Billericay Town Crier February 2020 www.billericaytowncouncil.gov.uk THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BILLERICAY TOWN COUNCIL

BILLERICAY TOWN HALL: THE ROOF IS ON! If you’ve travelled between the High Street and Chantry Way recently you’ll have noticed that construction of Billericay Town Council’s new community building has moved on swiftly since work started in September. By the end of the year the walls had reached roof height and the main support struts across the roof had been installed. early January saw builders rendering the block walls whilst the installation of the roof began in the middle of the month. during February the scaffolding will be coming down; windows installed; work will start to focus on the inside of the building constructing the internal walls and the underfloor heating of the main hall. our Finance Committee has now turned its attention to a long list of items to prepare the building for use – from detailed planning of the furniture required to management procedures such as the meeting room and hall hiring process as well as planning the cutover from our current leased offices in Crown Yard. Building is on schedule to complete in July after which we can start to move in and prepare the building for community use. If you think you might be interested in using either the hall or the rooms please email our Town Clerk with your contact details and we’ll get in touch when more details are available.

START UP COMMUNITY GROUPS WELCOME AT TOWN HALL MICRO-GRANTS AVAILABLE! The major purpose of our new building is supporting and giving a home on the socially isolated, the money can be used to help setup and establish to community groups who provide activities and services to Billericay your community group. We will also allow you to use our facilities for free residents. The old Chantry Way Centre was in its time a thriving hub of for 3 months which means that during the most challenging period of a new community activity and with the new building we fulfil our promise to user group’s existence finances will be easier to manage. groups and welcome them back. The meeting rooms and hall will be ready for use during the 4th quarter If you are thinking about setting up a new volunteer led community of the year – but now is the time for you to start preparing, finding group then Billericay Town Council can help. As part of our 2020 budget we volunteers and planning how you can help and support our community. are offering micro-grants of up to £250 to new groups who wish to provide Contact our Town Clerk – telephone and email details are at the bottom a community service in the new building. Whether it be regular coffee of this page. mornings, a new club, something for young people or an activity focusing

For further information and general enquiries contact: Town Clerk Billericay Town Council • The Loft • Crown Yard • High Street • Billericay CM12 9BX T: 01277 625732 • E: [email protected] • W: www.billericaytowncouncil.gov.uk

Official Office Opening times 9.30am - 12.30pm Mon-Fri. Outside these hours please ring as there may well be office staff present.

@BillericayTC BillericayTownCouncil REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY As in previous years Billericay Town Council arranged for the closure of the High Street and for the ‘There but not There Tommies’ to be installed at the War Memorial in preparation for Remembrance Sunday. The weather was cold but sunny and Billericay turned out in force to support the Parade and the service organisations taking part. It was so nice to see so many young people there both participating and watching. Wreaths were laid by all the service organisations and by clubs, schools and other organisations. Billericay Town Council Chairman Cllr Jim Devlin laid a wreath on behalf of the Town Council and Vice Chairman Cllr Jo Clark together with Billericay Youth Town Council Chairman Oliver Grimes and Vice Air Cadets Chairman Zoe Lugg laid a wreath on behalf of the Youth Town Council. Army Cadets TOWN COUNCIL COMMISSIONS MAYFLOWER STATUE To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower with some pilgrims from Billericay on board, Billericay Town Council has commissioned a statue from the world renowned local artist John Doubleday. The Maldon based sculptor has immortalised royalty, The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and King Olav of Norway, world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Golda Meir and cultural icons like The Beatles and Dylan Thomas. His work can be found locally, The Child in the Park in Lake Meadows, or far flung places such as Switzerland, India, Beijing, South Africa, Fiji and the USA. as well as The Child in the Park you may well have seen other examples of John’s work; the statue of Brythnoth commemorating the Battle of Maldon on the river Blackwater, Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street, Graham Gooch in Chelmsford, Brunel on Paddington Station, Charlie Chaplin in Leicester Square and of H.M. The Queen in The Forum in Southend. john is well advanced with our statue and he will shortly produce a maquette; this is a scaled-down version which helps with the production of the final full size sculpture. Eventually a very few of these will be produced Cllr J Clark presents cheque to Olive Branch Staff and for sale which will help to reduce the total cost of the project. Maureen and Andrew Plant, of Mind Charity Basildon In a rather appropriate twist of fate the foundry that will cast the sculpture is in upstate New York so after 400 years the pilgrims will BEST DRESSED WINDOW eventually be returning to Billericay from the New World. On a cold dark evening in December Cllr Jo Clark and 4 Youth Town Cllrs toured the High Street to find the Best Dressed Window. It is not the overall size of the window but how it has been decorated that is important. As usual it was a very difficult decision to make but the honour was awarded to The Olive Branch with Highly Commended Certificates given to the British Heart Foundation, N. Shelley, Essensuals Hairdressing, Hamiltons Carpets and Ravens Bakery. on January 8th Cllr Jo Clark had the pleasure of presenting a cheque of £100 to the staff of The Olive Branch to be donated to a local charity of their choice. The Olive Branch chose Basildon Mind as their charity and the cheque was handed over to Maureen and Andrew Plant, Vice Chairman and Treasurer of the local charity. Basildon Mind is a registered charity which supplies support to people experiencing mental health problems who reside in the Basildon District. To find out more about Basildon Mind go to www.basmind.org. LOCAL ELECTIONS 2020 All the Councillors on Billericay Town Council are elected every four years and on 7th May this year there will be an election to fill the 20 seats on the Council. The only requirements to be a Town Councillor is that you must be over 18, a British subject or citizen of the Commonwealth or European union and John Doubleday – Sculptor that you live or work in Billericay. This is a great opportunity for local people to serve their community by making decisions on the work and direction of the Town Council. You would be involved with deciding what activities to support, where money should be spent, which services should be delivered PRECEPT 2020/21 and what policies should be implemented. At the Town Council meeting of 19th December it was agreed to raise should you wish to stand as a candidate or would like more information the precept by 3.14% to cover the impact of inflation and increases in about the role of a town councillor then please contact the Town Clerk. Full supplier costs. For a typical Band D property this equates to an increase of details of the election process will also be available on the Basildon Borough 72 pence per year, or 6p per month for a typical Band D property. Despite Council website www.basildon.gov.uk. this small rise our precept is still one of the lowest in Essex.

Page 2 Billericay Town Crier February 2020 YOU SPOKE, CHAIRMAN WE LISTENED, WE ACTED REPRESENTS COUNCIL The Town Council is made up of 20 councillors and 2 Clerks who serve Throughout the year the Chairman of the Town our community. Apart from working on major projects like the new Town Council attends events to represent the Council. Other Hall they are listening and acting on residents’ concerns. Here are some Town Councillors and the Clerks also attend some of the examples of the varied concerns councillors act on: events. For residents information these are the events the • litter at the station Chairman attended in November and December 2019: • how to form a group for dementia sufferers 9th November With the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Lord Petre, the Mayor • potholes of Basildon, a number of other invited guests and many • lighting in Lion Lane and on a Bridleway near Lampern Crescent members of the community and Town Councillors at the • broken manhole cover in Crescent Road Billericay Festival of Remembrance in Emmanuel Church, • tree down in Queens Park Avenue Laindon Road. • residents’ concerns over parking outside the school in Rosebay Avenue 10th November On Remembrance Sunday laid the Town Council wreath • negotiating with Parking Partnership over parking in Perry Street on the War Memorial in the High Street. • yellow lines Stock Road in the area of Mayflower School 12th November With Cllr J Clark attended the Basildon Borough Council / • empty units in the High Street Association of Basildon Local Councils Liaison meeting. • dealing with residents concerns over fencing installed on bridleway 20th November essex Association of Local Councils meeting in Great near Lampern Crescent (Afternoon) dunmow. each query was followed up with the appropriate authority or advice given. This is not a definitive list but gives a flavour of the kind of work 20th November association of Basildon Local Councils Executive meeting councillors are carrying out on behalf of residents. (Evening) at Little Burstead. our Clerks too are listening to residents and acting on their concerns. 30th November Together with many councillors attended the Christmas They are following up concerns regarding: lighting, potholes, trees, parking, Lights Celebration on Sun Corner. waste, overgrown vegetation, bus timetables, and planning enforcement to 5th December essex Association of Local Councils Finance meeting at name but a few of the queries they resolve. Both Clerks find helping Great Dunmow. individual residents rewarding and say, “The things we do for our senior 7th December lit the Christmas Tree at the St. Luke’s Light Up A Life residents that can’t access the internet are the most rewarding,” and they Christmas Service at Mary Magdalen in the High Street. also get satisfaction from solving issues for the town like reporting highways 10th December open Morning at the Billericay Health Centre in Stock Rd. issues, road signs, potholes, and street lights. 15th December annual Carol Service at Emmanuel Church in Laindon Rd. one resident wrote to our Chairman in response to the successful action 16th December Together with Cllr. Jo Clark, at the Billericay School on parking: “I write to thank you for your support regarding the yellow- Leavers Awards Evening at Emmanuel Church in Laindon banding of Stock Road in the area of Mayflower School,” the resident was Road. This town awards evening is for those that have pleasantly surprised when the yellow lines appeared. There’s a lot going on already left the school and have returned to receive their behind the Town Council scenes to assist residents. A level certificates. 18th December With Town Clerks attended the lunchtime Carol Service at St. Mary Magdalen in the High Street.

CITIZEN AND YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 2020 The Town Council is seeking nominations for the 2020 Citizen and Young Commissioner Roger Hirst, Chief Inspector Chris Bradford, Tony Clark, and Cllr Jim Devlin Citizen of the Year. If you know of any Billericay resident, young or old, who goes out of their way to help others, contributes to a community group or organisation, gives up their free time to fundraise for charity, or makes a POLICE, FIRE & CRIME significant contribution to Billericay life, please contact the Town Clerk for a COMMISSIONER VISIT TO nomination form. The only criteria is that nominees must be a resident of Billericay. Nomination forms will also be available on the Council’s website: BILLERICAY www.billericaytowncouncil.gov.uk. The award recipients will be VIP guests On Monday 3rd February Roger Hirst, the Police Fire & Crime Commissioner at all Town Council events including Billericay in Bloom, and the opening of for Essex came to Billericay to receive feedback from residents about their the new Town Hall. Closing date is 17th April 2019 so don’t delay – get perception of policing in the town. He was accompanied by Chief Inspector your nominations in today! Chris Bradford from Essex Police, and Tony Clark from Essex Fire & Rescue. 37 people attended the meeting and their main concerns were the response times when using the 101 number and the amount of time it took Town Trail Walks to report anything online. It was also felt that there has been an increase of anti social behaviour along with drug taking in recreational spaces. Guide Needed mr Hirst reassured residents that he would give all their feedback to the If you know about the history of the Chief Constable and the Neighbourhood Policing Team Sergeant for Billericay town and would like to share Billericay, Jane Childs. Sergeant Childs said that residents are always that with other residents then why not welcome to email her directly [email protected] consider being a guide on a Town Trail Walk. The Town Trail Walks have proved popular with residents for many years. Gardening Springs to Life The last walk attracted 17 people who Now is your opportunity to start to get your garden ready for this were keen to find out about the place where year’s Billericay in Bloom competition. This is a good time to start they lived and its long history but guides are your preparations for a prize winning garden. The competition needed if the walks are to continue. is open to all – look out for your entry To find out more about being a guide on the walks please contact the form in the next edition of the Town Crier. Town Clerk.

February 2020 Billericay Town Crier Page 3 BILLERICAY YOUTH TALENT SHOWCASE FRIDAY 27th MARCH AT 6.15pm IN THE CANON ROCHE SOCIAL CENTRE After two very successful previous events Billericay Youth Town Councillors are presenting their third showcase which will highlight all the young talent in Billericay. We are currently looking for young people up to 18 years of age to take part. Do you or someone you know have a talent such as singing, dancing, magic or FESTIVAL GARDENS comedy? Do you play in a band or perform with a HEDGE REMOVED group? If so you can apply by The Festival Gardens are located in Crown Road Billericay, just off Norsey contacting the Town Clerk on Road. The Garden was provided by an anonymous lady to commemorate 01277 625732 or emailing the Festival of Britain in 1951. [email protected]. If you have taken part previously since 2013 the Gardens have been maintained by the Town Council to and would like to perform then we’d also love to see you again so please provide a tranquil green space in the town. Unfortunately they have now get in touch. become home to drinkers and drug users. To try and address these issues the Town Council recently removed the hedging alongside Crown Road. This has made the Gardens more open to scrutiny from residents and passers-by so will hopefully discourage this anti-social behaviour. COMMUNITY SPECIAL CONSTABLE REPORT The last couple of months have been busy! Over the Christmas period I spent a lot of time going to various functions around Billericay – I really enjoyed the carols in the park in Lake Meadows. It was lovely to see so many people there, and the food was lovely! patrols continue in and around Lake Meadows both plain clothes and in high visibility uniform. I also continue to monitor parking on white and yellow zigzags which has become somewhat problematic around schools. This seems to be improving of late so I will continue to monitor. Thank you to everyone who has stopped me to say hello, its been wonderful to speak to so many of you. Audience enjoys the Festival of Remembrance If you see me around – don’t be shy, say hello! BILLERICAY Thomas Simons – Billericay Community Special Constable FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE BILLERICAY TREE WARDENS – On 9th November 2019 the Town Council once again joined with Brian and Beryl Ford to present The Festival of Remembrance Concert at Emmanuel ACTION FOR TREES Church. We are still campaigning, when we can, to It was an evening of both popular music and a formal Act of encourage developers involved in the Local Plan, Remembrance. There was music from Harmony Brass, the Essential Singers, where approximately 3000 new build houses members of the Sutherland and Highland Pipers and standard bearers from are proposed across Billericay, to landscape-in the Royal British Legion and the Billericay Air Cadet Squadron. the mature trees on those sites. There are many The evening was very well attended and extremely enjoyable. A profit of characterful oak trees that must be in excess of £602 was divided equally between the charities, the Royal British Legion 300 years of age and are a valuable part of our Poppy Appeal and Help the Heroes. tree heritage. The small woodland at Lampern It was with regret that Mr and Mrs Ford recently informed the Town Crescent on the Queen’s Park estate that came up Council that they no longer felt able to continue with the event, however we for auction fell through. The woodland has a group Tree Protection Order would like to thank them for all of their hard work during the past five years applied to it by Basildon Borough Council which may have deterred gap-site which brought such an enjoyable evening of music to Billericay. development. However, vigilance is still called for!

Page 4 Billericay Town Crier February 2020 NORSEY WOOD SOCIETY NEWS THE BILLERICAY ART TRAIL With thanks to all the Co-op Society members who shop in Queen’s Park, 11th-26th SEPTEMBER especially those who nominated the Norsey Wood Society as their Local Billericay Art Trail is back this September with FREE art exhibitions Cause. The Society were presented with £9,569.25 on 19 November. Our and activities to appeal to all ages in venues throughout the town. Our first priority is the purchase and installation of entrance map boards for the third “Portrait of the Year” competition, Infants & Juniors I-Spy Trails, Secret main pedestrian entrances to encourage visitors to venture further into the Postcard Auction for charity, Mayflower 2020 themed Kids Art & Craft and wood. Five have been ordered which will be installed by the Volunteer much more. Working Party. We are looking We also hope to have the secondary woodland that has encroached into for Artists and Crafts Norsey Meadow thinned before the nesting season to rejuvenate open people – beginners, grassland with standard trees. This is the next step in a multi-year plan to hobbyists or regenerate a more biodiverse habitat rich in grasses and wild flowers to professionals and encourage pollinators and invertebrates. We planted a second new want to share your hedgerow before Christmas using species provided by The Woodland Trust. fantastic art with the make a note of the Norsey Wood Open Day on Sunday 10 May. Visit whole community, norseywoodsociety.uk for more information about the wood and don’t miss displaying it in local the Wildlife page! Our next Talk on Monday 16 March at 7.45pm in The Fold shops, businesses is ‘Explorations in Bee Space.’ Broader than a bee-keeping talk, it includes and venues in and interesting insights into bee-keeping ancient and modern. around our High Street. are you a Business looking to host an artist or help in any way? Please do get in contact! In 2018 many people took part – exhibiting their work, walking the Art Trail and enjoying the wide range of free activities. Local business also benefits from the enhanced footfall that the Trail attracts. Closing date for Applications is 31st March. To apply, go to BillericayArtTrail.org, or get an application form from The Fold, Billericay Library or Picturesque (85 High Street). for queries, please email [email protected].

Volunteer Litter Pickers MAYFLOWER 2020 2020, the 400th anniversary of the Voyage of the Mayflower carrying four NEW LITTER PICKING GROUP Pilgrim Fathers from Billericay aboard, will be a special year for our town. IS CLEANING UP 18 months ago Billericay Mayflower Twinning Association created a steering group from representatives from the town’s clubs and societies to co- A group of local residents concerned about rubbish in the town have ordinate a programme of some 40 commemorative events to run throughout formed themselves into the Billericay Litter Pickers. Their first litter pick was the year but based around four key dates. held in December and they targeted areas around the high street such as The complete programme will be printed in the spring and available Festival Gardens, Sun Corner and Billericay station. It was very successful through Billericay Town Council’s website, twitter and Facebook pages, and everyone enjoyed it. The youngest litter picker was just 2 years old The Resident, and the library as well as at a launch on 20th June in the and there were 5 under 10 year olds which proves this is something all the Reading Rooms. In the meantime, as events become finalized, they will be family can get involved with. gradually revealed on the BMTA’s website: www.billericaytwinning.org.uk The Town Council are pleased to be able to support the group with the and through the Facebook page: Billericay Mayflower 2020. free loan of our meeting room as a base as well as the use of our litter We hope to include something for everyone – all ages and interests picking equipment. Their next litter pick is being held on Sunday 22nd catered for – so that 2020 will be a truly memorable anniversary year. March to coincide with the Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean The Mayflower 2020 Committee campaign. All are welcome to come along and lend support from 10am to 11.30am. ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL CITIZENS ADVICE SOUTH ESSEX LAUNCHES TWO INITIATIVES TO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR TELEPHONE COMBAT LONELINESS HELPLINE SERVICE As one in four people report being lonely, which can have detrimental effects Currently there are 189 volunteers, who give an average of one day a on health, on 23rd September Essex launched the United in Kind project. week and have been trained to help people with all manner of problems. The aim is for Essex residents to connect with their neighbours and Many volunteers are retirees or parents whose children are now at school, community to overcome loneliness by acts of kindness. Essex have who want to do something rewarding and challenging. appointed coaches to help. Currently Basildon Borough is sharing the Billericay resident Neil Sumner has been volunteering for more than services of Donna Reilly 07458 300901 and Sarah Ayling 07458 300895. eight years. He said, “The most rewarding thing is you see people who To see what is happening and get involved visit www.unitedinkind.org are facing a brick wall, and although you can’t knock it down for them, The second project brings all these events together on the Essex map. To you can help remove a few bricks so they can see a way forward, and you find out what is happening in your area go to www.essexmap.co.uk If you just see the relief on their face. And they know they can come back to us are organizing a community event go to www.essexmap.co.uk/register for further support if they need it.” If we all record online acts of kindness or group actions dedicated to for more information or to find out how to volunteer visit reducing loneliness such as befriending or bereavement the project will be www.citizensadvice.org.uk/local/south-essex/ or the Billericay Branch. successful.

February 2020 Billericay Town Crier Page 5 BILLERICAY CHORAL SOCIETY SPRING CONCERT PERFORMANCE BACH TO BEATLES Essex Police 7.30pm – SATURDAY 21 MARCH 2020 24 hour non-emergency number 101 UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, 99 CHAPEL STREET, BILLERICAY CM12 9LR www.essex.police.uk FOR MORE DETAILS CALL CHRIS KEMPSON 01277 656443

ANNUAL TOWN MEETING TOWN COUNCIL 30th APRIL 2020 – TOWN COUNCIL OFFICES AT 7pm MEETINGS Each year the Town Council holds an Annual February 2020 Town Meeting to inform residents about the Thur 6 full Council council’s activities. As is customary an Tue 11 planning interesting guest speaker will be invited along Tue 25 planning to give a talk. All residents are welcome to March 2020 attend to hear about what the Council has Tue 3 h, W & Environment been doing and there will also be an Tue 10 planning opportunity to ask questions and raise any Thur 12 finance & GP other queries/issues. Thur 19 full Council Tue 24 full Council CIVIC SERVICE April 2020 SUNDAY 8th MARCH – 2pm Tue 7 planning THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER Tue 14 environment CHURCH, LAINDON ROAD Tue 21 planning Thur 23 finance & GP On Sunday 8th March, Billericay Town Council Thur 30 annual Town Meeting will hold its seventh Annual Civic Service at The Most Holy Redeemer Church, Laindon May 2020 Tue 5 planning Road, starting at 2pm. The service is organised Thur 7 elections by Churches Together in Billericay (CTB) and is Thur 14 annual Town Council an opportunity for all members of the wider Tue 19 planning community and representatives of many local Tue 26 h, W & Environment groups to come together and celebrate our All meetings are open to the public and press town. All residents are very welcome to and are held in The Coach House, Crown Yard, attend. unless otherwise stated and start at 7.00pm.

BILLERICAY TOWN COUNCILLORS Name Address Phone No. E-Mail Ward Cllr A Adshead 29 The Meadow Way CM11 2HL 01277 632104 [email protected] E Cllr R Chapman 99 Church Street CM11 2TS 01277 657696 [email protected] e Cllr J Clark 33 Carson Road CM11 1SA 01277 659842 [email protected] E Cllr R Clark 1 Wick Glen CM12 0HS 07802 425842 [email protected] W Cllr M Dear 12 Redwing Drive CM11 2PG 01277 622499 [email protected] W Cllr J Devlin 231 Perry Street CM12 0NZ 01277 656937 [email protected] W Cllr C Dyer 6 Montpelier Close CM12 0UH 01277 625732 [email protected] W Cllr J Henshaw 46 The Avenue CM12 9HG 07544 499272 [email protected] W Cllr K Herlock 11 Cranmer Close CM12 0YQ 07776 212968 [email protected] sW Cllr L Mitchelmore The Loft Crown Yard High Street CM12 9BX 01277 625732 [email protected] e Cllr M Moore 47 Laindon Road CM12 9LG 01277 627266 [email protected] SW Cllr Kim Mordecai 18 Hilary Mount CM12 9JS 01277 659717 [email protected] E Cllr C Roberts 77 Tyelands CM12 9PB 07568 346 055 [email protected] E Cllr M Roessler 9 Second Avenue CM12 9PR 07760 373070 [email protected] W Cllr D Spencer fir Tree Lodge 16 Back Lane CM4 9DG 01277 829750 [email protected] e Cllr G Talbot 185 Perry Street CM12 0NX 07983 421686 [email protected] SW Cllr A Talboys 8 Wren Close CM11 2YU 01277 657576 [email protected] E Cllr M Thomas 39 Chestwood Close CM12 0PB 01277 650453 [email protected] W Cllr J Tutton 11 Bluebell Wood CM12 0ES 01277 655443 [email protected] W CHAIRMAN Cllr Jim Devlin Telephone: 01277 625732 TOWN CLERK deborah Tonkiss Email: [email protected] Billericay Town Council Website: www.billericaytowncouncil.gov.uk The Loft, Crown Yard, High Street Billericay, Essex CM12 9BX Contributions may be edited and acceptance and publication of all articles is subject to the Town Council’s Terms and Conditions as shown on the website.

Page 6 Billericay Town Crier February 2020