Castle Point Council - An Administration without opposition!

 

I commented a while back on how Castle Point Borough Council, an authority without any opposition presence, would be able to function in an open, democratic and accountable manner and thought that I would test the water by viewing the latest council meeting held on 9^th October 2024.

I was particularly interested to see how the Administration would deal with a claim for restitution against certain specific former staff who apparently made unlawful decisions relating to their own financial position resulting in potentially unlawful payments.

This issue has been dragging on from some time and was previously considered by the council in March of this year when it was decided to obtain further legal and professional advice.

At the meeting it was explained that the allegedly unlawful payments totalled over £1,100,000 and the question was whether to effectively write the money off or to pursue recovery through the courts or otherwise.

Clearly the legal advice received was confidential and this resulted, quite reasonably, in the meeting moving into private to discuss the detail of the advice before moving back into public to discuss the recommendations and to decide on the way forward.

On the resumption of the open meeting the Leader proposed pursuing recovery of £218,155 with a decision to write off the remainder. His comments then sought to criticise the previous administration (albeit that I am not aware that any elected member was in any way liable for the relevant decisions) but did not seek to in any way explain or justify a decision to write off nearly £900,000 of public funds excluding accrued interest. The Deputy Leader seconded the motion and 3 other councillors spoke briefly in support but concentrating on the deplorable loss of public funds rather than seeking to justify why the balance was being written off. The proposal was passed unanimously.

Now having undertaken civil litigation for over 40 years I know all about its cost implications and risks and we do not know what the specialist lawyers had advised, however as far as the public meeting was concerned there was no challenge to the decision or attempt to justify that the council was being driven by its duty to protect the public purse. All we know is that nearly £900,000 has been written off. The decision was in my view a very good example of why a lack of vibrant opposition is not in the interests of accountable democracy..

Southend Conservative Group - "Infamy, Infamy, they've all got it in for me!"

 

So the Conservative Group on Southend Council has decided to appoint a new leader, forcing out Cllr Tony Cox and installing Cllr James Courtenay. At the outset I should say that I have considerable respect for both gentlemen who have served the Town and Party well over a number of years. In fact whilst Council Leader I appointed them both to their first cabinet posts and found them effective, articulate and hardworking members of the Administration.

It is of course disappointing for Cllr Cox to be forced out against his wishes but I am surprised that he has chosen to leave the Conservative Group and sit as an Independent. I read his recent Facebook entry which could not be described as his version of mea culpa  but reminded me of Kenneth Williams in Carry on Cleo” – Infamy, Infamy, they’ve all got it in for me!

I hope that he will rethink his position once the dust has settled. No political leader is unchallengeable and if they lose the support of their group there is no realistic option other than to step down. He led the Group through some difficult challenges and was Leader of the Council for a year but perhaps now is the right time to try a different approach. This does not undermine or devalue the efforts and progress he made but I am not convinced that his current actions or comments will enhance that reputation. The Conservatives need to regain control of Southend Council and I wish Cllr Courtenay every success as he works towards the next local elections in 2026. That task would be easier with a supportive and motivated Cllr Cox but perhaps that is too much to ask for!

Hadleigh - a community under threat from over development.

As I mentioned in my last post I attended the only Hadleigh consultation meeting on the Castle Point Local Plan and have since submitted my response to the Issues and Options Consultation. I have to admit that the entire process is disheartening and I suspect that for many interested residents trying to complete the on line response will be challenging.

My biggest issue with the draft documentation issued to date is that it seems to ignore the situation as it currently is. Focussing on Hadleigh the reality is that even based on the current population the infrastructure (to include schools, GPs and dental surgeries) cannot cope, the character of the area is under threat as a result of over development, and the highway network is on the point of collapse.

 In particular any disruption on the very busy A13 (however minor) results in excessive rat running and gridlock across the alternative routes to include Church Road and Scrub Lane. Similar problems arise if the A127 is closed for any reason.

This situation cannot be significantly improved. There is no possibility of widening the A13 between West Leigh and Hadleigh Church and in any event traffic would then back up on the single carriageway road through Southend to the west and Benfleet to the east. There is no viable alternative east/west route to reduce the current traffic loads.

One of the possibilities mentioned in the consultation is a large residential development on the Salvation Army land fronting the A13. This is completely ridiculous. This land provides an essential green lung between Southend (one of the densest populated areas outside London) and Castle Point. To lose any part would be detrimental to the character of the area and the mental health of local residents.

Of equal concern is that any construction works would create traffic chaos for months if not years and when occupied the new residences would place impossible burdens on the A13, surrounding roads and our other infrastructure.

One would hope that Essex County Council as the Highways Authority would be pointing these realities out however the County Council appears to be continuing with its efforts to develop the former school playing field site on Scrub Lane. A suggestion of up to 100 residences has been mentioned with access on to Scrub Lane which cannot cope with the current demands at rush hours – particularly if there is disruption elsewhere in the area.

I know that our MP Rebecca Harris and Castle Point Conservatives are working to oppose this over development but with a Council who will make final decisions on the Plan comprising solely members of the Peoples Independent Party and the Canvey Independent Group only time will tell if the Council will heed these concerns in an effective manner. In the meantime the Labour Government is threatening to impose ever greater housing targets on local authorities, whether or not they can be achieved in a way which protects the best interests of local communities.

It is essential that as many residents as possible complete the online consultation and monitor the draft plan which subsequently materialises so that we can forcefully oppose this nonsense! 

Castle Point Local Plan - an interesting consultation!

 

On Thursday night I attended one of the consultation meetings on The Castle Point Local Plan. In my next post I will comment on the plan more specifically but I was not over impressed by the meeting.

Whilst various meetings are being held across Castle Point this was the only meeting in Hadleigh. Bearing in mind that possible proposals include the development of part of the Salvation Army farm it is perhaps not surprising that many residents are concerned. Notwithstanding the meeting being scheduled in the school summer holidays and not, in my view, being well advertised, the organisers were clearly caught out by the level of attendance.

The original venue of Hadleigh Baptist Church Hall was swiftly abandoned when it became clear that it was too small and even after a transfer to the church itself there was soon standing room only.

The Council officer who made the presentation was very competent however the process included use of a smart phone to enter feedback which was beyond a significant number of the residents sitting around me who either did not have a smart phone or couldn’t follow the process.

Much of the information provided was inevitably detailed but what was unavoidable was the level of anger felt by many residents at the amount of redevelopment being proposed due to the adequacy of our current infrastructure, and the discussion on use of our precious greenbelt. Having subsequently completed a response to the Issues and Options document it is not straightforward and the reality is that a substantial number of residents will feel unable to do so. I hope that the strength of their feelings is still reflected in the draft Plan.

One attendee asked if our local councillors were present. This seemed a reasonable question bearing in mind the importance of the plan and the opportunity to hear the views of residents first hand. It is also the case that the Peoples Independent Party swept to power on the basis of their anti-green belt development position, and that as the presenting officer made clear, the final decisions on the Plan will be made by elected council members. The response was that the officer thought that they might be there but if so they were standing outside!

I am not sure if they were present or not as I don’t know what they look like but if they were there I fail to see why they did not make themselves known so that residents could be reassured that they were being heard, and if they were not the question is obviously why not!

 It is also unfortunate that a representative from Essex Council was not present as they are of course our Highway Authority and so much of any potential housing development is practically impossible due to the inadequacy of our road network to cope with current demands. Having said that with Essex County Council’s wish to put a ridiculous number of new residential units on the old school playing field site in Scrub Lane perhaps it was a good thing that they weren’t.

As I have mentioned I will comment on the plan itself more specifically in my next post.

Does a lack of legitimate opposition undermine local government?

 

I find myself in the interesting position that my house straddles the boundary between 2 parliamentary constituencies, Southend West & Leigh and Castle Point, and as a result I feel part of both communities and take an interest in local issues affecting both councils.

The current status of Castle Point Council is particularly interesting. Before last May the Council was run by a coalition between the Canvey Island Independent Party representing various wards on the Island and The People’s Independent Party representing various wards across the rest of the Council area. There was also a group of Conservative councillors who formed the opposition to this administration.

In the run up to the elections in May 2024 a decision was taken to hold “all up elections” rather than having staggered elections over three years. There is obviously a question of the democratic accountability of an “all up” election as it can mean that the result is swung by the national mood and results in no opportunity for the local electorate to make change for four years.

In this case the Canvey Independents won all available seats on the Island and the People’s Independent Party won all seats across the rest of the area with a wipe out of the Conservatives and no success for any of the other national parties.

This meant that the People’s Independent Party had an overall majority and could have been expected to take over the Council with the Canvey Independents forming the opposition.  However these two groups decided to continue their joint arrangement sharing out cabinet posts between the 2 groups and with a Canvey Councillor becoming the Council Leader.

The bizarre outcome of this decision is that there is no opposition and this will continue for the next four years! It was the Council of Europe’s Forum for the Future of Democracy which previously commented that “Opposition is an important part of democracy..”. It ensures that the policies and actions of the Administration are subject to robust scrutiny and challenge from elected councillors and the current arrangement in Castle Point must be perceived as undemocratic and extremely concerning.

Whilst I have previously commented on the unsatisfactory nature of “Independent” candidates in local government it is surely the case that the People’s Independent Party should honour the mandate they have been given and assume sole control of the Council allowing the remaining councillors to become a robust and conscientious opposition.

Southend Council's Budget - "..something is rotten in the state of Denmark"!

 

It is unfortunate that at such a challenging time for our Town, businesses and residents the Council has been controlled by a rag tail coalition of Labour, Liberal Democrats and Independents who regrettably have failed to rise adequately to the challenge.

Their recent annual budget was depressingly predictable in its lack of imagination and realism. Fortunately following uproar from local businesses and residents supported by the Conservative opposition the ridiculous proposal to raise seafront parking charges to £24 per day was scaled back - however the increase still remains unacceptably high as does the increase in council tax. These measures can only hit the Town Centre, our businesses and residents when many are already reeling from the financial effects of the pandemic and resulting lockdowns.

However of greater concern is the underlying refusal to face economic reality, abandon political vanity projects and lay a solid base for the future.

As is often the case the most interesting information is available in the papers prepared in support of the Administration’s budget.

I was particularly intrigued by the comments on the Medium Term Financial Strategy. The MTFS currently shows a projected budget gap for the Council of £20.7 million for the following four financial years. This is a massive hole and is in the context of a budget for next year which in addition to making the money grab on parking charges and council tax referred to above also requires £2.5 million from Reserves in 2021/22 to balance the budget. The MTFS is also based on assumptions as to levels of central government funding and future interest rates which if wrong would signpost additional major problems.

Most interestingly the budget paper comments:

The Council may need to increase focus on the delivery of its services in a more targeted way, concentrating on delivering services to those residents who most need the Council’s support. The Council may also need to review and change its approach to tailoring the delivery of its many statutory services. To underpin these new arrangements the Council will continue to reposition its role as one to work alongside the community, its residents and businesses, to try to improve the many contributing factors that affect people’s lives.

This “possibility” is in my view a statement of the obvious. It was the underlying policy followed by the Conservative administrations between 2007 and 2014 who grasped the need to change the approach to make the Council more focussed and financially efficient – an view that has clearly slipped in recent years. We believed that reserves were to be protected as an important safety net, fees and council tax needed to be kept competitive to support businesses and residents, and  spending needed to concentrate on core services for those in need coupled with creative investment which would deliver for the Town economically in future years.

The question is why have the Administration not followed this approach in the current budget rather than shying away from difficult decisions and rolling the problem on to future years. In the meantime increasing borrowing on projects such as the acquisition of the Victorias is only destined to make the situation worse.

I can’t help but bring to mind the words of the Bard… “Something is not right, seriously amiss...If the authorities knew about the problems and chose not to prevent them, then clearly something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

The challenge of Covid for Southend High Street

Having been invited by Oracle to submit an article I thought that I would further expand on my growing concerns about the High Street. For those who do not receive the Oracle this is what I said:

“As we struggle to combat this horrendous pandemic there is little doubt that even before its outbreak Southend High Street was already “vulnerable” and that covid has made the situation worse with less footfall and increasing numbers of void properties. 

We all know many of the underlying problems to include the influence of internet buying, failing businesses and over large units with rents and business rates to match. Southend has further and more specific challenges with an overlong High Street with shopping centres at both ends, high car parking charges and concerns about security.

The investment by Primark in the old BHS site is a beacon of positivity but with concerns as to its existing site, particularly with Debenhams still struggling. The plan to develop Seaway seems to be further stretching the length of the shopping. 

We now hear that the owners of the Victoria Shopping Centre are seeking to sell and there are rumours that Southend Council may be considering acquiring the site. I can only hope that these rumours are unfounded. The Victoria has been transformed over the years from the unwelcoming wind tunnel open to the elements and yet even with this investment it has clearly remained a struggle to attract tenants. Perhaps this is in part due to the factors I have already mentioned. 

I believe that it would be misguided for public money to be used to acquire the development for three main reasons. Firstly whilst council officers have many skills these are in the areas of the public sector. They do not have the experience or expertise to take on responsibility for a large and challenging commercial development, particularly in trying times such as these. They have more than enough to concentrate on improving and delivering council services in a reactive and cost effective manner. 

Secondly investments of this kind are driven by the correct analysis of risk. Private entrepreneurs are risking their own money and reputations. Council officers and members are risking the money of Southend residents and businesses and if it all goes horribly wrong most if not all of them will be long gone with the rest of us left to pick up the pieces and the bill. 

Finally the Council needs to get a grip on the problems facing the High Street. It would be very difficult if the Council had made a significant investment in a commercial centre at one end of the High Street to view future decision making on the High Street without factoring in this “special interest”. 

There are a number of actions which can be taken to support the High Street, some of which are reasonably short term, but these need to be in the context of a sensible overall plan. In my view the first challenge is the central section under the railway bridge which has an important role in connecting the two ends, but faces issues with empty units and a feeling of being unsafe, particularly at night. Perhaps that is the ideal location for the encouragement of café culture rather than at the northern end, improving footfall and creating the required bridge. I would like to see the reintroduction of traffic at both ends of the High Street – even if only in the evenings - to address the “safety” issue. 

As others have said we need to encourage housing back into the High Street to take advantage of the current vacant units which are available above ground floor level. Who knows with more people living and shopping in the centre of town it might be possible to encourage a supermarket back to the High Street with all the benefits that would bring.

I would like to see a reversal of the apparent anti-car policy being pursued by the current Administration and demonstrated by elements of the Queensway plan and the reality remains that parking charges are too high and this also needs to be addressed. 

Whilst if we can increase those living in the Town Centre they may feel that a car is not necessary the reality remains that many of those millions of visitors who come to the Town come by car and that is not going to change anytime soon. 

We need to continue to encourage and support the seafront and our seafront traders which give us such an important advantage over many other Towns and cities of our size. 

Finally I would like to see the encouragement of an area for the provision of smaller and affordable units to encourage the return of small independent traders and the arts to build on another area of the Town’s strength. The challenge is there – let us hope that the Council is capable is standing up and delivering.”