Get involved...
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting ECHONEWS to 80360, or email us Click here for details »
They said cabin was too small to need permission
3:43pm Friday 2nd May 2008
Comments (26)A RACIAL equality boss has defended using £12,000 to develop a community centre without permission on an illegal traveller site.
Clive Mardner, who leads the Essex Racial Equality Council, said he was told by the firm which sold him the £5,000 structure being used at Dale Farm, Crays Hill, permission was not needed.
The cabin is on a plot occupied by site spokesman Richard Sheridan.
BDP Log Cabins, at Alpha Garden Centre, Wickford, disputes this and Basildon Council leader Malcolm Buckley dismissed the explanation as "farcical".
Yesterday, the Echo revealed the equality council had obtained the Government grant through Essex County Council, to build a log cabin community centre with six computers at Dale Farm.
County Hall has launched a joint probe with Basildon Council into why the cash was released with no planning permission.
Kevin Blake, Basildon Council cabinet member for community services, said: "I am disgusted that the county council could provide funds for an illegal development."
But Lord Hanningfield, county council leader, is also angry. He said: "No county councillors were aware, because it was Government money being released. I will put procedures in place to ensure councillors are made aware of any future applications and we will try to undo the current situation."
Mr Mardner, a Labour councillor on London's Greenwich Coun-cil, is helping travellers fight eviction and secured the funding for the centre. He now admits neither the equality council nor travellers asked Basildon Council whether permission was needed.
But he added: "At the time of pricing, we were present and were advised by BDP that planning permission would not be required due to its small size. They stated that they had provided similar structures to nurseries, which also did not require planning permission.
"As specialists, we relied on this information. We are pleased to be associated with and be sponsors of the project."
He said Basildon Council was aware of the funding application.
Mr Buckley said: "It is a farcical excuse. As a councillor he would know any facility for community use would need approval. No members were aware of this."
Liz Hammond from BDP Log Cabins said it explained the structure could be used in a garden if conditions were met. She added: "The way they described things, it seemed they already had approval from the council."
Your Say YourEcho
Lisa Jensen, Southend says...
4:08pm Fri 2 May 08
Local Boy, Hawkwell says...
4:21pm Fri 2 May 08
Lisa Jensen wrote:And the point is if the cabin is for community use they need planning permission. If it is in someone's back garden for private use, they don't!
<b> I may be being thick, but the point of this story is what? I have seen many of these in peoples gardens, there is one in a front garden on Benfleet High Road... Please someone enlighten me *** sits back and waits for the uproar ****</b>
The Vicar, Basildon says...
5:40pm Fri 2 May 08
How hard would it have been for him to ask the planning department instead of the supplier? How lazy is that?
I like the part that says "...nor travellers asked Basildon Council whether permission was needed."
Don't they have a history of disregarding planning laws anyway? Would it have mattered what the response would have been?
By all rights it should come down immediately. Or else Mr. Mardner is essentially encouraging illegal development.
Andrew, Shoeburyness says...
8:41pm Fri 2 May 08
Royster G, Basildon says...
2:08am Sat 3 May 08
Be it a log cabin or a garden shed. If it has a cement base then it would need planning permission.
shallotman, Basildon says...
8:28am Sat 3 May 08
Point of order, says...
11:16am Sat 3 May 08
Actually, Essex County Council, which gave this grant, is true blue Tory. So the irony is that these Tory toffs in County Hall at Chelmsford have done something that has annoyed and embarrassed their Tory "colleagues" on Basildon District Council. Can't see how Labour can get any blame this time, as the party doesn't control either council.
Andy, Rayleigh says...
12:02pm Sat 3 May 08
Royster G wrote:You might care to look at the council planning department website for more accurate information.
<b> Just a quick point of interest.
Be it a log cabin or a garden shed. If it has a cement base then it would need planning permission.
</b>
With the present planning rules, and ignoring special cases like conservation areas, you can cover up to 50% of a domestic garden with buildings as long as none are within 5m of the main habitation. They do not need building approval if under 15 sq m (30 if some other rules are complied with).
There are proposals for change currently being discussed that would make a total limit of 30 sq m - I have been unable to discover how near to adoption these are.
John, Vange says...
3:24pm Sat 3 May 08
sheri, Basildon says...
5:18pm Sat 3 May 08
John from Vange, what do you propose we do with the £12,000, let me guess, put it towards rehousing an English Criminal. Can't anyone see that this project is to educate those kids who do not access secondary schools, due to discrimination. Is it not the younger generation who will change rules and regulations for the future. If we educate these kids, then one day they might just get jobs and pay taxes and do things to integrate, just like other Ethnics have done as well as the Disabled community and the Lesbion, Gay Trans, and Bi community.We invest millions in scrots, criminals,peadaphile
s,benefits for people capable of working and more and their kids don't get denied services. But then again the only reason all the Ethnics are here is cause British People don't want to work. Too much easy options in this country.
knobby, billericay says...
6:46pm Sat 3 May 08
sheri wrote:If it looks like a Scrote and acts like a Scrote, the chances are, it is a Scrote.
I agree with Point of order. Basildon agreed the funding, County realeased the funds. How is that any body else's fault but the funders.
John from Vange, what do you propose we do with the £12,000, let me guess, put it towards rehousing an English Criminal. Can't anyone see that this project is to educate those kids who do not access secondary schools, due to discrimination. Is it not the younger generation who will change rules and regulations for the future. If we educate these kids, then one day they might just get jobs and pay taxes and do things to integrate, just like other Ethnics have done as well as the Disabled community and the Lesbion, Gay Trans, and Bi community.We invest millions in scrots, criminals,peadaphile
s,benefits for people capable of working and more and their kids don't get denied services. But then again the only reason all the Ethnics are here is cause British People don't want to work. Too much easy options in this country.
I don't want anyone poncing off of me. That includes Benefit Fraudsters, the Workshy, Illegal Immigrants and Irish Tossers. I'm fed up with the PC brigade sticking up for these scrounging g*its..
If minorities pay their dues, contribute to society and are socially amenable, then no probs. If not, they should not be accepted in our midst.
Have you ever asked yourself why illegals are queuing at Calais? Is it because they like the English countryside, weather or people? No, it's because they know a soft touch when they see one!!
sheri, basildon says...
10:18pm Sat 3 May 08
cynical, Essex says...
10:46pm Sat 3 May 08
sheri wrote:I am thoroughly confused by this post.
I agree with Point of order. Basildon agreed the funding, County realeased the funds. How is that any body else's fault but the funders. John from Vange, what do you propose we do with the £12,000, let me guess, put it towards rehousing an English Criminal. Can't anyone see that this project is to educate those kids who do not access secondary schools, due to discrimination. Is it not the younger generation who will change rules and regulations for the future. If we educate these kids, then one day they might just get jobs and pay taxes and do things to integrate, just like other Ethnics have done as well as the Disabled community and the Lesbion, Gay Trans, and Bi community.We invest millions in scrots, criminals,peadaphile s,benefits for people capable of working and more and their kids don't get denied services. But then again the only reason all the Ethnics are here is cause British People don't want to work. Too much easy options in this country.
Does she think it OK to invest taxpayers money to educate these scroungers kids?
Does she really think that they one day they will get jobs and pay taxes?
Does she really believe that pigs can fly?
Why does she confuse the issue by bringing in the Disabled, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Bi community.
It is far more likely that having learnt to read and write, they will use the computers to research other ways of conning us by the way of scams, benefit loopholes, and finding other green-belt land to settle illegally.
Confused, says...
10:54pm Sat 3 May 08
She is contradicting herself if she is.
furious, pitsea says...
11:02pm Sat 3 May 08
sheri, Basildon says...
11:12pm Sat 3 May 08
As for cynical, everybody deserves opportunities, or is it all about me me me with you
cynical, Essex says...
11:30pm Sat 3 May 08
sheri wrote:In answer to this, yes every, law abiding, tax paying individual and their dependents deserve opportunites.
Hi Confused, sheri and sherry are two different people. As for cynical, everybody deserves opportunities, or is it all about me me me with you
The emphasis is on law abiding and tax paying.
Now if you can equate these two charateristics to these 'illegal squatters' then yes they are deserving. Trouble is you can't.
Sue, says...
11:39pm Sat 3 May 08
as an immigrant myself, I am ashamed of what you've said about English people.
Look around you at the world, they are so bad by comparison are they?
Immigrants don't come because English people don't want to work, they come because England is a better place than whereever they are from, or else it wouldn't make sense to move, would it?
If you are English, and are saying that, I guess there's nothing anyone can say, but if you are an immigrant and you hold those views, you should go back to whereever you think is a better place.
Sue, says...
11:42pm Sat 3 May 08
"look around you at the rest of the world, they aren't so bad by comparison..."
cynical, Essex says...
12:36am Sun 4 May 08
sheri wrote:and
Knobbly I agree with you totally but when we refer to Travellors we connect it to them being scrongers and Irish, Lets not forget there are some travellors who have decided to settle and equally who have jobs and pay taxes.
Lets not forget there are some travellors who have decided to settle and equally who have jobs and pay taxes and do not wish to be associated in any way shape or form with these Irish squatters.
These Irish quatters are here to take, take, take.
I draw your attention to a court case only in the last week or two, about another Irish Squatter, who was prosecuted for fraudulent claiming of Council Tax benefit of about £18000. It was found that she had over £400,000 in her bank accounts. She is now being investigated for other frauds.
Funnilly enough, that was in BASILDON, too.
tommy, trees says...
10:18am Sun 4 May 08
That's the real story here - not who the money was given to.
The Vicar, Basildon says...
11:20am Sun 4 May 08
Point of order wrote:Essentially because Mr. Mardner is a Labour Councillor. By building more structures on an already illegal development he (and this party by association) is essentially saying that breaking the law is fine if you are a minority interest. Surely he would have known that this would only antagonise the situation locally. Should a councillor really be on a Racial Equality Board - or any other? Surely a conflict of interest? He should be a councillor - nothing more, nothing less. Perhaps because he was Labour he knew it would wind up the Tory council. Who knows? It's not in his backyard of Greenwich so what does he care?
Vicar says \\\"Labour on the side of law breakers...\\\" Actually, Essex County Council, which gave this grant, is true blue Tory. So the irony is that these Tory toffs in County Hall at Chelmsford have done something that has annoyed and embarrassed their Tory \\\"colleagues\\\" on Basildon District Council. Can\\\'t see how Labour can get any blame this time, as the party doesn\\\'t control either council.
That was the point I was trying to make.
Still, Essex County Council are thick for having given them the money in the first place. I agree with you there.
VERY thick.
Kim Gandy, Rayleigh says...
9:00pm Tue 6 May 08
And it is evident he doesn't give a t0ss about the human rights of the "slaves", or the wider community. He hasn't even bothered to answer my questions about them.
I wish that my usual sniping attackers here could see the contents because I think if you did, you would all just have to shut up.
I reserve my REAL fury for the do gooders because they are just taking the pee out of us all.
Including my attackers.
One day you will all WAKE UP.
Then it will be too late.
Coming to a field near you soon....
Kim Gandy, Rayleigh says...
9:07pm Tue 6 May 08
The Youth Opportunities Fund (an UNELECTED QUANGO) voted the money through for this project.
Because they were mainly under 18s, the project had to be sponsored by an adult.
That adult happens to be GREENWICH Councillor Mardner, who is also the Racial Equality bod for Essex.
Funny isn't it that the other Greenwich interference in these matters came in the form of the Rev Thomas Acton, self styled traveller campaigner and expert, who was behind Kathleen McCarthy and Richard Sheridan's laughable "Services to the community" award (what community?)
Bit of a coincidence eh?
As a Councillor, Mardner should have known better than to accept the say so of somebody selling him an oversized shed, that it didn't need planning permission.
That other notorious do gooder, Martin Trevellyan of Wickford fire station is conspicuous by his absence, as is the Bishop of Brentwood who used to bang the traveller drum some time ago.
Funny isn't it, how these do gooders come and go?
My money's on James Dasinger next.
Kim Gandy, Rayleigh says...
9:10pm Tue 6 May 08
Nobody at Essex is admitting to who nodded the money through and who signed the cheque.
Funny indeed.
In the 2012 Olympics they should include a new sport.
Passing the Buck.
Essex County Council, Basildon, the police, the authorities, the government and particularly the Politically Correct moronocracy could all win gold medals.
We'd actually be in with a chance of winning for once.
In this section
- Woman left homeless after flat fire
- Updated: Cyclist airlifted to hospital following crash
- GP company will run doctors’ service
- Man jailed for four months for beating up girlfriend
- Students open an art zoo
- Points on licence bid for litter lout drivers branded unworkable
- Pair left heartbroken by loss of two ponies
- Fraud scam targets Careline pensioners
- Free family fitness equipment in Priory Park
- Nursery's first Ofsted report is outstanding
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Local Boy, Hawkwell says...
3:50pm Fri 2 May 08
It is also a misuse of funds as travellers are not a separate racial grouping from the dominant group in this country.
I'm so appalled I find myself agreeing with Kim and she hasn't even posted yet!