Taking conservation seriously

There are many conservation areas in Southend-on-Sea, five in Milton ward alone. We have a rich array of heritage assets, evident in the fact the borough ranks seventh in the heritage assets index out of 325 local authorities.

We get warm words from the ruling administration locally as regards to conservation, but this is not matched by action. Their commitment is best illustrated by missed working party meetings, and at one point over a year when the Conservation Working Party did not meet.

I do not doubt that many in the Council (both members and officers) care deeply that our heritage assets are preserved and enhanced, but I do not get a sense of any urgency in this. A rather limp approach to conservation threatens what we have.

The Conservative administration is still intent, for example, on building a monstrous museum in the cliffs at Westcliff-on-Sea not only spoiling a heritage asset, but also spoiling a beautiful green space. So much for doing something for the environment. (I still favour putting the museum in the High Street, maybe in the old BHS building).

I think we should be more gungho in our defence of the heritage assets that we have inherited. These assets (buildings, parks, etc) should not just have all the protection we can provide, we should also be promoting the town in this respect. Places like Bath and Brighton used their inheritance to sell the attractions of their towns.

We should also push to attract funding, we are a long way from getting anywhere the amount of money that other local authorities get.

Looking after our heritage does not mean ‘no change’. It does mean retaining the good, and ensuring all new developments are designed sympathetically as regards to its neighbours.

Let’s keep Southend beautiful, and let’s ensure that generations to come are not robbed by poor decisions taken today.

Conservation must be a priority

One working party whose absence from the calendar of Council events borders on criminal is the Conservation Working Party. Conservation is important for Milton ward. It is important for Southend on-Sea. It matters for a town that wants to attract visitors, it matters for those who live here to have beauty and heritage around us. We are temporary custodians of this heritage, looking after it in order that generations to come also have the pleasure of these wonderful  buildings.

As I wander across this beautiful ward that I have the privilege go represent I am often reminded of just how lucky we are to have such an abundance of beautiful buildings. We must treasure these, preserve these, look after these buildings.

We need our conservation areas, we need the Council to commit to conservation. We need the Conservation Working Party to actually meet.

Wot, no conservation in Southend?

We are fast approaching the anniversary of the last time the Conservation Working Party met. Yes, that's right, a whole year that this important body has not met, and this is a disgrace.

Clearly, the Conservative-UKIP coalition cares not about conservation, because that last meeting was held under the previous Joint Administration that Labour was a senior partner in.

There are fifteen conservation areas Southend-on-Sea as designated by the Borough Council. They ensure that the architectural heritage is looked after, that the best is preserved and standards upheld. Milton ward is home to five of them.

We are fortunate to have had so much of our heritage preserved, despite some disastrous developments over the years. The Conservation Working Party helps to identify the special historical and architectural interest of the conservation areas, review boundaries and controls, and arrange for a management plan.

By not meeting the ruling administration are showing that conservation is not a priority for them. This is very worrying for all who care about keeping the best of the town beautiful.

The working party has eight councillors and is chaired by Cllr Holland (deputy leader of the Conservative Group).

Representatives from the following local organisations also attend: South East Essex Archaeological Society, Milton Conservation Society, Leigh Society, The Southend Society, Shoebury Society, CAWS, and Southend and District Building Preservation Trust.

The last Conservative Working Party met on March 14th, 2016. It is anyone's guess as to when the Conservative-UKIP coalition can be bothered to call the next one.