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.

On the plans for Maple ward at Rochford Hospital

I have received several representations regarding proposals for Maple ward, and below is an example. I made made some minor changes to protect the identity of the author.



Dear Councillor Julian Ware-Lane,

I am writing to you to ask for your support in a matter I feel very passionately about.

Mental health nurses work at the local dementia assessment ward (Maple Ward) at Rochford Hospital. They nurse patients who are initially admitted to us under Section 2/3 of the mental health act, often due to being impossible to manage in the community. They provide assessment and treatment to patients who can no longer be cared for safely at home or in a care home, often due to their physical aggression.

Unfortunately, we have just been informed of the news that the ward is under consultation. With plans to close the existing ward at Rochford hospital. This would mean that the next nearest dementia assessment unit is in Thurrock. I am greatly concerned about how ethical this is to local residents who suffer from dementia and their relatives.

Residents in the local area would have to travel over 25 miles to access a dementia ward. Something which is a challenge and a financial burden for our elderly community. How can we expect relatives of dementia patients to travel all the way to Thurrock to visit their loved ones? Thurrock hospital offers no form of transport links with our local area (Southend/Rochford/Benfleet). The cost of a taxi is £55.00 for one way from Rochford to Thurrock hospital (£110 for a return).

Unlike physical health hospitals, admission to a dementia assessment unit is not a short stay. Patients will often stay for a minimum of 6-8 weeks, but as they pose such challenging behaviour, they often stay much longer as they cannot be placed in care homes and require a stay of several months.

Therefore, relatives will not only be doing the trip to Thurrock for a few days/weeks, they would have to pay for the travel for months upon months. How can we expect local pensioners in our area to afford this?

The expectation people should travel into another area for dementia care is astonishing, it is a backward step, and is certainly not beneficial to our local community.

Please can I ask for any support from you in this matter? We care so much about Maple ward and the elderly people in our community who are affected by dementia. We strongly oppose any plans to remove the dementia assessment unit from Rochford Hospital.


Yours sincerely

I'm in to #EndHomelessness

In today's Southend Echo

A Final Act for the benefit of the people of Southend from beyond the grave!

This is written by my friend and colleague, Stephen George.

Until the last few months of his terminal illness, my late father Colin George chaired the Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation, a committee comprised of local people that helped to raise millions of pounds for the provision of amongst other things specialist equipment for the Stroke Unit enabling it to become one of the best in this country.

As a politician he knew that in reality there are actually very few times when people elected to positions of power locally are privileged enough to wield that power in order to shape, influence and even make a real decision that makes a real difference. This is one of those times!

Stephen George

Ironically I was in Hadleigh on Saturday 6th October to discuss with my mother and sister the disposal of my fathers ashes, who having given his body for medical research was only recently cremated as the medical researchers keep donated bodies for three years before releasing the remains to their families. Afterwards I had to go to Basildon as my son had been invited to a birthday party unfortunately we arrived as it finished having been delayed by the accident at the Rayleigh Weir that occurred earlier in the morning and there was traffic chaos on the A127 and A13 as people sought alternative routes from Southend to Basildon.

Then think of the 'golden hour', the period of time between the occurrence of a stroke and the provision of treatment needed in order for there to be a favourable patient outcome. Think of a resident living in the Garrison site in Shoebury  and even with a blue light I suspect any ambulance would have struggled to make it from Shoebury to Basildon in under an hour.

My fathers life was saved at an early age by the predecessor of the NHS and as a result remained a firm believer in the NHS. He was a man who devoted his life to the town and people of Southend as a Councillor, County Councillor, Magistrate, General Secretary of the local Citizens Advice Bureau for over 30 years, Chair of Estuary Housing Association and finally as Chair of Southend Hospital's Charitable Foundation.

I know my father would be favour of improved NHS services, however he would not be in favour of change if it was detrimental to patients and other services. Unfortunately it appears that under the STP this is clearly the case.

Therefore I urge you, on behalf of my late father, do not allow the betrayal of thousands of Southend people who raised millions of pounds for their local Hospital and Stroke Unit. Do not 'sit on the fence' or allow yourself to be threatened by arguments of 'lost funding', but instead do the 'right thing for the good of Southend and its people' and refer all or even part of the STP back to the Secretary of State for Health now before it is too late!

Community clear-up

Milton campaign meeting

Carl, Stephen, Paul and Cheryl

We have a pretty good team in Milton ward. In the eight years or so that I have been campaigning here our Labour presence has grown and grown and we can now boast the biggest Labour vote in the borough. This once safe Tory ward is now on the cusp of being a Labour stronghold. If things go to plan we should complete a hat-trick of Labour councillors. This could be tempting fate, and anything could happen between now and May, but things are looking good for Labour right across the borough. Failure in Milton will be very disappointing.