I would like to thank everyone who attended the Come and See session in Leigh, on Saturday, to find out more about our vision for a new Fair Havens Hospice, and to all those who have visited us over the previous 23 meetings we have held.

From the responses and reactions we received, we know the meetings have helped local people understand why we need a new hospice and why Belton Way is the best place for this unique and specialist hospice care to be provided.

Our planning application is now in the hands of Southend Council with a decision due on December 14. To back up our 17,000- strong petition, we encourage all of you who support our vision to write now to the planning officials at the Council Offices, Civic Centre, Southend, to ensure your voice is heard. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Find out the facts, make up your own mind, and make your voice heard.

Andy Smith
Chief Executive
Havens Hospice

...Recent articles raise the question: When does a lack of transparency become duplicitous?

Is it a case of “what they don’t know doesn’t concern them” or does the public really not care about the arrogance of our elected representatives and corporate entities?

Havens Hospices made great show of having vetted 80 sites for its proposed new premises, having previously obtained rights to the site they settled on, which just happened to be green belt land. Where were the other 79?

Basildon Council, having cleared the traveller site at Dale Farm, chose to disregard the legal obligation to hold a debate on the issue if a petition of over 4,000 local signatories is submitted.

Domestic fuel suppliers attempt to tie customers to them for two years, while not being obliged to explain why they need to make profits over ten times higher than they earned a year ago.

Alan Hart
Randolph Close
Leigh