Happy New Year Malcolm Knight Help your road reps with the £3 subs Our High Street Mayflower 2020 Other News Can you help? Club Focus – South Green Thursday Club Dear Editor... Events MONEY MATTERS... – Maximise your income – Who manages someone’s affairs when they go missing? Friends of Lake Meadows A New Year – A Time to take Action to save Time! Committee Focus Coach Trips Join the BDRA Privacy Notice 12 1 1 1 1 1 12 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 12 The Billericay District Residents , Association Resident “Help us to help you” FREE to members of BDRA February 2020 In This Issue: Visit the BDRA Website at: www.bdra.org Malcolm Knight Many of you will remember Malcolm who, with his wife Margaret, ran the BDRA coach trips and holidays for a number of years. We were very sorry to hear that Malcolm has recently died and our thoughts are with Margaret and her family at this sad time. Help your road reps with the £3 subs The wonderful band of volunteers who deliver your Resident will be calling over the next few months to collect your annual subs of £3. Please help them by having change and if they don’t catch you in they will let you know where you can drop your money off to them. Our High Street I was really upset to hear that Billericay Homecare will not be there after 35 years. Where will I go for the wonderful advice, great service and the ability to buy the number of nails and screws I actually need? We wish them a happy retirement but will miss them. Argos is also going as a rationalisation of branches nationally and we do have one within 5 miles. My concern is what will take the place of both these businesses. We definitely know what we have too many of. I must say that as I went to the bottom of the High Street I was impressed with the refurbishment of the front of Elizabeth Cottage changing it from the eyesore it was. I glanced at Jim Shields garden which is going to be graced with a statue or is it statues to commemorate our connection with the Mayflower. Mayflower 2020 Plans are moving ahead rapidly for Mayflower 2020, Billericay’s commemoration of the sailing of the Mayflower to America with four Pilgrims from Billericay on board. It should be a really exciting year for the town with over thirty different events of all kinds being arranged by local organisations, schools and shops. A programme of events will be printed after the close of entries on 31 January 2020. Other News I was delighted to hear that the Christmas Market, which we support, had its best year ever raising £45,000 for charity. A wonderful effort. Well done Mayflower Rotary. Sunday 6th December is the date of this year’s market. St Luke’s first year of collecting Christmas trees for recycling raised £900 do bear them in mind next year as they will want to expand the areas they cover. Heidi, whose letter re recycling, was in last month’s Resident has told me she has raised £120 from her recent efforts. She recycles with Terracycle for Essex. If anyone wants details of how to drop off crisp packets etc to Heidi just contact me on [email protected]and I will give you the drop off details. Another Resident told me about New Life Wood which is at Wat Tyler Park. They are a charity who collect waste lumber and sell it on as wood and as a range of articles. They provide employment for people as well as keeping waste wood out of landfill. www.newlifewood.org.uk CAN YOU HELP? Road reps needed for 2 rounds Round 1 20 houses in and off the High Street Round 2 27 houses in Abbots Ride and South Ridge Please contact Mark Hayes on 01277 630170 or [email protected] if you can help. ———————————————————————————————— A Deputy Lettings Officer for the Reading Rooms – To meet and greet prospective hirers of the Rooms, prepare the appropriate paperwork and deal with advertising. Needs to be computer literate. A really interesting job meeting people from all walks of life. If you are interested please contact [email protected]W elcome to the first Resident of 2020. It promises to be a busy year locally and nationally. Developers are starting to jostle to be the first to get their plans to the Council. You will see that Redrow have jumped the gun as there has not been an examination in public yet. BDRA and BAG are sending in their objections to their application and encourage you to do so. The deadline of 3rd February means that individual responses will be limited. We have heard that Planning Inspectors are being more rigorous and plans are not going through on the nod. Uttlesford have had their plan turned down with a lot of work to do before it is resubmitted. We hope that the soundness of Basildon’s Plan is scrutinised carefully. On Page 11 there is a local plan update and more info on www.bdra.org and www.billericayactiongroup.org.uk Happy New Year! Photo: Sarah Clapton “Harmony”
Transcript
Happy New Year
Malcolm Knight
Help your road reps with the£3 subs
Our High Street
Mayflower 2020
Other News
Can you help?
Club Focus – South GreenThursday Club
Dear Editor...
Events
MONEY MATTERS...– Maximise your income– Who manages someone’s
affairs when they gomissing?
Friends of Lake Meadows
A New Year – A Time to take Action to save Time!
Committee Focus
Coach Trips
Join the BDRA
Privacy Notice
12
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12
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11
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MAYFLOWER
The
Billericay District Residents,Association
Resident“Help us to help you”
FREE to members of BDRA
February 2020In This Issue:
Visit the BDRA Website at: www.bdra.org
Malcolm KnightMany of you will remember Malcolmwho, with his wife Margaret, ran theBDRA coach trips and holidays fora number of years. We were verysorry to hear that Malcolm hasrecently died and our thoughts arewith Margaret and her family at thissad time.
Help your road reps with the £3 subs
The wonderful band of volunteerswho deliver your Resident will becalling over the next few months tocollect your annual subs of £3.Please help them by havingchange and if they don’t catch youin they will let you know where youcan drop your money off to them.
Our High StreetI was really upset to hear thatBillericay Homecare will not bethere after 35 years. Where will I gofor the wonderful advice, greatservice and the ability to buy thenumber of nails and screws Iactually need? We wish them ahappy retirement but will miss them.
Argos is also going as arationalisation of branches nationallyand we do have one within 5 miles.My concern is what will take theplace of both these businesses. Wedefinitely know what we have toomany of.
I must say that as I went to thebottom of the High Street I wasimpressed with the refurbishment ofthe front of Elizabeth Cottagechanging it from the eyesore it was.
I glanced at Jim Shields gardenwhich is going to be graced witha statue or is it statues tocommemorate our connection withthe Mayflower.
Mayflower 2020Plans are moving ahead rapidlyfor Mayflower 2020, Billericay’scommemoration of the sailing of theMayflower to America with fourPilgrims from Billericay on board.
It should be a really exciting year forthe town with over thirty differentevents of all kinds being arrangedby local organisations, schools andshops.
A programme of events will beprinted after the close of entries on31 January 2020.
Other NewsI was delighted to hear that theChristmas Market, which wesupport, had its best year everraising £45,000 for charity. Awonderful effort. Well doneMayflower Rotary. Sunday 6thDecember is the date of this year’smarket.
St Luke’s first year of collectingChristmas trees for recyclingraised £900 do bear them in mindnext year as they will want to expandthe areas they cover.
Heidi, whose letter re recycling, wasin last month’s Resident has told meshe has raised £120 from her recentefforts. She recycles with Terracyclefor Essex. If anyone wants details ofhow to drop off crisp packets etcto Heidi just contact me [email protected] and I will giveyou the drop off details.
Another Resident told me aboutNew Life Wood which is at Wat TylerPark. They are a charity who collectwaste lumber and sell it on as woodand as a range of articles. Theyprovide employment for people aswell as keeping waste wood out oflandfill. www.newlifewood.org.uk
CAN YOU HELP?Road reps needed for 2 roundsRound 1 20 houses in and off the High StreetRound 2 27 houses in Abbots Ride and South RidgePlease contact Mark Hayes on 01277 630170 or [email protected] if you can help.————————————————————————————————A Deputy Lettings Officer for the Reading Rooms – To meet and greetprospective hirers of the Rooms, prepare the appropriate paperwork and dealwith advertising. Needs to be computer literate. A really interesting jobmeeting people from all walks of life.If you are interested please contact [email protected]
Welcome to the first Resident of 2020. It promisesto be a busy year locally and nationally.Developers are starting to jostle to be the first to
get their plans to the Council. You will see that Redrowhave jumped the gun as there has not been anexamination in public yet. BDRA and BAG are sending intheir objections to their application and encourage youto do so. The deadline of 3rd February means thatindividual responses will be limited. We have heard thatPlanning Inspectors are being more rigorous and plansare not going through on the nod. Uttlesford have hadtheir plan turned down with a lot of work to do beforeit is resubmitted. We hope that the soundness ofBasildon’s Plan is scrutinised carefully. On Page 11 thereis a local plan update and more info on www.bdra.organd www.billericayactiongroup.org.uk
Happy New Year!
Photo: Sarah Clapton “Harmony”
2 Publication of an advertisement in this newsletter does not indicate editorial endorsement
Leaving St. Luke’s Hospice a gift in your Will is one of the mostvaluable and lasting ways that you can support us.
“A gift of just 1% will make a real difference”For a free information pack or information on our Free Make a Will
Event, please contact the IMO and Legacy Officer Rebecca Rowley on:Tel: 01268 524 973 Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.stlukeshospice.com
Reg Charity Number: 289466
The club is well established and caters for theover 55s. When members were asked what theyliked about the club they said that there was agood crowd who were very welcoming?
What sort of things does the Club do?During the year there are many events and coach trips.There are four social evenings arranged with food andentertainment. In the summer there is a dinner outing toa good restaurant.
Is there easy access?Yes there is free parking, a bus top just outside, goodwheelchair access and disabled toilets. Also if anyonewho wants to come has a carer they are welcome tocome as well. If you want to come we will do our best tomake it happen.
How much does it cost to join?There is no joining fee and subs are 40p a week paidonce a quarter.
If you want to make new friends, have a good laugh andtake part in all we have to offer then please give Alberta ring on 01277 624897 and he will answer any otherquestions you may have.
South Green Thursday Club which meets from 1.15pm-3.30pm at South Green Memorial Hallevery week has vacancies for new members.
CLUB
Knock on problem as a result of parking changesThe council has created another congestion problem by making thesmall car park in Radford Way accessible only to cardholders. This isfair during the day, however at night the users of the gym have takento parking on the pavement as they cannot park in the car park. Addin the renaissance of the bowling alley under Players Lounge we nowhave a parking problem. Additionally the new yellow lines and nowaiting on Perry Street will cause more congestion and pollution.Given the lack of public transport, adequate affordable parking is apriority. SEPP please take note!
Name and address supplied
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Sarah’s ChallengeSarah is our BDRA webmaster who diligently keeps our website up to date. She is challenging herself to do theLondon marathon in April as her first marathon and would like everyone’s support to raise money for St Luke’s. Do go along to her afternoon tea where there will be music, a raffle and a great tea.
Dear Editor...
Don’t give work to cold callersMr & Mrs B needed some work doing and they engagedBarrett Drives and Patios who had cold called and alsoplaced a board in Uplands advertising themselves. Theypriced the job, did the job, demanded a cash paymentthough this had not been made clear up front. Left a load ofrubble in a bin and damaged the damp course. Their contactnumber, a freephone, was available but they never returnedthe call. Mr and Mrs B are elderly and left with a mess andmore expense. They contacted me to warn others.
Name and address supplied.
Sarah and David would
love you to join us for
Afternoon tea
Look forward to seeing you!
Please join us in our ‘marathon’ fundraising efforts to support the
amazing work of St Luke’s Hospice, Basildon
Saturday 15th February 2.00 - 4.00pm
at: Christ Church, Perry Street, Billericay CM12 0NX
Tickets are £15 each with all proceeds going to support the hospice to raise the £4.5 million they
need to raise every year. Feel free to either donate via our just giving page or pay on the door.
Meet every Tuesday 8.00-10.00pm (except 2ndTuesday of the month) in theWI Hall in St Ediths Lane.Refreshments included. Youdo not need a partner.
Contact Helen 01268 541059.
Billericay Community ChoirValentine's Concert, True LoveWays on Saturday 15thFebruary at 7.30pm at ChristChurch, Perry St. Doors open at
7.00pm. Entry Free- Refreshments provided.Donations for Memory Cafe, Billericay'sAlzheimers Support group. Contact Chris on656904 or Vince on 657169.
The Unpackaged PantryEvery 2nd and 4th Friday of themonth, The Reading Rooms,Billericay High St. Bring yourown containers to fill withloose, store-cupboard foods.See Facebook page or contact
[email protected] 21st February and Friday 6thMarch at The Reading Rooms, High Street,Billericay, 9.30-12.30.
Queens Park Community Church
Big Breakfast - Saturday29th February, 9.00am to12.00noon, last orders 11.45.Small Breakfast £3.00 LargeBreakfast £5.00. Come and
join us for a really good start to your weekend!
Challenge Open Evening
rjfusgnNew Year, New Challenge! Somethingfor everyone – Walk, Run or Cycle orsomething to get the adrenalin rush!Venue – St Lukes HospiceDate – Thursday 13th February 2020Time – 5.30p until 8.30pm, with apresentation 6.30pm from Global Adventureon our exciting new 2021 Dalai Lama trek toIndiaRSVP by Thursday 6th February to JoannePhillipsTelephone 01268 524973 Email: [email protected]
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BDRA Area Committee Meetings
All members welcome toattend. If you would like toraise an issue or areinterested in local matters andwant to get involved we wouldlove to see you. Next meeting
dates will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday 12thFebruary for East/Burstead and Thursday20th February for West. If you would like tocome along or have an issue to discuss pleasecontact us at [email protected]
Basildon Council Crunch TimesMobile tip for household waste.Saturday 15th February -
9.00am-12.00pm David’s Walk, Billericay Saturday 29th February - 9.00am-12.00pm Little Burstead Car Park, Billericay Saturday 7th March - 9.00am-12.00pmRadford Crescent Car Park, Billericay. Contact www.basildon.gov.uk/crunch
Billericay WIMeet 1st & 3rd Wed of the month at 2.00pm inthe WI Hall, St Ediths Lane. Wednesday 19thFebruary with Jane Gardner Police Fire andCrime Commissioner. Wednesday 4thMarch “A quiet day at the airport” with MikeBenning.
Buttsbury WIMeet on 2nd Tuesday of the month at CanonRoche Hall 8.00-10.00pm. New memberswelcome. Contact Sue Hunt on 01268 761265.
South Green WIMeet on 3rd Thursday of the month 7.45-10.00pm at South Green Memorial Hall. Newmembers welcome. Contact Doreen Gazzardon 01277 652739.
Rosebay WIMeet on the 4th Wednesday of the month,except August, at 1.30pm in Canon Roche Hall,Laindon Rd. We have a variety of speakers,social gatherings and outings. New memberswelcome. Contact Madge Caulfield on 01277623278.
Basildon & District Rambling Club
Meet every Saturday at 2.00pmwith some longer walks onother days. The Saturday walksare 4-5 miles with a rest halfway. New members welcome.
Membership £6 per year and includes allwalks. Visit: www.basildonanddistrictramblingclub.btck.co.uk
Billericay ParkrunEvery Saturday 8.45am at LakeMeadows. Parkrun provides afree, timed, 5k run, jog or walkfor all standards from 4 yrs+. A
great family and community event in lovelysurroundings. Visit www.parkrun.org.uk/billericay or visitour Facebook page.
'Gone Too Soon'Bereavement SupportGroup for parents whohave lost a Son orDaughter. Meetings areheld 3rd Monday of the
month at Reid’s, 66-68 Laindon Rd, 7.00pm-9.00pm. Free parking available. Visitwww.gonetoosoon.online or give Lynn a callon 07387 805406.
Billericay Horticultural Society
Meet in St Mary MagdalenChurch, High St on 3rd Mondayof every month at 8.00pm. Entryis £1 for members and £2 forvisitors. Monday 17thFebruary – “Diluted – how to
cope with excessive heat and lack of rain innergardens” with Darren Lerigo. Email: [email protected]
Billericay Archeological and Historical Society
Meet at The Fold, Billericay ArtsAssociation, Laindon Road, at8.00pm. Monday 10thFebruary “George Stephenson
and his Rocket” with Roger Mannion andMonday 9th March “The Tidal Thames - It'sFolklore and Traditions” with Mark Lewis.
Billericay SocietyMeet at the Fold Billericay ArtsAssociation, Laindon Road.Contact 01277 659286.
Wednesday 19th February at 8.00pm –Basildon's Dog Trust talk.
Billericay Floral Arrangement GroupMeet at 8.00pm in the WI Hall inSt Edith’s Lane, Billericay.Wednesday March 4th “Look
what I have found?” with David Thompson.
Brentwood Wine SocietyMeet every 2nd Tuesday ofthe month at Sheffield ParishHall from 8.00-10.00pm.Experts present 8 wines totaste each evening. Trial
Newly retired to looking tomake new friends? TheBillericay Ladies ProbusClub meet for lunch at 12.00on the second Monday of
each month at the Mount Avenue, BanquetingSuite, Hutton. New members welcome,Contact [email protected]
Meet every Monday in term time at ChristChurch Hall, Perry St, Billericay from10.30am-12pm. £4.50 per family includescoffee for parents and snack time for children.A fun nursery group for babies and pre-school twins and multiples (siblingswelcome). Contact www.billericaytwins.co.uk
The Billericay Good Companion Senior Citizens Club
Meet at The MayflowerHall, Chapel Street, onthe 2nd and 4thWednesday of each
month 2.00-4.00pm. We have entertainmentand then afternoon tea. We are in need ofvolunteers to help in the kitchen to serve thefood and tea. Contact 01277 654319.
Cercle Français de Basildon et Billericay
Meets selected Fridays at theFold, Billericay at 8.00pm fortalks in French. Friday 6thMarch – Les Hospices de
Buaune. Find us on Facebook. Contact 07986293419.
Chelmsford Jazz ClubCramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford. Doors open:11.45am Gig starts: 12.15pm Advancebooking: 01245 606505 £12 / £16 / £5 under18s (unless otherwise stated) Sunday 16thFebruary, Nat Steele's Modern Jazz Quartet(MJQ) plus from the USA Grant Stewart.
Belvedere Jazz and Music ClubBelvedere Jazz & Music Club is non-profitmaking, receives no external funding and isrun entirely by voluntary jazz enthusiasts. Allevents at Chichester Hotel, Old London Road,Rawreth, Nr. Wickford. Contact 07850 607075or www.belvederejazz.co.uk. Wednesday 12th February Soheim & Me– Joanna Eden Quintet – 8.00-10.30pm
Jazz at the FoldSaturday 7 March 7.30pm, Red Beans ‘n’Rice Jazz Band, a six piece band plus vocalist,who play jazz in the New Orleans style – frommarches and rags to jazz standards andspirituals. Tickets £12. The Fold 72 Laindon Road, Billericay, Contact01277 65928.
Events
An event listing must have the following details: Date, Time, Location, Contact person’s telephone number, email and can have website. Priority is given to Billericay and District events. Groups programme details are encouraged. It is the responsibility of the group to send in changes and renew annually.
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In July this year, the Guardian(Missing Persons) Act 2017finally came into force. This act
has been long-awaited for familieswith missing loved ones.
Birkett Long represented the claimant in thefirst claim of this kind in the ChanceryDivision of the High Court in late December19, allowing the family to enter into the NewYear knowing that their loved one’s affairs cannow be managed.
So, what is the Act and why is it needed? The Act was born out of the tragiccircumstances the father of Claudia Lawrencefound himself in after his daughter wentmissing in 2009. Unfortunately, without
evidence, families cannot ask the court topronounce them dead until they have beenmissing for a period of 7 years.
If a person goes missing before making alasting power of attorney, then there is no onewith legal authority to manage their affairs intheir absence. This means that utilities andmortgage payments cannot be made and canlead to the missing person finding themselvesin debt, or even bankrupt, upon theirreappearance.
This Act enables the court to appoint aguardian (or more, if appropriate) forsomeone who has been declared missing for90 days or longer to deal with their affairs fora specified period, not exceeding four years.This will allow the guardian to:
Publication of an advertisement in this newsletter does not indicate editorial endorsement
the missing person.
The court can only appoint a guardian to actfor a period of up to 4 years, but this can beextended if necessary.
Whilst it is hoped that such applications willbe rare, it is reassuring to families and friendsthat their missing loved one’s affairs are wellmaintained for when they hopefully return.
Lisa Cox is a trainee solicitor inBirkett Long’s Court of Protection &Inheritance Disputes team. If you
have any questions about this article,a will dispute or a Court of Protectionapplication, please contact Lisa on
Who manages someone’s affairs when they go missing?• access bank accounts• authorise mortgage and insurance
payments• sell or rent a property on behalf of the
missing person• make investments; and• pay for any dependents of the missing
person
A guardian can be any individual aged over18 who is considered suitable to act and willact in the missing person’s best interests. Thecourt will, amongst other things, have regardto the proposed guardian’s relationship to themissing person, their knowledge and skills,the views the missing person has as to theproposed guardian (if these can beascertained) and any potential conflictbetween the guardian’s interests and those of
This type of product should not be a home forall your money, but it can be used as a wayof generating a decent income level if youneed it.
Another use for this type of product is toenable people to spend some of their savingswhilst maintaining or increasing their income.
For example, someone with £50,000 insavings earning a top rate of interest, say1.4%, would earn £700 interest a year. Theywish to spend £10,000 on homeimprovements but don’t want to lose anyincome.
If they put £10,000 in the plan, they wouldhave interest of £420 from their remaining£30,000, plus £700 from the plan, a total of
£1,120 a year. House improvements done andalmost 50% more income from their savings.
Even if you do not need the income now andsimply wish to leave it in the fund, investingin a plan that’s aims to produce 7% a yearmeans with compound growth £10,000 couldbe over £14,000 in five years’ time.
One plan has produced this result over thelast five years but like all investments this isno guarantee of future performance.
With possibly the lowest ever interestrates coming I must suggest youdiscuss your needs with anindependent financial adviser as theydeal with all available products andcan identify the right one(s) for you.
With interest rates falling andrumours of them fallingfurther in March the search
for a decent income from yourmoney is getting even harder.
Investing to achieve income always raises thequestion of risk, nice to have a high incomebut can I lose my money?
If you really need income from your savingsin order to pay bills there are several productsthat aim to produce around a 7% a yearincome but don’t expect much by way ofcapital growth. That’s £700 on £10,000. Your
capital could go down but is that a problem?
Imagine you have £10,000 in the bankearning £140 interest but spend £700 a yearpaying your bills, you would have to find£560 from somewhere.
If you simply take the money from the bankevery year, by the end of five years yoursavings would be down to around £7,120.Isn’t that a loss? With a 7% income productyou might still have £10,000 or a little more.It might also be less than £10,000 but even ifit fell to £7,120 you would be no worse offthan simply spending your money.
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Residents have captured the essence of Lake Meadowsonce again! In the recent display, at the library last month,of the finalists’ photographs in our 2019 Photo
Competition, entries varied from views of the lake, wildlife andtrees to unusual photos of a paw print and a family tree.Congratulations go to the winner of the Adult Section, who wasSarah Clapton with ‘Harmony’ and to Hugh Somerville-Cutting,in the Junior Section, for his ‘Autumn happiness is my life inLake Meadows’. All the finalists’ photos are on the Friends’website at www.lakemeadows.org.uk Our thanks to thefour Billericay Service Clubs for again sponsoring the event –the Lions, the Round Table and both Rotary Clubs.
Plans are in hand by the Friendsfor celebrating the 400thanniversary of the voyage of theMayflower to America this year.We shall be planting an oak treeat the park in March tocommemorate the event, theninstalling a special flower designon the raised badge bed, andfinally celebrating IndependenceDay with a themed English/American ‘Jazz in the Park’ eventon Saturday July 4th. A free event,when we hope everyone will wearappropriate fancy dress ofwhichever century you prefer!Again, see our website for details.
Although February is often a crispmonth, with frosts and even snowcoming around half term, winteris coming to an end and signs ofSpring will start to appear in thepark, heralding new beginnings.Amongst the earliest signs you’llfind are a scattering of yellowaconites in the Garden of theChild, followed by a few early,pearly snowdrops in thewoodland, with maybe even asingle celandine or two shiningout on a sunny day. Catkins startto appear on the hazel and willowtrees and everywhere, buds areready to burst forth once warmer
days come. Enjoy, too, the shapeof the trees, each variety with itsown characteristics. Valentine'sDay was once thought to be theday when birds chose theirmates, many starting to sing from
early in the month. Listen out forthe melodic song of the blackbirdor the wren, generally silentduring the winter, starting to callfor a mate, with his incrediblyshrill song.
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For anything Electrical call Mick on 01277 650839/ 07968 641897 orEmail: [email protected]
Photo: Hugh Somerville-Cutting “Autumnal happiness is my life in LakeMeadows”
Photo: Sarah Clapton “Harmony”
www.lakemeadows.org.uk
7
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Publication of an advertisement in this newsletter does not indicate editorial endorsement
I think this time of year is excellent for thoughts of decluttering and organisingyour home so everything is easy to find and saves you time.
Where to start? There are many places to start however at this time of the yeara good place to start is to donate any Christmas decorations you didn’t use to acharity or school.
When you were cooking Christmas dinner did you find that you couldn’t findthings you needed because of cluttered drawers and cupboards?
99% of every home has the dreaded ’toot’ drawer where ‘importantthings’ get dumped. You might find batteries, keys, elastic bands, pens and thelist goes on.
Wouldn’t it be nice to see this organised? If you already think that it is anoverwhelming task don’t be put off but do it in sections. Cover half or a third ofit with a tea towel and work only on the part you can see so you don't getdistracted by the rest.
With each item ask yourself:• When did I last need or use this item?• Have I got duplicates?• Does it still work?
Put the items you want to keep on the worktop and the items you don’t either inthe donate pile or in the bin. Once you have done this, and if you found it okaymove the tea towel back so you can see a little more, repeat until it’s done. Whenyou have finished group the ‘Keep’ items into categories and put in separatecontainers or within drawer dividers.
Another decluttering job could be with the medicine cabinet.
Begin by getting rid of expired medication (chemists or your doctors will takethese) then use clear takeaway containers or similar to separate cold/flu remedies,plasters, painkillers, indigestion remedies, daily medication into differentcontainers. Make sure you label the containers so when you needsomething you can go straight to it and put things back where theybelong.
One of my clients suffers from migraines. Instead of her rooting through themedicine cabinet we made a specific ‘Migraine Pack’, which she has in the cabinetand one by the side of her bed. She told me that this was a godsend and wonderedwhy she hadn't thought of this before.
For advice on decluttering and organising solutions please contact [email protected]
Equity release can be used for a variety of purposes.These can include:• Adapting / improving your home to enable you to
remain living in it independently for longer
• Paying off debts, such as outstanding mortgages or credit cards
• Providing financial assistance to your children and grandchildren
Billericay Office 01277 633123Equity Release will reduce the value of your estate and can
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authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Equity Release Specialist Offering a whole of market service to
Local Plan There are concerns about theoutline Planning Applicationsubmitted by Redrow for siteH17a, Mountnessing Road.The OPA currently has 74associated documents.Guidance to residents on howto respond to this applicationcan be found on the BAG andBDRA websites. Residentshave received letters fromPlanning re this outlineplanning application. The keymessage is it is not a done dealand needs to be opposed. Themain concerns are that thearea remains Green Belt untilre-categorised as a result ofthe Local Plan adoption andany acceptance now byBasildon Council could set anunhelpful precedent andinfluence the Examination inPublic, a date for which has yetto be set.
Committee members fromBDRA and BAG have met ourplanning consultant at Cheffinsto discuss preparations for theExamination in Public includingconsideration of the mostappropriate area on which toemploy legal support.
After a follow up meetingwith the consultants FeriaUrbanism who are looking atthe 4 proposed sites in SWBillericay being part of amasterplan our Chairmanwrote to Feria with commentsabout what was presented. Ihave included one issue fromeach area and put the wholele t te r on the webs i tewww.bdra.org if you areinterested in looking further.
Site H17A• Our primary issue is the
access point from this siteonto Mountnessing Road.Redrow are promoting thisindependently of your workand through their ownconsultation. This has thepotential for rat-runningthrough the estate from theproposed new roundabouton London Road, and itsclose proximity to thenarrow railway bridge onMountnessing Road needsserious consideration both interms of adding to existingcongestion and from a safetyperspective.
Site H17B• Not relocating the cricket
Committee Focus
MAYFLOWER
“Help us to help you”
and tennis clubs makes verygood sense and the conceptof creating a sporting villagewith the football club is inprinciple a good idea. Butthere needs to be adequateparking provision as todayfootball supporters park onTye Common Road creatingdelays and disruption. Thisis particularly important ifthe relief road concept isremoved putting even moretraffic onto Tye CommonRoad from the newdevelopments along itslength.
Site H17C• The idea of running the
primary estate road throughthe middle of this site andH17B is welcomed asopposed to the Local Plancurrently showing the reliefroad running as the westernboundary. This potentiallyremoves the threat of futurehousing sprawl on the westside of the relief road.
• However, we are concernedthat estate road could beused as a rat-run from TyeCommon Road to LondonRoad in both directions bytraffic trying to avoid thealready congested junctionof Tye Common Road andLondon Road; a junction thatis likely to have even worsecongestion with sites H17B,C and D adding to the trafficfrom their access points onTye Common Road. Theexisting use of Tye CommonRoad was significantly underestimated in the submittedLocal Plan as the relief roadis due to address this bydiverting traffic to LondonR o a d t h r o u g h t h eintroduction of strict trafficflows onto the relief road.
Site H17D• We are concerned by the
isolation of this site and thelack of connectivity to theother south west sites andthe town as a whole,especially as no internalfac i l i t i es a re be ingsuggested.
A response has been receivedto the Chairman’s letter toAndrew Baggott, seekingconf i rmat ion tha t theConserva t i ve group onBasildon Council supports theConservation Area status held
by Billericay High Street andwill oppose any activities whichattempt to circumvent orreduce the effectiveness of therequirements pertaining to theConservation Area. AndrewBaggott has confirmedsupport for the ConservationArea and the conditionswhich apply to it.
Permitted Development In response to a question repermitted development thereis a document from the Ministryof Housing, Communities &Local Government entitledPermitted development rightsfor householders (Technicalguidance) which gives detailsof the a l lowed changes.A simplified analysis is atthe fo l low ing webs i te ;www.realhomes.com/advice/permitted-development-rights-explained
It was noted thatthe One Stop Shopat South Green willbe rebrandedto a Tesco Express on 14February. Questions wereraised as to whether theparcel collection facility wouldcontinue.
There is uncertaintyabout the possiblelocation of aproposed primaryschool which was the subject of arecent meeting in BillericaySchool. Greens Farm Lanehad been mentioned.
The Billericay TreeWardensare advocating that the ninemain residential New Builddevelopment sites that are
proposed in and aroundBillericay retain as manymature trees as is practical andare landscaped into theArchitect’s site layouts. TheQueen’s Park Estate reflectsthis approach so the precedenthas already been set – Thechallenge is to encourage thenew developers to respond ina similar way.
Plastic Recycling It was noted that CouncillorDavid Harrison of BasildonCounc i l had announceda proposal for a countywide scheme to makeplastic recycling moreunderstandable.
Speedwatch Data is still being collected.There will an update in a futureResident.
Update on Bike racksA few months ago there weresome queries about bike racksin the town centre – at the timewe pointed residents to theonly ones in Alma Link
The council have recentlyadded some additional racksin the corner if Western Roadand the High St – see photo.
THE RESIDENT is published by the Billericay District Residents’ AssociationEditor: Chris Wade Tel: 01277 632390. Email [email protected]
Designed and printed by Acors Press, 3 Molineaux Court, Radford Way, Billericay, Essex CM12 0BT. Telephone: 01277 658090. Email [email protected] website at: www.bdra.org
PRIVACY NOTICE We understand that you consented to BDRA holding personal details about you when you subscribed as a member of the Billericay District residents’ Association and a recipient of the Resident magazine.The information which we hold is your name and address, and we may hold additional information which you have provided such as your email address and/or telephone number.We hold this data for the purpose of delivering the Resident Magazine to you and to collect and administer your subscription payments. We will hold your personal information only for as long as is necessary for these purposes.Personal data is held securely and will not be shared with any third parties. You have the right to request to see what information we hold about you. You have the right to instruct us to delete your personal information from ourrecords at any time. This would result in the termination of your membership of the BDRA.
For your information our coach organisers Kathleen and Yvonne have a mobile for use on the day of a trip only. The number is 07518 122647. Please put it in your contacts.If concession prices are quoted (ie seniors, children) these should be requested at the time of booking or the full price will apply. In the event that you need to cancel all efforts will be madeto resell your seats, however if we are unable to resell your seats you are liable for payment. The terms and conditions which apply to BDRA coach trips can be found at www.bdra.org.
SUNDAY 26TH APRIL – LEONARDSLEE LAKES AND GARDENS VISIT, INCLUDING GUIDED TOUR WITH AN ESTATE GARDENERLeonardslee Lakes and Gardens are described as The finest Woodland Gardensin England. First planted in 1801 the Grade 1 listed gardens on the 240 acre estatefeatures outstanding scenery throughout the year and is particularly majestic as itblooms in Spring.Visit the renowned Rock Garden and The Dolls Museum, see the rare colony ofWallabies and catch sight of the deer roaming free, enjoy the popular walking trailsand discover the historic beauty of the restored estate.On arriving at the estate your time is free to do as you wish, explore, morningcoffee and lunch. Unfortunately we are unable to take our own food into the estate,but food is available in The Clock Tower Cafe, Courtyard Cafe, and other foodstations throughout the estate. After lunch we will have a guided tour with an estateGardener. After the tour we will return home.Cost: Coach, Entrance and Guided Tour £30.50Depart: GG 8.30am. OA 8.35am. LR 8.45am. SG 8.50am. Back in Billericayapproximately 6.30pm.
Please telephone to book after 9.00am Wednesday 12th FebruaryYvonne Cave, 11 The Vale, Stock, Ingatestone. CM4 9PW. Telephone: 01277 840560� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
WEDNESDAY 29TH JULY – ‘9 TO 5’ (THE MUSICAL) 2.30pm MATINEE PERFORMANCE CLIFFS PAVILIONDolly Parton’s rip roaring West End musical is coming to Southend. Fresh from 5*reviews and sold out houses in the West End. 9 to 5 the Musical tells the story of three workmates pushed to boiling point by theirsexist and egotistical boss. Concocting a plan to kidnap and turn the tables ontheir despicable supervisor, will the women manage to reform their office – or willevents unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit?With an Oscar, Grammy and Tony award-nominated score by the queen ofcountry herself, Dolly Parton and a book by the movie’s original screenwriterPatricia Resnick, this hilarious new production is about teaming up, standing upand taking care of business. Casting to be announced.Cost: Coach and Ticket Concessions £40.50 Adults £42.00Depart: GG 12.15pm. OA 12.20pm. LR 12.30pm. SG 12.35pm. Back in Billericayapproximately 7.00pm.Please telephone to book after 9.00am on Tuesday the 10th FebruaryYvonne Cave, 11 The Vale, Stock, Ingatestone. CM4 9PW. Telephone: 01277 840560
Refund Policy – December 2019. You may cancel any booking made. All refunds arediscretionary, and will normally be granted only if the place/s can be re-sold to anothermember. BDRA keeps waiting lists for trips and where possible will re-sell the place on yourbehalf, but makes no guarantee regarding re-sale. Refunds are made by means of banktransfer payments. Requesters of refunds will be requested to supply bank account details– sort code and account number – to the coach trip organiser in writing, either by email orby means of a note.
WEDNESDAY 26TH FEBRUARY, 2020 – “PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT” (THE MUSICAL). STARRING STRICTLY COME DANCING WINNER JOE MCFADDEN – 8.00PM PERFORMANCE CLIFFSPAVILION, SOUTHENDYvonne and Kathleen are looking forward to seeing you on the day. Here is areminder of the emergency contact number and pick up times.Emergency mobile for use on the day only is 07518 122647. Please put it inyour contacts.Depart: GG 5.45pm. OA 5.50pm. LR 6.00pm. SG 6.05pm.Yvonne Cave, 11 The Vale, Stock, Ingatestone. CM4 9PW. Telephone: 01277 840560� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
BABBACOMBE HOLIDAY 23RD MARCH – 30TH MARCH 2020FULLThe Itinerary is as follows:Monday: Travelling to Babbacombe with a lunch stop.Tuesday: Trip to Buckfast Abbey and Totnes.Wednesday: At Leisure- Theatre in the evening.Thursday: Trip to Exeter.Friday: At Leisure.Saturday: Trip to Dartmouth and Brixham.Sunday: Half Day to Bygones Victorian Museum - £7 entrance fee.Monday: Travelling back to Billericay with a lunch stop.Depart: QPR 7.30am. GG 7.45am. OA 8.00am. LR 8.15am. SG 8.30am.Kathleen Fox, 72 Perry Street, Billericay, CM12 0ND. Telephone: 01277 622342� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
THURSDAY 12TH MARCH – HASTINGS ON MARKET DAY WITH THREE COURSE EVENING DINNERWe begin our day in Hastings where you can take the funicular railway up East HillCliff and enjoy the lovely views. The old town is full of charm with half timberedhouses, narrow streets and passageways and offers a great collection of antiqueshops and vintage galleries. Late afternoon we take a short drive to Pevensey to The Moorings restaurant whichis situated on the beach. There we will enjoy a three course meal where there areover 20 main courses including vegetarian and vegan options to choose from onthe day.Cost: Coach and meal £27.00 Depart: GG 9.00am. OA 9.05am. LR 9.15am. SG 9.20am. Back in Billericayapproximately 8.30pm.Please telephone to book after 9.00amKathleen Fox, 72 Perry Street, Billericay, CM12 0ND. Telephone: 01277 622342
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Billericay District Residents’ Association ����������� COACH TRIPS���������������������
Please note that all payments should be made as soon aspossible and sent to the person named on the trip
advertisement. Cheques should be made payable to BDRAand the trip title shown on the back of the cheque.
Departure points for all trips: GG – Gooseberry Green, busstop at roundabout, OA – Orchard Avenue, approachingStock Road, LR – Laindon Road, bus stop between Sun
Corner and the fire station, SG – South Green, bus stop to Wickford, opposite the retirement apartments.
Please note – When a trip is confirmed the fare must be paid as soon as possible.
