Southend residents’ watchdog to quadruple in size (From Echo)
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Southend residents’ watchdog to quadruple in size
7:00am Thursday 3rd November 2011 in Southend By Stephen Hackwell
A SOUTHEND residents’ association could quadruple in size to reach 5,000 members.
Burges Estate Residents’ Association, which already covers more than 1,000 households based around the Burges Estate in Thorpe Bay, wants to quadruple its size by 2014.
It has targeted expansion into Southchurch and West Shoebury wards over the next three years.
Chairman Ron Woodley, who also serves as an Independent councillor for Thorpe ward, said collective action was the only way to hold Tory leaders at Southend Council to account.
He added: “We have been looking at expansion for some time, and now is the right time to do it.
“With the Government wanting power to be more local, we want to be in a position where we can take advantage of that.
“It is all about giving people a voice.”
The association, which is run by a committee of four people, has grown steadily since it was founded in 1990.
Members pay £5 a year in return for advice on legal, planning and other council matters.
The association has fought numerous causes on behalf of its residents, including an ongoing battle to rid the Burges Estate of covenants which restrict the changes people are allowed to make to their homes.
Mr Woodley said the association would initially expand northwards to Shoebury Road, in Southchurch, and westwards to accommodate another 600 homes on the Burges Estate which fall within West Shoebury ward.
Although there are no official league tables, the growth would give the association a claim to being the largest of its type in the UK.
However, Tory councillors in West Shoebury have accused Mr Woodley of using the association to garner votes for Independent candidates.
Tony Cox, who also sits on the council’s ruling cabinet, said: “Many Thorpe ward residents have held the belief for some time the association is the fundraising and campaigning arm of the Independent group.”
But Mr Woodley said the association had no political affiliations.
He added: “We have Independent and Conservative members. That is not what it is about. It is about getting things done for local people and making sure the council hears their views.”
Comments(6)
jolllyboy
says...
9:24am Thu 3 Nov 11
Shoeburyness boy
says...
11:39am Thu 3 Nov 11
shoeburylad
says...
12:26pm Thu 3 Nov 11
Shoeburyness boy wrote:Couldn't agree more Shoeburyness boy.
Cllr Woodley has always used BERA as a personal political tool for the Independents using the association to object to anything outside their patch with association funds. This isn't about the residents, it's about Ron !!!
It is interesting to note the accounts on the BERA website
http://www.bera.co.u
k/bera_accounts_8.ht
ml
how income from membership subscription has fallen sharply which would explain the need for 'expansion'.
What Cllr Woodley also fails to mention is that Shoeburyness has been represented by the excellent Shoeburyness Residents Association for numerous years and asks any association members to resign membership of the association if they become locally elected councillors so they can challenge and hold them to account!
Cllr Woodley added:
“We have Independent and Conservative members. That is not what it is about. It is about getting things done for local people and making sure the council hears their views.”
Err shouldn't he be doing this as a councillor?
Cllr Cox is bang on the money when he says BERA is the fundraising and campaigning arm of the Independents but it doesn't stop at Thorpe Bay.
The first thing that Independent councillor Paul Van Looy did upon his election as a councillor in St Lukes was, you guessed it, set up a residents association and installed a Chair prior to its first meeting as reported in the Echo
http://www.echo-news
.co.uk/news/9153401.
New_residents__assoc
iation_for_St_Luke_s
_ward/
Interestingly the 'Chairman' Brian Ayling is a close political aide and supported him during his election campaign. Can we assume that Brian Ayling will be the Independent candidate in St Lukes next May?
I think the whole Independent sham is about to unravel...
Castlethorpe
says...
2:15pm Thu 3 Nov 11
No assumptions necessary as Brain Ayling has publicly declared his intention to stand as an Independent in St. Lukes Ward next May. As for the new Residents Association, what is wrong with giving the residents a chance to have their say? They have been ignored by the current Administration for too long and hopefully we will see a major shift in representation next year.
southendreb
says...
10:52pm Thu 3 Nov 11
shoeburylad wrote:Your doing it wrong Mr Van Looy you shouldnt give the Residents a say, Anna and Peter Ashley have had years to set up one but didnt. Shoebury lad your doing a diservice to the people of Thorpe Bay to suggest they cannot think for themselves.
Shoeburyness boy wrote: Cllr Woodley has always used BERA as a personal political tool for the Independents using the association to object to anything outside their patch with association funds. This isn't about the residents, it's about Ron !!!Couldn't agree more Shoeburyness boy. It is interesting to note the accounts on the BERA website http://www.bera.co.u k/bera_accounts_8.ht ml how income from membership subscription has fallen sharply which would explain the need for 'expansion'. What Cllr Woodley also fails to mention is that Shoeburyness has been represented by the excellent Shoeburyness Residents Association for numerous years and asks any association members to resign membership of the association if they become locally elected councillors so they can challenge and hold them to account! Cllr Woodley added: “We have Independent and Conservative members. That is not what it is about. It is about getting things done for local people and making sure the council hears their views.” Err shouldn't he be doing this as a councillor? Cllr Cox is bang on the money when he says BERA is the fundraising and campaigning arm of the Independents but it doesn't stop at Thorpe Bay. The first thing that Independent councillor Paul Van Looy did upon his election as a councillor in St Lukes was, you guessed it, set up a residents association and installed a Chair prior to its first meeting as reported in the Echo http://www.echo-news .co.uk/news/9153401. New_residents__assoc iation_for_St_Luke_s _ward/ Interestingly the 'Chairman' Brian Ayling is a close political aide and supported him during his election campaign. Can we assume that Brian Ayling will be the Independent candidate in St Lukes next May? I think the whole Independent sham is about to unravel...
Brunning999 says...
7:45am Thu 3 Nov 11
If it is made up of die hards they will spend more time arguing than doing anything constructive.