Annual Meeting
The Opening remarks of the Chairman Cllr Alistir Matthews
This has been a very busy and frustrating year for your council. Many subjects are unresolved due mainly to slow moving officialdom and downright procrastination.
We have the ongoing LDF (Local Development Framework) which this council has been very active in trying to pressurise District to see sense, so far unsuccessfully. We have put forward proposals; to try and save more of our open spaces from urban sprawl; which would have provided a new focus for this Parish, perhaps this was too much for Planners to accept. The Battle continues and we hope the Planning Inspectorate will see the advantages of our alternative scheme. This may be academic, if the Housing allocations are abandoned, with the possible demise of this present Government, but the fact remains that Housing for the District’s population will need to be met, but without central funding to reconstruct the infrastructure, then it could be undeliverable. We held several exhibitions at the Leisure Centre and Village Hall to explain the various proposals and promote our alternative and met with a really good response. We were able to help others from outside the Parish to understand the implications, which the District failed miserably to do.
Rayleigh West Sewage was another recurring theme which thankfully has improved since January. Even now there is an occasional stench as storage of material still takes place on site, but few, if any lorries are un-sheeted.
Rawreth Playing fields parking problem are still not solved although funding is allocated and a possible solution found without destroying newly planted trees.
The unreasonable over use of the London Road football pitches continues to create problems to local residents with parking problems and conflict with Equestrian traffic coupled with the irregular use of the Chipping Compound, it makes for an accident ready to happen. This is one example of excessive inactivity by The District Enforcement Team.
Each month the Travellers Site is an agenda item, not resolved, this is an example of procrastination by the Enforcement Team. The District Council hope that this site is suitable to be regularised, as one of the statutory pitches they have to provide. We will try to prevent this happening, and it must be emphasised that we object purely on planning and highways issues.
Flooding was and still is a sensitive issue to many of our Residents. We have tried unsuccessfully to get more action from the Environment Agency. This problem is going to be of increased urgency as the housing pressures increase in the West of Rayleigh, North Benfleet, Shotgate and Wickford. There are two areas of concern, Rayleigh Park Estate area of Rawreth Lane and the low lying areas around Church Road to Battlesbridge.
We have another ongoing problem with unauthorised development on land West of the Pumping Station off Watery Lane, this should have been resolved, but again the Enforcement Team seem to drag their feet.
It is no good if planning laws and guidance are ignored as it leads to anarchy, and the District Council into disrespect.
Our Relationship, through our Clerk, to various offices at District and County level has been very good, but not always the result, and it is increasingly frustrating to have to face you, the residents, and taxpayers, to explain inaction by various departments.
Over the year we have commented on average, on one or two applications per month, normally not contentious and we hope any observations are constructive.
We have made grants to Rawreth Art Group, Essex Air Ambulance, Interact, RAVS and paid £800 towards the cost of Rawreth St. Nicholas Newsletter. We have been in receipt of various grants ourselves from County, the community Garden , the repair of Bedloes Corner Bus shelter; the agreement to build a replacement store for the Village Hall and we will be applying for grant towards the water connection to the Community Garden. It should be noted that our precept remains at £10,000 and that we continue to have one of the lowest precepts in the District, we remain determined that we use it wisely. On that note we believe our Clerk has served this Parish over and beyond our expectations and works many more hours than she is contracted for, I am sure you would agree that we are indeed fortunate to have Hayley at the helm. I have said before that this Council has been fortunate to have had three outstanding Clerks.
We have maintained our presence at the West Area Committee and hopefully made Rochford District aware of Rawreth interests and indeed existence.
We are not political as a Council but prefer to represent your views, rather than Dogma. To do that, it is important that you keep your side of the bargain by coming to our monthly meetings and putting forward your views, you will be made welcome and we hope the meetings are interesting enough for you all to make a habit of it.
Lastly I would like to add our thanks to our two Ward Councillors, who have supported many of our endeavours. We hope that the next twelve months will see many of our ongoing irritations resolved.