West , and Linford Forum

Zoom Meeting on 16th December 2020 at 7.30pm

Present: John Purkiss – Chair, David Bowling – Vice Chair, Frazer Massey – Tres, Cris Bowling-cook – Sec, Kim Towlson – Chair TAF, Laura Blake – TCAG, Mike Tarbard – Bata Heritage/Hub, Bob Quick – Taskforce Rep, David Crates, Kelly Clarke, Leslely Keefe, Elaine Laver, Rachel Farmer – LAC

Apologies: Cllr S Sammons

Minutes of our last meeting January 2020 were agreed and signed.

The meeting started with Laura from T.C.A.G.{Thames Crossing Action Group} explaining about the D.C.O.{Developmental Consent Order} being withdrawn by Highways from the Planning Inspectorate on the 28th day after it was submitted, because the Planning Inspectorate were going to refuse the Planning Application. As soon as the D.C.O. went into the Planning Inspectorate local authorities that are affected are entitled to contact the Inspectorate and let them know about any inadequacies of the Consultation. , Gravesham and Havering Councils put forward individual and joint responses. T.C.A.G. and council also had their responses accepted by the Planning Inspectorate. Laura had heard from Dartford Council that Highways England were going to resubmit the D.C.O. in April 2021 but according to other sources it was possibly going to be September, this was also heard through sources by John Purkiss. This will have put Highways England back by a considerable amount of time. Due to the the complaints that the Consultation process has caused and being seen as inadequate it is possible that another Statutory Consultation could be required and that feedback from that Consultation has to be seen to be feed into the DCO.

Laura also said that the ruling with regard to Heathrow means that they can begin the process of applying for the D.C.O. and that was all. There was also a Climate Change Committee Conference (gov. agency) that Laura attended that there has to be a levelling up Carbon Emission Levels and that if Heathrow’s expansion took place then other developments would have to be curtailed as everything cannot be in the South exceeding the pollution levels. Laura also pointed out that Tilbury 2 could be used as it has an Agrigates and Concrete making facilities and could reduce the road network by 50% using the river.

Transport Action Network has launched its 2nd legal challenge against the Government as the National Policy of Networks which sets out how they should progress with Roads and decisions made has not been updated since 2014 and does not take into account information now known about Carbon Emission, and the fact that the proposed would produce 5 million tonnes by the year 2060 and that the research and understanding of PM2.5 (brake dust and tyre particulates) which does not meet W.H.O.{world health organisation} standards. At the moment the L.T.C. route fails under W.H.O. rules but these rules have not been adopted into UK Law yet. Laura explained that should anyone wish to get involved in fund raising or by donating to Transport Action Network it would be as all there challenges have to be paid for even though they do get a good rate. Should anyone wish to please contact Laura. Another thing that they are dealing with is Unexploded Ordinance over in , where the contractor for Highways England was doing preliminary works close to houses, causing some residents to be fearful. Should anyone at any time see anything they are concerned about then please contact Highways England and also make T.C.A.G. aware so that they can make notes and keep any eye on the situation . There was a situation in Kent were gas pressure had to be reduced due to a main gas pipeline being damaged.

Bob Quick said that at the recent Taskforce Meeting that questions were being asked about the working times that Highways England had put forward stating that they classed March to November to be Summer and therefore would be working longer hours and as Bob rightly pointed out we all know that Summer doesn’t run for 9 months and that people have to remember that the construction works could go on for a period of 6 YEARS! Bob went on to say that at the next Taskforce Meeting in January 2021 they had invited Matt Palmer who is the Executive Director but there had been not confirmation as yet.

Frazer Massey – Chair of the Taskforce went on to say that they were hoping to see updated designs of Viaducts and green bridges as we will have a green bridge at Linford along with other design features. The Taskforce has come a long way in the last six months and was expecting to be very busy in the next six months which given that the General Services Committee had tried to wind down the Taskforce once the D.C.O. had been submitted, it would have left the borough in an unimaginable situation as it was not thought the D.C.O. would have been withdrawn by Highways England. “The Taskforce will now charge in 2021 with Frazer leading that charge.”

John asked if the recent ruling of Air Pollution on a death certificate of a child would make a difference to the L.T.C. and pollution, Laura said that this has set a presidence especially in areas that have excessive Air Pollution.

It was asked if anyone had any questions for Laura, Bob or Frazer. Mike Tarbard said he would like to Thank Laura for her input. Mike went on to point out about the road system in East Tilbury and surrounding area and that there had been an incident at Horndon on the Hill at Robinson Road were due to the narrow road a crane had gone off road and it had taken several days to retrieve it and as our roads in East Tilbury were similar and were they fit for purpose.

Dave Bowling asked a question with regard to Air Monitors, saying that a few years back T.B.C. was going to remove some Air Monitors then T.B.C. stated they would leave all the monitors in place was Frazer or Laura aware if this was so had they increased monitors. This was not known by Laura or Frazer. Dave asked if we knew where these monitors were but Laura said it was not general information as they could be tampered with but that they would look closely at any Air Monitoring Report checking the time of day etc. that the reading were taken as it wasn’t impossible that the reading could be taken at wrong times to favour Highways England. David Crates asked if and when Construction starts it would be good to know the Air Quality level at the start. Frazer said that they had been trying to get such information from Highways England as a base model Health data, it was one of the things that Highways England held back from the Local Authorities and were not going to release the data until the D.C.O. had been accepted, however the Planning Inspectorate pulled them apart for this and they have now released a 55,000 page document. David Crates asked if it was normal for such information to be held back and no it’s not normally the case. David Crates asked when they built DP World Port was the Air Quality measured for this. Kelly explained that you can look up on line and get such information under National Strategy Status Report Plan and looking up Air Quality Annual Report and you can look up Roads and Areas. Elaine also asked who is responsible for the Air Monitoring measurements. T.B.C. should have the base lines. Anyone can put in for a Freedom of Information and if anyone does could they let L.T.C. know the results.

We then moved on to

Speed Humps

These have proved to be unpopular with the residence of East Tilbury and not doing the job that they were meant to do – slow down the traffic. Residence are not against the slower speed limits and some have asked for speed cameras as these would most definitely slow traffic down. The speed humps are straddled by the Lorries using the roads into Linford and East Tilbury and do not slow them down and the cars are being tipped either left or right depending on the size causing some people with back problems pain. David Crates said that when there was as raised r/b outside the George vehicles had to slow down but since the r/b had been flattened vehicles didn’t slow down. The humps in East Tilbury Road caused vehicles to tip in or out and that two vehicles were unable to pass. It was suggested by Kim Towlson the Forum should email the relevant department expressing the views of our residents and that everyone should do this. These humps are meant to be temporary and could be removed after the trial period provided people have expressed their views. It was pointed out that the properly constructed Humps in North worked well as do the ones in the Southend Road. The money for East Tilburys was a grant from Government interpreted by T.B.C.to encourage Walking, cycling and fitness and the first part was the signs on the pathways for Covid and signs at the stations. Cris Bowling-cook asked why when we had attended a meeting with Matt Ford{ Council officer} who once lived in Linford had he not taken any notice when all persons in that meeting had said that Speed Humps where a waste of time. Evidently we have to try these schemes!

Another platform is the Local Plan, which looks very much like the exercise we did in the Village Hall 18 months ago that we need to do again this time online where the residence have to list their requirements for East Tilbury, this is very important as it sets out what the community want and everyone is encouraged to do it The survey for residents ends in January 2021 and is over Christmas and new year.

A13 Widening

Frazer said that at the moment the project is running to schedule if it started 3 months ago! What was worrying was the same Contractor was being used to build the new Council Rebuild. No one was saying what the overspend is at this time or when it will be finished but Tarmac was going down so various problems with drainage etc. must have been sorted. David Crates asked why is it that the A13 is the responsibly of TBC and not Highways England? Laura said that Highways were only responsible for the A13 up to the A1089. When Highways said they were going to make changes to the A1089 TBC said that it didn’t belong to Highways and it was also pointed out that Highways are normally responsible to any roads that involve Ports. It was also pointed out by Laura that Highways could adopt the A13 and the Manorway but TBC hadn’t asked them, which lead to another question as to why would TBC not have asked before the widening project for Highways to adopt the A13 and save the rate payer. Mike Tarbard asked why is it that DP World which was a major port Highways hadn’t been required to take it over, again Laura said T.B.C has to ask for it to be adopted. Mike then asked why Lyn Carpenter hadn’t done this and saved the borough millions.

Bins

Dave Bowling asked if it was true that we could have industrial action being carried out by our Bin men. Frazer said that there was unrest at the depot and there were going to be changes in 2022.

Coronation Ave Parking

John said that the parking was causing a problem, where cars were being parked on the pavement and at the kerb making it dangerous for both pedestrians and cars alike. Evidently there had been issues between T.B.C. and the developer including Red Tape which was holding up the parking spaces at the back being finished. Frazer pointed out that they had bins out the front so that the houses must have been adopted by T.B.C. Cris Bowling-cook asked why the parking was not finished if the houses were occupied then they must have passed inspection ? David Crates asked if there was going to be parking at the front of the houses so people could unload their shopping but this is not so as parking spaces are at the rear of the properties.

Stanford le Hope Station

We asked about this station purely because it appears on the Mitigation List for the L.T.C .and as yet it is not finished. L.T.C. also have this station for use by construction workers and accommodation in the area Frazer said that there had been issues regarding the plans and land ownership which had now been sorted, but the new plans mean the station will be split into two making it hard for commuters to gain access. We will keep an eye on this in case things change and East Tilbury Station is used.

Constitution

A change to the Constitution to cover the recent events:

In times of a Crisis, for example a Natural Disaster/Pandemic, the deadline for holding an AGM ay be extended or emergency measures may be adopted for remote attendance, proxy voting and/or adjourning, postponing or cancelling the meeting on the basis that it is impossible to hold it.

Hopefully when we are up in April we need to go forward from there.

HUB update

This group is John, Frazer, Mike and Scott We have been trying to achieve this for our community for some time and things are moving forward DKCN consultants are helping and new sites selected more will be known in the New Year 2021. It is hoped that a steering group will be able to look at the possibly of setting up a Trust and Trustees legally and money raised through housing in East Tilbury could be put into this Trust to enable it to be used by HUB.

Local Plan

At this moment in time TBC is using a Local Plan from 1997, there is at present an online Your Place, Your Voice which everyone should have received through the post, where you can go online and have your say about what you want for your community. It’s important that we all take part and get what we need here be it Doctors, clinic, dentist, sports facilities for children/adults speed humps or cameras this consultation ends on the 31st January 2021. Dave Bowling stated that in the photo of East Tilbury Village that the Fort and grounds are not included, this has been brought to the attention of Lyn Gittins and Frazer.

AOB

Dave Bowling mentioned section 106 monies and stated the council has still not altered the website which was supposed to be used by groups such as forums to ask for items to be added to the councils infrastructure requirement list. No further progress has been made since the officer Kirsty Paul had left even though promises were made by Andy Millard and Leigh Nicholson to do this. Second requests by this forum have been ignored , he pointed out that only through the submission of freedom of information requests was any information gleamed from the council and even then there seemed to be generic responses with lack of specificity to information required ,where is this money from the new building opposite the school going ? We still have the outstanding bridge money which was never going to be enough to use to make a foot bridge, one council officer had staunchly defended this and Leigh Nicholson stated this money could not be renegotiated under any circumstances. As before T.B.C were acting illegally with regards to 106 monies one hundred and sixty nine thousand three hundred and eighty nine pound of indoor sports money was due to be returned if not used in the east tilbury area this month combine that with 545000 pounds bridge money and at least 250000 of un allocated 106 money I am amazed they constantly say there is no money available. T.B.C. Make up schemes across the borough for money meant to be used in east tilbury in a site specific manner. It has been confirmed that they have used money from 106 contributions from 8 Different contributions {pools} apparently across the borough to pay three years’ worth of wages 333,000? To pay three parks engagement officers operating across the borough, one of whom was on maternity when employed ,plus at this time they are doing what exactly, and where is the permanent infrastructure out of this to benefit our community , he believes this is yet again illegal for two reasons one because its combining more than 5 pools and also because all this was decided before the” commencement date “(A written legal term)of the new community infrastructure amendment act , all this is written in black and white but there appears to be no scrutiny ,Fraser has a meeting with Andy Millard with many questions to ask and be answered . The MP is also aware of this as he was involved from the beginning of this with Dave.

John - The money is needed in our area and Section 106 is site specific. David Crates asked Frazer. When you say Council Problem or is it Officers who has the say over this.

Section 106 Committee is made from Officers.

As a Councillor Frazer do you have a say?

It seems to vary depending on the circumstances in relation to S106 and CDEF funds, one late application was allowed when another in Thurrock was not.

Laura said that the Tilbury 2 Regeneration Project included the Two Forts Way and putting Statues along the way. Dave Bowling pointed out that this foot path was in fact closed due to damage to the Sea Defence. Closed by T.B.C. and the environmental agency but still advertised as a public footway and shown on council produced literature and maps.

Mike Tarbard said that unfortunately due to the circumstances the Heritage Centre had been restricted in its hours.

Rachel Farmer said she had seen a few families in the area and was amazed at the community spirit and the help the community gave to each other. There were various things food bank, give a gift and was hoping to link people to the various groups available to them. This year was going to be difficult for everyone and some things would not be able to go ahead as before. Some of the things if people are in need

Stronger Together, TCCA Thurrock

Next Zoom meeting is 21st Jan 2021 details will be emailed.