TDC Parish Report – (Little Bentley)
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TDC Update Little Bentley – November 2018 LEADER OF COUNCIL HAS WRITTEN TO MINISTER OVER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED AT MANNINGTREE RAILWAY CROSSING Neil Stock, leader of Tendring District Council (TDC), has written to the Secretary of State for Transport to raise concerns over the vital railway crossing at Manningtree (Lawford Parish). Lobbying for improvements to the crossing, where the A137 meets the Norwich- London mainline, was adopted as a corporate priority by TDC earlier this year. Currently motorists can face long delays when the level crossing is closed, as it is frequently, due to the busy railway line, with an alternative height and width- restricted underpass not able to cope with demand. The road is busy not only with local traffic, but also provides a key link between Essex and Suffolk and is a resilience route if there are closures on the A12 between Colchester and Ipswich. Despite organising meetings with representatives from Network Rail, Greater Anglia, Essex County Council, local MPs and other stakeholders, Cllr Stock told a meeting of TDC’s Cabinet on Friday (October 12) progress had been too slow. “We have made strenuous efforts to get some short-term improvements made now whilst working towards a longer-term solution that will solve the problem once and for all. But even getting a simple traffic light system installed to control the traffic flow under the rail line has so far failed to materialise and I find that failure of action to be totally unacceptable. “Trying to make meaningful progress on this issue has not been helped by the failure of the rail industry to take their responsibilities seriously and to engage with us. “I have therefore written to the Transport Secretary and asked him personally to look at this issue as a matter of urgency. I shall also set up a meeting to which I shall invite the chief executives of Network Rail and Greater Anglia, the leaders of Essex and Suffolk county councils, the MPs for that area as well as other key stakeholders and partners to attempt to thrash out a solution to this problem.” COUNCILS SET OUT GARDEN COMMUNITY PROPOSAL TIMELINE Proposals to create new Garden Community developments across North Essex could go before the Government Planning Inspector next year. Writing to the Government’s Planning Inspector following an agreement to continue work on the proposals, Braintree, Colchester and Tendring Councils have set out their timetable for completing the further evidence required after the first inspection earlier this year. The evidence and a new sustainability appraisal are expected to be completed by January next year and public consultation will follow. Ahead of submitting the letter, leaders from the three councils met with Housing Minister Kit Malthouse and reaffirmed their commitment that any new garden community must be supported by key strategic infrastructure improvements. They asked the minister to do what he could to join up with other Government departments to prioritise infrastructure projects which support sustainable housing growth, and to visit North Essex to see its potential in more detail. Mr Malthouse agreed to do so. Cllr Tim Young, Deputy Leader of Colchester Borough Council, said: “We respect and understand the issues raised by the Planning Inspector and over the last few months we have carefully looked in depth at every single aspect of his letter. Today we are in a position to inform him of a revised timetable with the aim of re-opening the examination with further hearing sessions expected to be held in the summer. “There is still much work to do over the coming months, but we are absolutely clear that the principle of the Garden Communities is the best way of ensuring a long-term strategy for housing and jobs over the coming decades, providing for future generations. It also protects our towns and villages from the speculative development that impacts so greatly on services and infrastructure.” Cllr Neil Stock, Leader of Tendring District Council, said: “We understand and share people’s concerns about the impact of widespread new housing development happening without the necessary infrastructure improvements. That is exactly why we need to see a different approach to developing not just housing, but also jobs and new communities which, to use the Minister’s own phrase, will be ‘the conservation areas of the future’. “The Government has a big part to play in providing commitments on large infrastructure, such as the A120, the A12 and the A120/A130 link road, and this was our clear message to the Housing Minister.” Cllr Butland, Leader of Braintree District Council added: “The need for housing has, over the last few weeks, been stressed by all the main political parties. It’s not an issue that is going to go away, and we can’t put our heads in the sand and hope it will go away. The pressure and need is only going to increase - but it’s something that must be done in the right way so that it enhances and improves the local area rather than negatively impacting on it. “That is why creating a holistically planned, stand-alone community is by far the best way of meeting future demand, ensuring we get the social infrastructure that people expect and need while also protecting existing communities.” The Government Planning Inspector is expected to respond to the Councils’ letter in due course. NEW LEISURE AND TOURISM APP TO BE DEVELOPED BY COUNCIL A mobile smartphone app is to be developed by Tendring District Council (TDC) to promote leisure and tourism within the district. The idea has been in development for some time, before being proposed to Cabinet in February, and Cabinet agreed to delegate to officers a decision on whether or not to proceed with the project after further talks with app developers. Now after positive talks with the project team about the scope of the app – including negotiating down the price for development – a decision has been made to go ahead with the initiative. Development will now begin on the app, which will focus on tourism events and leisure facilities, such as the Clacton Airshow, Princes Theatre and TDC’s leisure centres. TDC has appointed Amido to lead the project, while We Are Mobile First and Plan Alpha Systems will provide further technical expertise. Cabinet had set aside £120,000 for the project, but development of the app will now cost just over £89,500, with £6,000 per year running and support costs. Events are a crucial part in underpinning the local tourism economy, and visitors today almost expect digital technology to support such events – developing an app now means TDC will not fall behind the curve. It is believed the app will help increase income to the council, for example through increased theatre ticket sales, leisure centre membership and enabling e-donations to the Clacton Airshow in our increasingly cashless society, though at this stage it is difficult to accurately predict the return on investment. The app has been made possible through the council’s digital investment, which began in 2013, and this project is part of the second phase of that work. Mick Skeels, TDC Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, said this was an exciting project. “Smartphone usage continues to grow rapidly, with the Office of National Statistics reporting that 78% of adults use a mobile or smartphone to access the internet, and developing an app helps to keep Tendring District Council relevant in this mobile, digital age,” said Cllr Skeels. The app will feature event schedules, timetables and guides for events which it is hoped will help all users to take full advantage of the entertainment on offer within Tendring District. FESTIVAL TO LIGHT UP HARWICH TO COMMEMORATE SAILING OF THE MAYFLOWER A family-friendly procession and performance will celebrate Harwich’s involvement in the sailing of The Mayflower to America later this month. The Illuminate Festival returns for the third year on November 23, the Friday after Thanksgiving, to commemorate the town’s link to the historic vessel and voyage. An illuminated civic procession will lead the way from Ha’Penny Pier down to Harwich Green, and the public are invited to join the procession too. Gathering from 6pm at the Ha’Penny Pier and by the lit-up LV 18 Lightship the procession will set off on its parade at 6.30pm, and will include a giant puppet lantern of Christopher Jones – captain of The Mayflower – and a lantern of The Mayflower too. Performers from the Dovercourt Theatre Group will also be there in period costume. Processing along Kings Head Street, led by dignitaries and representatives from local organisations, the parade will pass Captain Jones’ House, which will be illuminated, before continuing on to the Guildhall before reaching Harwich Green. On the Green, community choir Harwich Sing will perform four songs on a theme of light, with a backdrop of the Low and High Lighthouses and the Treadwheel Crane all being illuminated. An Illuminate poem, inspired by a quote from Mayflower Pilgrim William Bradford – “just as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many” – will also be read. Michael Offord, from the Harwich Festival which organises the event on behalf of Tendring District Council (TDC), said he was looking forward to lighting up the town. “Illuminate Festivals take place at Mayflower 400 destinations right across the country and I am excited that once again Harwich will be a part of it,” he said. “I really encourage people to come along and join in the procession or spectate and bring their own lantern – though no naked flames please.” Mick Skeels, TDC Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, added that as this year’s Illuminate Festival stepped up from last year it would be a great preview of even bigger things in 2019.