WLRA has representation on:-

Southend Council has recently undertaken a review of its Licencing Policy. A draft revision to the Policy was published and the views of local people were sought, particularly with regard to the "Cumulative Impact" element of the Policy.

WLRA responded to the proposals by recommending that not only should the Cumulative Impact element be retained but that it should also be extended to include areas around Leigh Broadway and the Old Town.

After much wrangling in the Civic Centre, Southend Council's Cabinet finally agreed to retain the restrictions associated with the Cumulative Impact element but sadly they have not chosen to extend the areas covered. This means that the Broadway will continue to be inundated with applications for new bars and other licenced premises.

Details of the Licensing Policy and what is meant by "Cumulative Impact" can be found on the Council's website by following the link below.

	Southend Council's consulation on its Licensing Policy
	WLRA's response to the consultation
	The Echo's report: "Ban on new pubs stays... for now"
	The Echo's report: "Police oppose late night drinking"

 

 

WLRA has been campaigning for months (years even) to see the completion of Phase 3 of the London Road Improvement Scheme - i.e the section which runs from Iceland by the Elms to the Borough boundary with Hadleigh. We have taken part in consultation exercises, we have had Southend Council officers and representatives from the contractors,WS Atkins, to talk about their plans at our Open Meetings promising us great improvements to come, we have badgered our ward Councillors and Southend Cabinet members to get something done...... and we have been told repeatedly that work on our stretch of the London Road will be starting soon. And now we are told that the money is no longer available, that the funds originally allocated to the Leigh stretch have been used to cover overspends on the Southend and Westcliff stretches!

Leigh residents, then, can forget the new bus shelters with their "real-time" electronic bus timetables, can forget the modern benches and new street furniture, can forget the long-awaited improved road safety features. Such things are only for those closer to the town centre.

Anna Waite, the Tory councillor responsible for transport, blames it all on the war in Iraq! It has nothing to do with the Council's poor project management, of course.

Echo article

Having had their schemes for the building of large blocks of flats rejected by the Southend Council's Development Control Committee, a group of developers have publicly criticised the abilities of town councillors and have said that in future they will take their plans straight to the Planning Inspectorate.
WLRA was written to the Echo expressing their concerns about this attack on the local democratic process.

WLRA's letter to the Echo

 

Leigh has been voted one of the top seaside towns in the UK. A national survey of 117 seaside towns carried out by the Halifax found Leigh to be the second best resort in the UK for the quality of life offered to its residents. The survey looked at all manner of indicators including employment rates, burglary figures, the local environment and weather, health and education.

However, we must not be complacent; we must ensure that Leigh remains an attractive place to live and visit. To do this we all need to:

resist the constant threats from developers thirsting to profit from Leigh's reputation by building more and more blocks of flats in our town; demand from the Council that our transport infrastructure (including a decent local bus service) be suitable for the 21st century; support our local police force in their successful campaign against crime and anti-social behaviour; make full use of our local shops to stop them being turned into yet more bars and restaurants; protect our local natural environment by resisting the spread of concrete over front gardens, grass verges and green spaces; press both Leigh and Southend Councils to provide proper facilities for young people; support those local volunteer organsiations which enrich our lives and provide the town with such a diverse variety of activities and events.

West Leigh Residents Association is in the forefront of these campaigns and will continue to fight to protect the quality of life of local people.

Southend Council will soon be implementing two changes to its recycling arrangements - the extension of the doorstep collection to include glass containers and the use of separate clear sacks for clothes, shoes etc. Although normally supportive of the Council's recycling initiatives, WLRA has serious concerns about the plans to mix glass containers in the pink sack collection and we have written to Councillor Ian Robertson, the Cabinet member responsible for waste services to ask him to reconsider its implementation.
We have still to receive a reply from Councillor Robertson!

WLRA letter to Cllr Robertson