette Article
12th November, 2014

My Letter Part 1

You know, it’s an ongoing thing … 

That’s possibly a phrase that’s got you wondering, hasn’t it?

But what I’m talking about … ?

Is Brentwood’s Cinema.

Or rather …

The cinema we haven’t got: and haven’t had for some time.

~≈fi≈~

About the Council ...

You know, if you've been following me for a while, you'll probably realise that Brentwood Council can be a bit ...

Well …

Strange, sometimes.

Or, at least, mildly contradictory.

And you've possibly also realised I've been keeping my eyes open, just around the corner, oin the plans for the development in Saint James Road.

Now, I'll happily admit to leaving comments on the website, over the past few months.

And ALSO mildly disappointed that my objections haven't also been made public.

Just the comments, I should add: if Brentwood Council made my address and phone number known, I doubt I'd be pleased.

But the comments, themselves ... ?

I'm happy to see them published, especially in this day and age of booming social networks.

So I wrote and asked Brentwood council why the comments hadn't been published: here's what I said.

Dear sir/madam

I’m writing after trying — roughly three times, now — to leave a public comment on a local planning application, near me: your Ref 11/01195/FUL.

As I’ve said I have tried to leave a public comment about this application for some time, and, as yet, have not seen ANY of them, go live on the site.

And would like to know why this is.

I have to admit, my thinking at the moment … ?

 Is that this looks very suspicious.

And here's the reply …

Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding your application comments for 11/01195/FUL – Brunel House, St JamesRoad.

I can confirm that the Council has received comments from yourself regarding the above application site (Dated: 30/12/11, 3/1/12, 9/1/12, 18/1/12 and 7/2/12) and the Planning Officer will take any comments received into account when writing the report.

Please note that it is the Council’s current policy not show representations on line, however you may view any representations received at the Council’s Planning Reception.

Any representations made on line via Public Access will receive an automated acknowledgement e-mail in return if an e-mail address is supplied and any representations received via any other format are currently not acknowledged.

I hope that this answers any questions you had with regard to receipt of your comments and not being able to view comments on line.

Regards

Carole Vint

See what I mean about contradictory?

I — and everyone else — can't read my objections online.

But CAN wander up to the office and read them there.

SENSIBLE!

Adventures in Local Elections: Oh, and an Email …

You know, I’ll be honest …

I’ll be glad when this local election’s over.

One way or the other … !

But possibly no gladder than Councillor Chilvers: after all, it’s her turn for re-election, this year.

But the reason I say that … ?

Is comparatively simple.

It means that, once the counting’s done, over the weekend, we’ll know one way or the other, whether we’re stuck with the First-Past-The-Post system we’ve had for the past few hundred years.

Or end up with the Alternative Vote system that the Lib-Dems insisted on, as part of the coalition government deal, after last year’s general election.

Hmmm …

Now, I’ll be honest, you’ve probably already guessed I’ve not liked the fact the party I’ve voted for has entered a national coalition, at Westminster.

But, locally, and as I’ve said before … ?

I’m quite happy: Councillor Chilvers has at least knocked on my door, a few times.

Unlike Councillor Holmes, who hasn’t.

And unlike the Labour candidate for Brentwood West.

Whose name, I’ve still not caught.

At any rate, I’ll happily share a secret with you: I’ve voted for Karen. Like I say …

»»•««

But that’s not quite all I meant to tell you …

I’ve been mailing the Gazette, again … !

I’d don’t know if you remember, but a couple of weeks ago, Brentwood’s only Labour councillor, Mike LeSurf, had his photo taken outside Brentwood Town Hall, complete with Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, making a big noise about saving the Town Hall from demolition.

Which is funny …

As, when he vote about it was held, he voted with the Tories, to allow the plans to demolish all or part of it.

I know we expert politicians to be bend the truth a bit, but that’s a bit bendier than usual. wouldn’t you say … ?

I know, Councillor Chilvers sent in a critical letter, only to get an equally critical one from Councillor LeSurf, this week.

Pointing out the year’s of campaigning they’d done.

Well …

One photoshoot with Ed Balls, for the Gazette, and turning up at the High Street with Harriet Harman … ?

Yeah …

At any rate, I sent this in to the Gazette: here’s hoping … !

Dear Sir,

I’ve GOT to admit, I read Councillor Le-Surf’s letter, this week, and damn near fell of my chair, with laughter.

And a certain amount of annoyance, as well.

Now, I’ve followed Brentwood’s council politics for some time.

And I’m as critical as any of the Liberal democrats, nationally, as anyone: and have made my feelings clear to the local Lib-dems whenever they’ve come a-calling. Karen Chilvers will be able to confirm that: we’ve talked about it in person, when she checks her ward.

That, I should add, seems to be year round, rather than just at election time.

The local tories are a lot worse: I’ve never seen on the beat, but at least take time to answer email.

I’m extremely critical of the local Tories for not knocking my door: Councillor Homes will be able to tell you that, as we’ve we’ve discussed it be email.

But anyone who watched the discussion on the Town Hall’s future — as I have — on the council’s own website will tell you one thing.

Councillor LeSurf voted with Conservatives to demolish the Town Hall.

For him to then dig up Ed Balls, in efforts to save the Town Hall … ?

Well …

There’s a term or two that’ll get me sued if I use them of Brentwood’s only Labour councillor.

So lets just say I think he’s a pot calling the kettle black, if he’s accusing someone else of gutter politics …

»»•««

At any rate, another thing, while we’re being political … ?

I’ll ALSO confess that I voted Yes to AV …

Yes, I know I’ve had my doubt’s about that: chief of which was anger at Nick Clegg for going into the Coalition government in the first place.

But …

I didn’t know if you knew it, but Britain’s First-Past-The-Post system means that Brentwood and Ongar MP, Eric Pickles, didn’t actually get elected by a majority of Brentwood and Ongar’s voters.

No.

He’s just the chap who got more votes than anyone else.

The AV system that’s proposed in this referendum means that whoever gets elected has to get at least fifty percent of the vote.

Which is the point that appealed to me … !

An MP has to WORK at it, come election time … !

As did one other point.

David Cameron, Britain’s Prime Minister has made it plain he’ll be voting No to AV.

A couple of his reason’s sort of grabbed me.

One was that he argued that First-Past-The-Post was simpler to understand.

Hmmm …

I’ve not been convinced by that.

After all, for us end-users, it amount’s to put a 1 — or 1, 2, 3 — on a ballot paper, instead of an X.

The other was expense. I’m personally thinking that’ll correct it self, after a few years of using it: it strikes me the initial set-up’s the costly bit.

The third bit … ?

Is that David Cameron’s said, quite a few times over the past few weeks, that he think’s AV isn’t in the nation’s interest.

Which is presumably why his party used it — or a version of it — to elect him, as party leader.

Obviously the UK’s average voter isn’t bright enough to join the Conservatives …

»»•««

Ahem … !

Now …

What else …

Oh, yeah … !

I was also going to tell you about Archie … Remember Archie … ?

Archie’s the Dell C800 sitting behind me as I speak.

I’ve got to admit, I’ve now update him to Xubuntu 11•04, Natty Narwhal, hence the screen shot.

If I make any major changes — or manage to persuade anyone else to try it, beyond Dr Kevin — I’ll let you know …