BOROUGH PARTNERS

See page 7

BASILDONSIGNTURNSPINK!

What do the long-term plans include? - See page 2

Artist’s impressions of the new £1billion Basildon town centre redevelopment

Win tickets tosee Aladdin atthe Towngate

December 2010 basildon.gov.uk

‘BIG SWITCH ON’ LIGHTS UP TOWN

Singer and TV star Aled Jones joined local performer Josh Dubovie, thestars of Aladdin and the Mayor to celebrate this year’s light switch on.Despite the poor weather, hundreds of people lined St Martin’s Squareto enjoy a mix of entertainment that included local artists, anafternoon roadshow from BBC Essex and ended with the ‘Big Switchon’ and a spectacular firework display.

SEEPAGE 5

BILLION POUND TOWNThe 20-YEAR, £1billion redevelopment of Basildontown centre is set to be one of the biggestregeneration projects in the country.

‘Basildon Regeneration Ltd (Barratt Homes WilsonBowden Developments) Ltd (BWB)’ was recentlyapproved as the Council’s strategic developmentpartner. BWB is now preparing a master plan byNovember 2011 outlining the detailed plans for thetown centre and the timings of the various work.

Cllr Tony Ball, Leader of the Council says: “This isa momentous day for Basildon, and I am delighted to

announce BWB as our long term development partnerfor the redevelopment of Basildon town centre. BWBis a blue chip company and I am confident that we willbe able to deliver our exciting vision for Basildon towncentre together.

“This is a long-term project that will help to getBasildon back into the top 50 town centres in thecountry, where it belongs.

“With a new and improved shopping and leisureexperience, more jobs and homes this will in turn helpto create a new economic vibrancy to the town centre.

The regeneration is about the whole town centre, notjust the shopping streets. The plans extend beyond theshopping centre, providing opportunities to maximisethe range of facilities and job creation.

“In addition, plans will be submitted for the firsthomes, which are vital to provide initial funding for theregeneration and start the process of creating a towncentre community which will support the commercialelements of the regeneration.”

2 PAGE SPECIAL FROM NHS INSIDE!

2 December 2010

p7 - BASILDON signpromoted by local companies

Write to the Editor: If you would like to comment on any story inthis edition of the Borough Diary or comment on a Council service,please write to: Adam Keating, Editor, Borough Diary, BasildonBorough Council, The Basildon Centre, St. Martin's Square, Basildon,Essex SS14 1DL, or email adam.keating@basildon.gov.uk.

About the Borough Diary: This newspaper is produced by the Marketing andCommunications team at Basildon Borough Council. It is published six times a yearand delivered free to almost 80,000 homes in Basildon, Billericay and Wickford.

Advertise in the Borough Diary: If you would like to advertise or enquire aboutrates and deadlines, call 01268 294201. Basildon Borough Council accepts noresponsibility for the content of any advertisement published in the Borough Diaryand the inclusion of any advertisement does not imply approval or recommendationby the Council of either the terms of any offer or service contained in it or of theadvertiser.

Other formats: To receive the Borough Diary in large print, Braille or spoken wordformat, please call 01268 294590.

THIS EDITION’S HIGHLIGHTS

p12 - Community campaign forPitsea Leisure Centre

p4 - Investment for Lake Meadows

p13 - New centre for Wat Tyler

How exciting, its almostChristmas again. This year hasabsolutely raced by and I haveenjoyed every minute of my roleas Basildon Council's Chairmanand (more recently) theBorough's first Mayor. By thetime you read this, Lord Petre,Lord Lieutenant of Essex willhave presented me with theofficial Charter and we'll havesome photographs of thatceremony in the next BoroughDiary.

The Charter document and sealis wonderful and has come fromBuckingham Palace. It will bedisplayed in our St George’sSuite, which confirms thatBasildon is now a Borough.

And in these tough times I wasdelighted that Fred Wall, from afirm called 'Wall2Wall Art' atLangdon Hills, offered to framethe charter and seal for free.We've got some great businesspeople in Basildon!

One of the first things I did asMayor was visit Meaux, which isa French city famous for makingBrie. I was receiving an awardfor the work I have done topromote the twinning of Meaux

and Basildon and was handedthe 'Freedom to the City ofMeaux' by its Mayor (who, Imight add, is tipped to be thenext Prime Minister of France!).

It was also the 20thanniversary of Basildon andMeaux being twinned. It was awonderful trip and it was lovelyto know that in other parts ofthe world, this Borough is

regarded so fondly andpositively. I was delighted to beasked to visit and equallydelighted to fund the tripmyself.

I would like to finish bywishing you all a happy andpeaceful Christmas, and the verybest for 2011.

Mayor’s message from Cllr Mo Larkin

Mayor in Meaux!

Cllr Mo Larkin in Meaux

As we frequent the garden less in winterwhy not move your patio plants around sothat you can enjoy more easily the structureof permanent plants such as conifers,camellias and trees. You could even arrangesome Christmas lights on a large shrub ortree in a pot, then enjoy it through the patiowindows.

Pots that sit directly on paving slabs aremore likely to suffer from poor drainage,and frosts are more easily transferred frompaving to make a frozen rootball. Toimprove drainage, lift pots off the ground,elevating the pot with decorative terracottafeet, or if you are mean, little wedges ofwood will do! If you have pots topped off

with winterpansies andviolas, theseneed pride ofplace as theirhappy facescontinue tobloom, and don`t forget to deadhead themto keep the flowers coming.

After the wet weather of autumn, wallsand paving in shaded areas may be showinggreen growth of moulds and algae. It’spossible to scrub these growths off withsoapy water and plenty of elbow grease, butwhy waste all that time and energy whenone simple application of Patio Magic! does

a better job killing the growth andgives long-lasting effects.

Some winter flowering shrubs willbe coming into bloom as we head forthe end of the year, and will be ondisplay at your local nursery orgarden centre. Suitable for growinglong term in pots are both WitchHazel (Hamamelis) with spideryyellow or gold flowers that arehighly perfumed, and Sweet box(Sarcococca) with tiny white flowersthat are equally scented.

with BBC Essex presenter Ken Crowther

Garden Diary BILLION POUND TOWN Continued...Cllr Stephen Horgan, Deputy

Leader of the Council, said: “Thisis great news for Basildon, Essexand the whole region. This is oneof the biggest town centreredevelopments in the wholecountry

“Getting this project to the pointof signing contracts is a testamentto the strength of Basildon as aninvestment location. Despite theworst recession that our country hasever seen, Basildon Town Centrehas kept going while many othersimilar initiatives around thecountry have collapsed. ApprovingBWB as our development partner isan enormous vote of confidence in

Basildon, and in Essex as a keylocation for the economic growththat our community needs.

“We have always stronglybelieved that Basildon needs thebest for its town centre and the bestin terms of community facilities.This includes a first class theatre tokeep performance art at the heart ofthe town. We intend to create a realnight-time economy, attracting newleisure facilities into the towncentre, making it a more welcomingand vibrant place to visit in theevening.”For more information please visit

www.basildontowncentre.co.uk

PLANS FOR THE LONG-TERM PROJECT INCLUDE:

52,000 square metres of new retail and leisure space

Up to 54,000 square metres of new offices

1,900 new homes

Major extension to the Towngate Theatre from 546 to 1200 seats

A hotel

Scope for a new college

Improvements to squares in the town centre

Improvements to Gloucester Park including a ‘city park’ and a

‘Green Link’ Boulevard from the town centre to the park

Improvements to transport facilities

3December 2010

BASILDON residents have made themost of new food waste collections bysaving almost 1,600 tonnes of food andgreen waste from going into landfillduring the first month of collections –the same weight as over 200 LondonRoutemaster buses.

In October last year 766 tonnes of foodand green waste was recycled but sincethe introduction of food wastecollections this figure has more thandoubled to 1,584 tonnes – with theamount of waste being sent to landfillfalling as well.

Cllr Malcolm Buckley, Cabinet Memberfor Environment, was pleased with theresults, saying: “I am so impressed withthe way residents have embraced this

latest step to massively reduce theamount of waste that goes into landfill.

“If we carry on like this - we’ll be wellon our way to meeting the Borough’srecycling target of 50% by 2012.

“I think these figures show how easythe new food waste collection scheme is.

Over 60,000 food waste kitchencaddies were delivered to householdsacross the Borough to store food wastebefore it is emptied into green wheeled bins.

To find out more about the newweekly food and garden wastecollections, visit www.basildon.gov.uk/recycling or call Streetcare on 01268 294949.

Food recycling off to flying start

CRUNCH TIMESThe Crunch Service is amobile waste disposalfacility that tours theborough which residentscan use to dispose of bulkieritems of rubbish. The CrunchService is not suitable forpaints, oils or other wasteliquids.

The Crunch is from 9am tonoon at each site, unlessotherwise stated.

11 DecemberFryerns – GhyllgroveBillericay - Radford Crescent –Car ParkVange - Redgrave Road s/ono.4 9am-10.30amSouthview Road opp Dentist10.30am-noonVange - Gordon Road Laybynear Helpeston

18 DecemberRamsden Bellhouse Village Hall- Car ParkLaindon Link - BluehouseCommunity CentrePitsea - Kenneth Road - Layby

22 JanuaryKingswood - Playgroup CentreOpposite shopsSteeple View - Kings CrescentLaindon - Little Oxcroft ServiceRoad

29 JanuaryRamsden Bellhouse Village Hall- Car ParkLee Chapel North - Rear ofPlough and Tractor PubFryerns - Frypa HallCraylands - Shops

5 FebruaryLaindon - King Edwards Roadby Royal CourtBillericay - Radford Crescent -Car ParkChalvedon - Mill Green Laybynear car park

12 FebruaryWickford - Rettendon View9am-11amPippin Court 11am-noonBillericay - Meadow Rise/Kelvedon Rise behind shopsBarstable - Barstable Club LongRidingLaindon - Basildon Drivejunction with Dickens Drive

19 FebruaryCrays Hill Recreation GroundBillericay - Little Burstead carparkLaindon - Five LinksSomercotes - Next to shops

26 FebruaryWickford - Alderney Gardensrear of shopsNoak Bridge - Coppice LaneLangdon Hills - Valence Wayjunction with Debden GreenCraylands - Lichfields - rear ofshops

5 MarchWickford - Keats Way oppositeNo. 3 Council garage areaBillericay - Hannikins FarmLaindon Link - Monastery Drive

12 MarchRamsden Bellhouse Village Hallcar parkLee Chapel North - MarkhamsChase Leisure Centre Craylands - Shops

COUNCIL LEADER SAYS BUDGET WILL BE FAIR

Basildon Council has announced a major shake-up of its Christmasopening times to give residents more access to services, advice andsupport over the festive period.

The Council's main offices at The Basildon Centre, in St Martin'sSquare, will be open over the Christmas period and residents will beable to access cashiers, benefits advice, planning, Council tax, licensingand housing services.

Cllr Richard Moore, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said:"For many people, Christmas can be a wonderful but challenging time.We ran a 'Christmas opening' trial last year and realised there wascertainly a desire locally for more access to our services betweenChristmas and New Year."

The Basildon Centre will close at 5pm on Friday 24 December but willbe open all day on Wednesday 29 December, Thursday 30 and Friday 31December (between 9am-5pm). It will re-open in the New Year on

Tuesday 4 January. The Council's emergency out-of-hours team will be on call throughout

the Christmas period as usual.The Council’s Recycling Centre, on Barleylands Road, will close at

2.30pm on Friday 24 December, but it is open between 9am-4pm on 27-30 December. It will also be open between 9am-2.30pm on Friday 31December, and between 9am-4pm on 2-4 January.

The Council switchboard and Streetcare call answering service willalso close at 5pm on Friday 24 December but open Wednesday 29December, Thursday 30 and Friday 31 December between 9am–5pm.

Cllr Moore continued: "We hope that by having the Council 'open forbusiness' during this week we can reassure local people that ourdedicated staff are continuing to work for the community when manyother businesses and councils are closed."

Council extends Christmas opening hours

Basildon Council Leader Tony Ball

Council’s recycling driver, Gary Low, with food waste kitchen caddies

Basildon Council’s Leader, Cllr Tony Ball, haspledged the Council’s annual budget will be fairwith efforts being made to protect services andresidents from high tax increases. The pledgecame after the Chancellor, George Osborne,announced the Government’s Spending Reviewwhich fixes Government budgets for the nextfive years.

This year’s spending review reflected the tougheconomic climate and councils, like Basildon, areexpected to help tackle the national financialdeficit. But despite facing considerably financialchallenges, the Council aims to minimise theimpact on services.

Cllr Ball said, “There is still work to be done andwe will have to make some difficult decisions, butit is not all bad news. Residents have put their faithin us to look after their financial interests and theyknow from our impressive track record indelivering Value for Money that we will not failthem. We are still an ambitious Council but withtight financial controls and sensible moneymanagement, there are still many things we can doto protect our residents' quality of life and makethe Borough a great place to live and work."

Cllr Ball pledged that the Council will deliver a0% Council Tax increase in 2011/12.

Cllr Phil Turner, Cabinet Member for Resources,said: “We had anticipated a significant cut incentral government funding of 30% over the nextfour years but the reduction is actually in the regionof 27%. Although this might sound better thananticipated, much of this cut will hit us in the firstyear and this will create its own challenges.However, the planning and steps we have taken,means that we are well placed to face thesechallenges. We have already started significantwork in responding to this cut in funding, such asimpressive efficiency measures and doing more forless.

"We will also not sway from our enforcement roleand will continue to protect the Borough fromfraud. The environment is important to allresidents, as is waste and recycling, cleaner andsafer streets and strict rules around developmentand planning. There will be no tax increase nextyear, and although our projected figure for 2012/13is 2.5%, we are already working to see if this canbe reduced further.”

4 December 2010

ENCOURAGING young first time voters toparticipate in elections is the aim of a newproject from Basildon Council.

The Young People’s Parliament Project willcreate a fully interactive young persons’election to engage students in the democraticprocess, aiming to increase the historically lowfirst time voter turnout at elections.

All secondary schools within the Boroughhave been invited to enter ‘election parties’who will be responsible for consulting withtheir peers to create an election manifestothat they will campaign with.

The manifesto will outline how their partywould benefit the wider community andinclude their ‘election promises’ of what theywould deliver if given the chance.

Once all parties have drawn up andsubmitted their manifestos and havecampaigned for votes, a large scale electiondebate will take place in front of their peers.

Cabinet Member for Community, Cllr AndrewBaggott said: “Democracy is a vital tool forimproving our communities and getting hardto reach groups, like young people, to registerto vote is especially important.

“The Council is keen to encourage moreyoung people to become involved in thedemocratic process if the wider community isto have its say on what happens in theBorough.”

Young people will also receive training onwriting and recording their own Party PoliticalBroadcasts, and social and online media willbe used to spread their message to otheryoung people. Funding from Fowler, Smithand Jones Trust means that ideas from theyoung people will become reality at the endof the project.

The Young People’s elections take place inJanuary 2011.

BASILDON Council, in partnership withBillericay Town Council, is to invest afurther £60,000 in Lake Meadows Park.

The investment will look to make the parkmore accessible by improving paths andreinstating verges.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member forLeisure and Arts, said: “This investment willlook to widen and improve paths and formspart of a wider Council strategy, which willalso see future investment in facilities, such asthe public toilets and play areas.

“Lake Meadows is a fantastic park and weare committed to investing in the facilitiesalong with our partners, such as BillericayTown Council.

“We can achieve so much more by workingtogether and this is a great example of that.”

The improvements follow investment in anew petanque square in July, a new multi-usesports area in May, plus a £30,000 revamp oftwo tennis courts.

Cllr Blake’s thoughts were echoed by the

Town Council Chairman, Peter Bowditch,who also added: “We hope to be able tocontinue progress in giving our residents

every encouragement to use this wonderfulrecreational area.”

Recycling this ChristmasBASILDON Council’s recyclingteam is asking residents to look outfor its new leaflet being deliveredthis month.The leaflet explains how your refuse

and recycling collections are affectedby the Christmas holidays, as well asproviding residents with a recyclingcalendar for 2011.James Hendry, Waste Management

Officer, said: “The Christmas holidaysare a time when we produce lots morehousehold waste than usual.

“In order to make sure as much isrecycled as possible, we are pleased toannounce that glass recyclingcontinues throughout the festive periodon your fortnightly collection day, andthat your green wheeled bin for foodand garden waste will continue to becollected each week.”If you have not received your

Christmas recycling leaflet bySaturday 18 December, call Streetcareon 01268 294949 or email:recycling@basildon.gov .uk

Young people talk politics

COUNCILLORSBillericay East - Tony Archer01277 657814, David Dadds 01277829808, Stuart Sullivan 01268560477. Surgery as Bursteadbelow.Billericay West - Anthony Hedley01277 626198, Stephen Horgan01268 449527, Phil Turner 01277633918. Surgery as Bursteadbelow.Burstead - Kevin Blake 01268470597, Paul Arnold 07581 285525,Richard Moore 01277 627266.Surgeries on last Saturday ofmonth(except December),10.30am to 12.30pm, BillericayLibrary, 143 High Street,Billericay.Crouch - Stuart Allen 01268284225, Terri Sargent 01268288766. Surgeries on firstSaturday of month, 9.30am to10.30am, Noak Bridge VillageHall, Coppice Lane, Noak Bridgeand third Saturday, 9am to 10am,Steeple View Memorial Hall,Willowfields.Fryerns - Paul Kirkman 01268474528. Surgeries on thirdWednesday of the month(exceptDecember), 7.30pm to 8pm atThe Ashleigh Centre, WhitmoreWay, Basildon. Alan Davis 01268525406, Bill Archibald 01268280593 & 07732 710088.Laindon Park - John Dornan01268 282175, Jilly Hyde 01268414126, Frank Tomlin 01277625692. Langdon Hills - Sandra andStephen Hillier 01268 490201.Lee Chapel North - Lynda Gordon079673 33536, Richard Rackham01277 624932, Alan Bennett01277 626236.Nethermayne - Geoff Williams01268 415348, Linda Williams01268 415348. Surgeries on firstSaturday of month at VangeScout Hut, second Saturday atKingswood Play Leadershipbuilding, third Saturday at HavenClose AP Scheme, fourth SaturdayLee Chapel South Comm. Centre,all 10am to 11am. Phil Jenkins - 01268 285402Pitsea North West - AndrewBaggott 01277 634375, RonLivesey 01268 470028. Rovingsurgery within the ward on thefirst Saturday of the month.Details on Cllr Baggott’s website.Keith Bobbin 01268 556158. Pitsea South East - DavidAbrahall 01268 440082, AnnBlake 01268 470597. Surgeries onsecond Monday of the month(except Bank Holidays), 6.30pm to7.30pm, outside Pitsea LeisureCentre, Northlands Pavement,Pitsea. Mo Larkin 01268 413936.St Martin’s -Phil Rackley 01268410700, Pat Rackley 01268 410700Surgeries on first Monday andthird Tuesday of month, 2pm to3pm at Basildon CommunityResource Centre, 1 The Gore,Basildon.Vange - Swatantra Nandanwar01268 453749. Surgeries on secondSunday of month, 11am to12noon at the Luncies MeetingHall, Luncies Road (off TimberlogLane), Vange. Luke Mackenzie07919 517376.Wickford Castledon - Malcolmand Sylvia Buckley 01268 472586.Wickford North - Tony Ball 01268454564, Carole Morris 01268457488, Michael Mowe 01268463564.Wickford Park - Don Morris 01268457488. First Saturday of monthfrom 9.30am to 11.30am at NoakBridge, Village Hall, CoppiceLane, Noak Bridge and thirdSaturday of month, 10-12 noon atWickford Library. ChristopherJackman 01268 571843.

Young people at recent Local Democracy Week event

(L-R) Town Cllrs Knight and Peter Bowditch with Cllrs Phillip Turner and Kevin Blake at Lake MeadowsPark

£60K FOR LAKE MEADOWS PARK

RECYCLING@BASILDON.GOV.UK

5December 2010

Basildon local service directory

Beauty

Hairdressing

Counselling

Legal advice

Walkers Wheelie Bin Cleaning

Lickin’ fried Chicken

5 Church Road, Vange 01268 524072

Bargain menu: £ 2 .29 each2 pcs chicken and chips3 hot wings and chips1 chicken tortilla wrap

1 pc chicken, 2 wings, chips1 chicken burger, 2 wings

Plus: pizza, kebabs and burgers

To advertise here call the Sponsorship Officer on 01268 294201 or email sponsorship@basildon.gov.uk. As with all Borough Diary adverts, publication does not imply any guarantee of service orrecommendation by the Council.

MINDFUL COUNSELLINGis an established Private Service set up byBasildon Mind and adheres to the BritishAssociation for Counselling andPsychotherapy Code of Ethics and Practice.All Counsellors are fully qualified to aminimum of Diploma Level.

Counselling appointments can be offeredoutside of normal office hours.

For further confidential informationplease telephone: Patricia HoldsworthB.Sc. Hons., Counselling Manager, on

01268 289344.

ANTHONY KINGSOLICITORS

Specialist Legal Advice for:-

* DIVORCE/CHILDREN

* ACCIDENT CLAIMS

* CONVEYANCING/HOUSING

* WILLS & PROBATE

Legal Aid, Fixed Fee

or Free First Interview

(01268 240400)Southgate House, Town Square

BASILDON SS14 1BN

www.anthonyking.co.uk

Dog grooming

The

Wheelie Wash Company

Your wheelie bin cleaned, sanitised and scented

Simply leave your bin out on collection dayNo mess, No fuss, leave the rest to us!Using our self-contained cleaning systemWe do all this for as little as £2.75 per clean.

With changes to waste collections, now might be the time to consider the use of our professional service

Tel: 01268 282097 Mob: 07889 100311Email: thewheeliewashcompany@virginmedia.com

WIN TICKETS TO ALADDIN PANTOMIME

The cast of the 2010 panto, Aladdin

Christmas

Call Penny on 07799-251799

AND MUCH MORE !!

Gift Vouchers Available!

Eversley Leisure CentreCrest Avenue, Pitsea, SS13 2EF

(Free Parking)

Open Late Evenings Tues/ThursClosed Wed

NAILSFROM £5

FACIALSFROM £12

SEMI-PERMANENTEYELASHES £20

MINX NAILS

SPRAY TAN FULLBODY ONLY £16

HAVE 5 TANSGET 6th FREE

ATRADIANCE

WE ARE OFFERING YOU THE CHANCE TO WIN A FAMILY TICKET (2 ADULTS AND 2 CHILDREN) TO AN UPCOMING PERFORMANCE OF ALADDIN, THIS YEAR’S SPECTACULAR PANTOMIME AT THE TOWNGATE THEATRE. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: “WHAT POPULAR ACTOR MAKES HIS RETURNTO THE TOWNGATE THEATRE IN THE LEAD ROLE OF ALADDIN?”

EMAIL YOUR ANSWERS TO TOWNGATE@BASILDON.GOV.UK WITH ‘PANTO COMPETITION’ IN THE EMAIL SUBJECT LINEDEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS FRIDAY 17TH DECEMBER.

Distribution

Christmas Church service

Advertising

Graphic Design

Takeaway

6 December 2010

A DROP-IN centre in Wickford is looking to raiseadditional funds and increase its membership tocontinue to provide a service seen as a lifeline tomany elderly residents in the area.

Priority House, Lower Southend Road, receives ayearly grant from Basildon Council, and offers freemembership to residents over 50 years old.

Open five days a week, members can obtainrefreshments, dinners and can take advantage of a

volunteer transportation system enabling people toaccess the services at the centre.

Cllr Andrew Baggott, Cabinet Member forCommunity Services, said: “Priority House is a hub ofcommunity activity in Wickford providing a muchneeded service to our older residents.

“Although the Council has in the past provided a granttowards the running costs of the centre, additional fundsare always needed if the centre and its volunteers are to

continue to provide this fantastic service which hasbenefited the community for nearly half a century.”

The centre offers a toe-nail cutting service and variousorganisations, such as the Pensions Club, Crochet Cluband PAVIS, use the venue for their meetings. As thecentre is part of Age UK, locals can also get free advice.

For more information on Priority House, or to joineither as a member or as a volunteer, contact JeanHarper on 01268 734819.

With Christmas fastapproaching, the Councilis reminding residentsnot to ignore their debtsand is also offering lots offree helpful advice onhow to manage yourfinances and maximiseincome.

Many organisations likethe Housing BenefitsTeam, Citizen’s AdviceBureau and Stop LoanSharks were on hand at a‘Debt Awareness Day’held in Basildon towncentre offering advice andguidance.

Councillor Phil Turner,Cabinet Member forResources, explained thedrive, saying:

“At this time of year, it’sall too easy to focus ongetting Christmas sortedand turning a blind eye toyour debts but that’s howproblems can spiral out ofcontrol.

“We had experts on handto help with budgeting,prioritising debts andmaximising income.

“The more you ignoreyour debts, the worse theywill get, and in some cases

you could face very severefinancial and legalpenalties – it is not worthit, especially when there issuch a wealth of supportand advice available.

The organisations takingpart in the Debt AwarenessDay offered free advice onthings like makingpayment arrangements,checking if you’re entitledto benefits and informationon the Council’s MortgageRescue Scheme.

Call 01268 294575 formore information.

Students scoop awards

SEVENTY-ONE young students from acrossthe Borough have been presented withprestigious Jack Petchey AchievementAwards at Basildon Council’s TowngateTheatre.

The annual achievement awardsceremony for secondary schools took placein October and brought together winnersfrom thirteen schools who had beennominated by their peers and their teachersfor a variety of achievements.

One award winner was Sean Barlow, fromBromfords School, a youth advisor toLondon Underground on improving issuesfor visally impaired people. Sean, who isregistered blind, has significantly raisedawareness of visually impaired peoplethrough assemblies in school. Sean wasone of many winners awarded a £200 grant

which was spent on keyboards for theschool’s music department.

Council Leader Tony Ball attended theawards ceremony. He said: “I was delightedto be invited to this prestigious andworthwhile event. The awards recognise awide spectrum of achievement but it’s notjust about being clever or gifted, it’s aboutsomething more. It is a privilege to meetsome of these young people who havegone above and beyond and shownthemselves to be great role models.”

Established in 1999 by Jack Petchey, theJack Petchey Foundation give grants toprogrammes and projects benefiting youngpeople aged 11 to 25 in London and Essex.

It helps young people take advantage ofopportunities and play a positive role in society.

1. Make sure there is a Basildon Council Licence Plate on the rear of the vehicle. Similar signs will be on the side doors.

2. Every licensed driver carries an I.D. badge.Ask to see it if you are in any doubt.

3. Don’t be overcharged. Taxis have to keep to maximum fares, private hirefares are to be agreed with driver or operator.

4. Don’t ask the driver to carry more passengers than is allowed.The number permitted is shown on the Licence Plate.

5. Taxis can be hailed down in the street or found at an official rank.Private Hire vehicles must be booked in advance.

Tips for Safe Travelling by Taxi in Basildon Borough55

For more information, call 01268 294280or email taxi.licensing@basildon.gov.uk

BEING DEBT AWARE

Lifeline service from Priority House

Council Leader Tony Ball with some of the winners

Look out for our advert at the Basildon Empire cinema this Christmas season

7December 2010

The inspirational young people of theBorough have been recognised at a specialceremony run by Basildon Council andEssex Integrated Youth Services.

A number of prizes were handed out at the‘Celebration of Youth Awards’ held at theTowngate Theatre, all highlighting the positivethings that young people are doing in the localcommunity. Councillor Andrew Baggott,Cabinet Member for Community hailed allthose nominated as “an inspiration to thepeople around them.”

THE WINNERS:INSPIRATIONAL ROLE MODEL - AmyDye, 12 who is a young leader at VangeCommunity Club and an advocate of theiranti-bullying campaign. She is a positiveinfluence and role model for others.

IMPROVED BEHAVIOUR WINNER -Taaron Butt, has turned his behaviouraround and is now attending school andyouth club and making real improvements.

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART/CULTURE -Robbie Matt and Simon Gibbs for theirwork towards the ‘Boom Room’ and otherdiversionary activities for young people.

ACHIEVEMENT IN SPORT - ScarlettAnderson who has been sailing for3 years and qualififed for theBritish team for the cadet worldchampionships where she finished5th overall.

YOUNG CARER - Ashley Fuentewho cares for his mother and olderbrother who both have cysticfibrosis. Ashley helps with theirphysio and giving medicines.

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY -Aston Avery, 19 who has foughtback from a number of operationsand medical conditions to achievedrama and dance qualificationsand is now taking his ballet exams.

VOLUNTEERING - Victoria Lee, who is anoutstanding person working in her own timewith a dance group for teenagers withdowns syndrome.

Congratultations to all of the finalists.

More options for Borough’s businesses and job-seekers

Awards recognise our young people

Basildon sign promotes local firms

A NEW recruitment and trainingcompany has been launched inBasildon aimed at bringing vitalopportunities to both businesses andworkers throughout the Borough.

Cabinet Member for Community, CllrAndrew Baggott attended the openingof Abby Recruitment and Training. Hesaid: “This is another great example ofhow Basildon is open for business.

“Training is vital to a businesscommunity like ours, and I amdelighted to see this locally-ownedcompany starting up to provide this

much-needed service.”Abby Recruitment and Training,

based in Luckyn Lane, Basildon,offers a wide range of services, to allbusiness sectors. Director MarcusHook said: “We want to make it easyfor businesses and workers to find allthey need in one place, whether it’straining for existing staff or timely,efficient recruitment to keepcompanies working.

“We understand the pressures ofbusiness life in the current economicclimate, and we’re here to help.”

Holiday Inn staff and Mecca Bingo (insert) at the BASILDON Sign

Benefitfraudstercaught

A WOMAN who falselyclaimed over £25,000 inbenefits has received asuspended prisonsentence and 180 hoursworth of communityservice.

The defendant fromVange pleaded guilty to11 charges ofdishonestly making afalse statement andfailing to notify achange in circumstancesin that someone wasliving with her andfailing to declare theirearnings.

She falsely claimedHousing Benefit,Council Tax Benefit andIncome Support, andwas sentenced to threemonths custody for eachoffence to runconcurrently, suspendedfor 18 months. She wasalso sentenced to a 12month supervisionorder, will have to repaythe money she falselyclaimed, and will haveto pay an additional£250 costs.

Residents can reporttheir suspicions ofbenefit fraud throughBasildon Council’sFraudline on 01268294566.

BASILDON Council hasprosecuted a man forlittering after hechucked his jacket outof a lorry.The £75 fixed penaltynotice issued remainedunpaid and, after thecase was heard atBasildon MagistratesCourt, where theaccused failed to attend,a fine of £300 plus £150costs and a victimsurcharge of £15 wasordered by the Court.

Litterer toldto 'jacket' in

HOLIDAY Inn and Mecca Bingo knowa good thing when they see it!

Staff at the famous brand of hotelsrecently paid a visit to the newBasildon sign on the A127 for apromotional shoot.

Mecca Bingo also brought a bit morecolour to the Borough when they‘turned’ the iconic sign to pink tohighlight their new look clubsrelaunching in Southend andDagenham.

Cllr Baggott at the launch of Abby Recruitment and Training

Winners at the ‘Celebration of Youth’ awards

8 December 2010

For tickets and information call the Box Office on 01268 465465

SOUNDS OF THE PASTWITHIN a few months of the outbreakof World War II many of the leadingBritish musicians found themselvestogether as members of service bands.The most famous of these was the RAFNo 1 Dance Band - known as theSquadronaires.

Members of that incredible band includedthe likes of Ronnie Aldrich, GeorgeChisholm, Kenny Baker, and TommyMcQuater who all went on to havecelebrated musical careers after the war.

The band was a big hit, with MelodyMaker describing one show as “the greatest

dance band performance that has ever beenbroadcast this side of the Atlantic”.

Now some 70 years later the all newsquadronaires are back. Based on, and as atribute to the original wartime orchestra,the band consists of young musicians asthey looked then, and presented in full RAFuniform.

Their performance at the Towngate on23rd February promises to be a nostalgiclook back at some of the greatest music ofthe era.

If you love swing and dance music this isa show not to be missed!

Following the sell-out success of the Stylistics, theTowngate Theatre has secured another great soulgroup for one night only this coming February.

When you hear the name The Three Degrees youinstantly gain an image of three stunning womenperforming their most famous song ‘When will I seeyou again’ perfectly coordinated in both their danceroutines and their vocal harmonies.

Now three decades later the band has retained allthese qualities and in between has amassed animpressive list of hit records.

With hits such as ‘Year of Decision’, ‘Dirty Ol Man’and ‘Take Good Care Of Yourself’ the band hasrecruited an army fans including one very famousone.

When Prince Charles publicly acclaimed The ThreeDegree as his favourite group the group becameknown in the press as ‘Charlie's Angels’. "It was a

great feeling...a feeling of awe," is how ValerieHoliday remembers this accolade. "Going toBuckingham Palace was......I'm lost for words!

“The British Royal Family was an institution and itreally didn't sink in at the time the magnitude of thepeople we were meeting. But the Britishpeople....the actual people...also took to us veryquickly and very warmly and that warmth hasalways remained."

Today the band is officially the longest runningfemale group in history. They show no signs ofslowing down and their latest tour sees themtravelling all over the world.

They perform at the Towngate Theatre onThursday 24 February.

Tickets are £17.50 and are available through theTowngate Box Office on 01268 465465 or viawww.essex-live.co.uk

On behalf of the staff, volunteers and management of thetheatre, we would like to wish all of our customers a veryMerry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We will have a new season programme coming out in April2011, and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the theatre,and becoming a ‘Friend of the Towngate’, emailtowngate@basildon.gov.uk, or call 01268 465465.

Panto spectacular forTowngate Theatre

The Three Degrees

The Squadronaires

Soul legends at the TowngateAfter months ofpreparation this yearsTowngate production ofAladdin is all set to hit thestage and panto loversshould prepare themselvesfor an all-singing, alldancing extravaganza of ashow.

The storyof Aladdin isone whichthat has beenretold many times over theyears and has even been thesubject of a Disney film.

But it is also a panto classicand Simon Fielding and cohave created a uniqueversion of the show that willappeal to children of allages!

So, will the evil Abanazarconvince Aladdin to enterthe cave and fetch the lamp?

Will Princess Jasmine find

the boy of her dreams? WillWidow Twankey finallywear something that doesn'tlook like an explosion in apaint factory?

Well time will tell but onething’s for sure, our hero’swill need plenty of cheering

from all the boysand girls in theaudience.

So make sureyou and all the

family get your tickets andprepare to cheer for ourhero, boo the baddies andenjoy the colours, the lightsand the music of this pantospectacular of Aladdin!

Tickets have been sellingwell with certainperformaces sold out.

For tickets, call the boxoffice on 01268 465465 orvisit www.essex-live.co.uk

Merry Christmas fromthe Towngate Theatre!

BOROUGH PARTNERSWorking together for a better Basildon

Contact us: 01268 705 000 Website: www.swessex.nhs.uk

YOUR MONEY,YOUR HEALTH

NHS South West Essex has a budget of around£650m to spend on healthcare, health adviceand health services for the residents of southwest Essex in 2010/11.

This works out at about £1,500 per person thisyear. While this is a bigger budget than in 2009/10,we cannot buy as much with it because it has notincreased at the same rate as our costs.

The local NHS has been living beyond itsresources, in its use of hospitals, community andmental health services, in the investments theprimary care trust made in new buildings, in publichealth initiatives and the amount that NHS SouthWest Essex grew in size.

In the past we made commitments to projectswhich had on-going costs attached to them. We arenow struggling to meet these commitments. Weneed to take action to ensure that our commitmentto expenditure is in line with our budget.

Our population is also growing and residents areliving longer, with more complex (and expensive)health needs than ever before. We also have to paymore for the resources we use such as drugs,buildings, energy (electricity and gas) andemploying doctors and nurses, as prices rise.

DIFFICULT DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADEThe NHS have decided to limit investment - to cutback, to reduce the budget or to stop spendingmoney - where:

We did not get value for money in the past

Projects or procedures are not clinically effective

We ran a ‘pilot’ project but decided it is not theway forward

Where we can get the same results (or better)by spending the money differently

We have been spending on services closelylinked to health (like education or social care)which are important, but could be funded byother agencies for whom this is their numberone priority

We have spent money on treatments which donot directly prevent or treat ill health

We supported other organisations in the pastwhen we had more money

Higher levels of spend have benefittedorganisations and institutions rather than thepatient

We had plans to expand a service, but havedecided to stay with what we’ve got while ourbudgets are under pressure.

We are also making savings by running ourbuildings more efficiently and reducing thenumber of staff in the primary care trust.

You will be able to find out moreinformation through:

Our board meetings which take placemost months, usually on the finalWednesday of the month, at our officesin Basildon

Our website at www.swessex.nhs.uk

The local authorities’ health overviewand scrutiny committees

Groups that represent our patients, suchas Local Involvement Networks (LINks).

You can help us make the best use of NHSfunds by choosing well when you accesshealthcare.

BOROUGH PARTNERS Working together for a better Basildon - 2 PAGE SPECIAL

CHOOSE WELL: get the right treatment in the right locationHelp us to help you get the right treatment, from the right service in the right location

Choose A&E at Basildon Hospital or 999 for serious illnesses and majoraccidents

Choose Orsett Minor Injuries Unit or Thurrock Health Centre for slips, trips,cuts and strains

Choose your GP or Thurrock Health Centre for earache, vomiting andstomach aches

Choose your pharmacist for coughs, colds and headaches

Choose NHS Direct for advice and information on 0845 46 47 or www.nhs.uk

Choose your first aid kit for wear and tear and minor trips

Orsett Minor Injuries Unit is open10am to 8pm, seven days a week Orsett Hospital, Rowley Road, Orsett, Grays,RM16 3EU

Thurrock Health Centre is open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week

You do not need to be registered as a patientto visit Thurrock Health Centre. Walk inappointments are always available. ThurrockHealth Centre, 55-57 High Street, Grays, RM17 6NB

Need to find your nearest pharmacist when you are out and about? Text ‘pharmacy’ to 64746 and receive free text messages with the details of the nearest pharmacies

Be prepared for self care

Make sure your medicine cabinet isstocked up with:

• Paracetamol or aspirin

• Anti-diarrhoeal medicine

• Rehydration mixture

• Indigestion remedy

• Plasters

• Thermometer

ANIMAL control officers arewarning dog owners of theconsequences of abandoningtheir dogs after a potentiallydangerous dog was left at theEastgate Shopping Centrerecently.

The animal control team atBasildon Council were alerted toa large cross breed dog that wasfound tied up outside theshopping centre at 6am onThursday 4th November. CCTVfootage revealed that the dog hadbeen left there since 9.45pm thenight before.

Sarah Moran, animal controlofficer at Basildon Council, said:“The dog was a nervous wreckwhen she was found and wasacting aggressively whenapproached. If someone else hadtried approaching this dog theycould have been badly bitten asshe is such a large breed.”

The animal control team areurging dog owners not to dumptheir pets and to contact the team,or a local kennel, if they areexperiencing any problems withtheir pooch.

Under the Animal Welfare Act,owner s could face a prisonsentence or a £20,000 fine forneglecting their pet.

Councillor Richard Moore,Cabinet Member forDevelopment Control andCustomer Services, said: “Dogowners have to face up to theresponsibility of their pets andcannot simply abandon them,especially in a public place. Itcould have been very different ifthis dog was found by a child.”

“In the lead up to Christmas, Ihope that anyone thinking aboutbuying a pet considers the biggerpicture.”

The dog, nicknamed ‘Eastgate’is responding well to behaviouraltraining at Acres Way Kennelsand is socialising well with otherdogs, making her an excellentcandidate for re-homing. If youwould like to adopt ‘Eastgate’, orany other dog, call Acres WayKennels on 01268 770402.

You can also contact BasildonCouncil’s animal control team forfurther information or advice on01268 294280.Andy Sanders, from Acres Way Kennels with 'Eastgate'.

December 2010 9

TAKE CARE OF YOUR DOG!The Council’s workwith the Borough’ssmall businesses hasbeen recognised bythe Essex FSB(Federation of SmallBusinesses).

The Council receivedits special award atthe FSB’s AnnualDinner in Novemberfrom the Secretary ofState for Communitiesand Local Government,Eric Pickles, MP.

Leader of the Council,Cllr Tony Ball, said:“The Council hasbeen involved in anumber of initiativesto support smallbusinesses in the last12 months and wewill continue tosupport all businesseslarge and small as oureconomy continuesto gain strength.”

The Council waspraised for a numberof its initiatives ,including its ‘Meetthe Banks’ events,business breakfasts,networking eveningsand working withlocal companies tohelp them apply forCouncil contracts andthe free car weekendcar parking scheme.

Councilwins FSB

award

The Council hasissued a fixedpenalty notice to adog owner forfailing to clear upafter their dog inBillericay.

The owner paid the£50 penalty withinseven days of itbeing issued and avoided anyfurther costs.

Cllr Malcolm Buckley,said: “Dog fouling ishard to enforce, butwe’ll not turn ablind eye to it. Binsand free bags areprovided at all ofour Parks.”

Dog fineissued

FREE FESTIVEPARKING FOROUR TOWNSBASILDON Council isgiving its residents anearly Christmas presentby announcing freeparking at its Council-run car parks over theChristmas holidays.

From Friday 24thDecember to Monday 3rdJanuary, shoppers can dotheir last minute Christmasshopping and takeadvantage of the New Yearsales with the festive treatof parking for free.

Councillor MalcolmBuckley, Cabinet Memberfor Environment said:“This is a bonus not only tothe shoppers and localcommunity, but also to ourbusinesses who will beable to compete with out ofarea shopping centresduring the festive period.”

Councillor Tony Ball,Leader of the Counciladded: “ Introducing freeparking over the wholeChristmas period will help

to boost local trade thisChristmas. We also hopethat this will attractshoppers from outside ofthe area into the towns tosee what we have to offer.”

The car parks included inthe initiative are the twobehind the Somerfieldsupermarket in Wickford,one at Wickford swimmingpool, one behind theIceland's store in Billericayand the Radford Crescentcar park, also in Billericay.

Shoppers can also parkfor free at the 250 capacitycar park at Gloucester ParkSwimming Pool.

The free Christmasparking only applies to thecar parks stated and doesnot cover on-streetparking. It does not includethe Basildon Centre upperor lower car park behindthe Towngate Theatre on29th, 30th and 31stDecember as this will berequired for staff parking.

BASILDON Community SafetyPartnership and Essex Police are keen tohelp residents protect themselves and theirproperty this Christmas, and have comeup with some tips to help when at home,out for the evening and even abroad.

Thieves find it easy to operate when theshops are busy. During the run up toChristmas be extra careful when shopping:

• Keep your purse/wallet and mobile closeto your body and don’t carry too much cash

• Carrying too many bags can be adistraction – make smaller shopping tripsrather than doing it all at once

• If you travel by car lock all doors/windowsand don’t leave belongings in view

• Try not to return to your car to drop offpurchases as thieves may be on the look out

Having bought all your presents, don’t makeit easy for someone to steal from your home:

• If hiding presents in sheds/outbuildings,make sure they are kept secure and out ofview

• Empty boxes left outside advertise yournew gifts – dispose of packaging carefully

• Note down the frame and serial numbersof new goods

• Check your insurance covers the extravalue of presents

It’s a busy time of year meaning you mayspend less time at home.Before leaving, take time tosecure your property:

• Leave a light on to make itlook like someone is at home

• Keep curtains closed to stoppeople looking in

• Be extra careful whenlocking doors and windows

• For UPVC doors remember tolift up the handle and use yourkey to lock it properly

• As a fire precaution, switchyour indoor Christmas lights off

You may be excited aboutspending Christmas in warmerclimates, but you’ll also want tomake sure your home is safe andsecure while you are away:

• Use an automatic timer for

lights

• Check your fire alarm is

working properly before you

leave

• Ask a trusted neighbour to watch

your home

• Cancel your newspaper and milk

deliveries

• Ask a family member to collect

your mail from the door and store

away

In the excitement of the celebrations, the pubs,restaurants and clubs are busier. Enjoy a safe night outwith these tips:

• Don’t leave bags over the back of your chair

• Keep purses/wallets and mobiles close to your body

• Be alert at all times

• Plan your journey home before you go out

• Don’t wander off on your own – stay with friends

• Avoid temptation of taking a minicab if you are having

difficulty getting a taxi (it is illegal for minicabs to take

passengers who have not pre-booked)

• Tell someone where you are going and when you

expect to be home

• Enjoy a drink but avoid making yourself a target by

having too much.

A SAFER CHRISTMAS

Close your curtains at night

Ensure your home is safe while on holiday

11December 2010

THE CENSUS IS COMINGBasildon Council is calling on allresidents to return their censusforms next year to ensure that theBorough is allocated the correctfunding for the future.

In March 2011, the National Censuswill be undertaken for the first time in10 years and will provide centralgovernment with the information theyneed to allocate funds of about £100billion each year.

The funding Basildon Councilreceives is directly related to howmany people the census says live inthe Borough. The census will take asnapshot which will detail thechanging face of Basildon, Wickford,Billericay and our smallercommunities.

Cllr Tony Ball, Leader of BasildonCouncil, said: “The 2011 census isgoing to be very important for us, andit is vital that an accurate profile ofour Borough is achieved, as it isdirectly linked to the Governmentfunding that we receive.

“We are relying on all our residentsto return their forms when theyreceive them in March, as eachcensus form filled in is worth around£500 each year in funding for localexpenditure. Even if the census wereto end up just a few households short,it could make a very real difference tothe services that we are able toprovide which would obviously havean impact on our resident's lives.”

FACTS ABOUT ESSEX FROM PREVIOUS CENSUSESIn 1881, 12% of females were indoor domestic servants, which was over 25times more than male domestic servants!

In 1851, there were over 3,000 straw plaiters in Essex – by 1881 there were none.

In 1951, 188,726 (over 30%) of households had no fixed bath and 43,462 notoilet. By 1971 only 6,800 still had no toilet and by 1981 6,834 had no fixed bath.

In 1821 half the population was under 20, now a quarter are in this age group.

Decline in numbers of agricultural workers isn't a recent fact; in 1861 there wereover 48,000 land workers in Essex but this figure was down to 21,000 by 1931.

WAT Tyler Country Park will begetting into the festive spirit with aspecial Christmas fayre being held overthe weekend of 18 and 19 December.

The free event being held in thepicturesque Pitsea park will see a range ofstalls selling festive goods over both days.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member forLeisure and Arts at Basildon Council said:“In the lead up to Christmas this is a greatway to enjoy a free trip out with the wholefamily. The park is stunning at this time ofyear and the fayre will bring a touch of thetraditional Christmas spirit to Basildon.”

Visitors will be able to enjoy a range ofmarket stalls whilst on the 18th there willalso be a Santa’s Grotto, variousentertainment, attractions and carol singing.

The Wat Tyler Education Team will berunning a series of 30 minute workshopsfor children including tree decorating, claypot making and Christmas candle making.

There will also be a special performancesof a Victorian Christmas pantomime.

Fun fair attractions will be runningthroughout the event and the miniaturerailway will be running a special ‘SantaExpress’ over the weekend. Visitors canenter into the traditional spirit of the fayreby wearing Victorian fancy dress with aspecial prize on offer for the youngster inthe best costume.

The Christmas Fayre runs from 11am –3.30pm on both 18 and 19 December.Entrance and parking are free of chargealthough there will be a small charge forsome entertainment.

For more details call 01268 465383 orvisit www.basildon.gov.uk. Anyoneinterested in booking a stall at the eventshould call 07982 714901.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMASFAYRE FOR WAT TYLER

12 December 2010

MEMBERS of the Basildon Council run Laindon DayCentre displayed their young at heart nature when theytook to the Turkish skies for a bout of micro lite flyingand paragliding.

Graham Wellington, June Hatchett, Pam Lane, MargaretFay and Irene Woodhouse, now called “the famous five”showed just how carefree they are as they flew 2,000 feet inthe air with their micro lites.

Two other members, Val Swanson and Pat Thompson, alsogot in on the action and achieved their dream of paragliding3,000 feet above sea level.

The fearless centre members, who saved diligently for theirOctober adventure trip, also got to explore the depths during

a bout of scuba diving. Coral Payne, who went scuba divingfor the very first time in her life, remarked that it was a “realadventure” and “lovely to be looked after by three charmingTurkish instructors.”

Cllr Andrew Baggott, Cabinet Member for Community,said: “It goes to show just how our day centres positivelyimpact the lives of our older residents who become members.

“Not only have they made long-lasting friendships, but byarranging this trip they have also made some of their dreamscome true. They really are showing the rest of us thatwhatever your age, you can still enjoy life to the full.”

For more information on becoming a member of a daycentre near you, call 01268 465854.

Senior Citizens’ fearless adventure trip

GERMAN school children have beengetting their first experience of Britishlife as part of an exchange trip toBasildon.

The nine students from the Germantown of Heiligenhaus, which Basildonis twinned with, visited the Boroughfor a week in October as part of a visitarranged by the Basildon BoroughTwinning Association.

Basildon Mayor Cllr Mo Larkin playedhost to the group when they stoppedby the Basildon Centre, as theyexplored Basildon. She said: “Beingtwinned with Heiligenhaus gives us anexcellent opportunity to learn moreabout each other, as well as developeconomic ties to benefit the Borough.

“It was a pleasure having these young

people from Germany visit Basildon, asthey were so keen to learn more aboutthe area and the country as a whole.”

During their trip, the students alsovisited the City of London and Windsor,and met with students from De LaSalle, Basildon’s specialist languageschool.

Kate Boucher, Chairman of theTwinning Association, said: “It is atestament to the regard whichHeiligenhaus hold for Basildon that forso many years youngsters have beenvisiting us based on the warm welcomealways given to them, much of whichis due to the efforts of our YouthLeader, Dennis Jones.”

Basildon is also twinned with Ville deMeaux, in France.

Community urged to ‘Challenge Angela!’

Basildon Mayor Cllr Mo Larkin welcomes the German students to Basildon

Picture Courtesy: Echo Newspapers

EXCHANGE STUDENTS VISIT BASILDON

“The famous five” withtheir instructors, and inthe air trying out amicro lite

Residents and local businesses arebeing invited to “Challenge Angela”as part of a new campaign geared atsupporting Basildon Council’s£100,000 investment in PitseaLeisure Centre.

The Council’s Sponsorship Officer,Angela Christall, is on a search forindividuals and local companies tocontribute materials, furniture and/ortheir time to help with the centre’srefurbishment to help make the£100,000 investment go even further.

The campaign is also looking forresidents to have their say on whatactivities they would like to see at thecentre.

Brenda Williams of Pitsea, is aregular member of the centre and usesit to socialise, keep fit and for its cheaplunches. She said: “The news on theinvestment is great, as the centre needsnew toilets and modernisation.

“The money will help to improvewhat is also an excellent facility forlocal people. People even used tocome from outside of the area to usethe club because they did not have

these types of facilities in their area.”Cabinet Member for Community, Cllr

Andrew Baggott said: "In these toughtimes, Basildon Council has to makesure that any money it has goes as faras possible.

“As part of Basildon Council’sapproach to the 'Big Society' agenda,we want to ask local groups andbusinesses to help us improve thisimportant local facility so that theCouncil's investment can stretch as faras possible.

“So ‘Challenge Angela’ and lets allwork together to provide Pitsea with aneven better centre that will continue tobenefit the whole community."

Angela Christall with Cllr Baggott at Pitsea Leisure Centre

ARE YOU A BUSINESS WITH SOMETHING TO

DONATE TO THE‘CHALLENGE ANGELA’

CAMPAIGN? IF SO PLEASE EMAIL:

sponsorship@basildon.gov.uk

13December 2010

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Construction of a new £1.2m visitor facilityat Wat Tyler Country Park has started afterCouncillors approved the award of themuseum refurbishment contract to localcompany, Forest Gate Construction.

The work that started in October involvesrenovating half of the existing MotorboatMuseum into a new Green Centre that will becompleted by Spring 2011. The project will befinanced from £1 million of Governmentfunding from the Homes and CommunitiesAgency and £200,000 from the Veolia PitseaMarshes Trust.

The theme of the centre will focus visitors onsustainability within a Basildon borough, past,present and green future context. It willincorporate the geological and social history ofthe district and illustrate how it has evolvedfrom its rural beginnings, to market townsthrough to new town development and beyond.

It will also look to the future as the districtgrows, how this could affect energyconsumption and how this might be sustainedthrough energy efficiencies, lifestyle changesand low carbon technologies.

There will be interactive displays entertainingand educating visitors about low carbon living,emphasising the need to reduce mankind’scarbon footprint on the world and how this canbe achieved and measured locally to benefit thepeople of the borough.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member for Leisureand Arts, said: “The Green Centre will continueto raise Wat Tyler Country Park’s reputation asa truly first class visitor attraction for the wholeof Essex, and will provide yet another reason for

people to visit the park.”“It will be another regional example of sustainable

refurbishment of an old building at Wat Tyler andwill again make use of biomass heating, waterrecycling, solar gain, recycled and responsibly-sourced building materials and high levels ofinsulation.

“I am also very pleased that the contract has beenawarded to a local company, meaning that thisGovernment funding remains within the localeconomy.

“Forest Gate did a fantastic job on the Wat Tyler

Centre, and I have every confidence that they willdeliver the same level of professionalism andexcellence on this project.”

The new facility will include access to biologicaland geological records and specimen collectionsheld by the Essex Field Club which will form part ofa Biological Records Centre for use by visitors,schools and organisations.

The remaining 50% of the Museum building willgo out to lease, with negotiations to take place withinterested parties over the use of the space.For more info: ww.wattylercountrypark.org.uk

NEW £1.2M WATTYLER FACILITY

Artist’s impression of the centre;s new reception

North elevation of the centreCentre’s new iLab

14 December 2010

HUNDREDS of shoppers gave up a “bag” habit last month byswapping their single-use disposable carrier bags for a moresturdy “bag for life”.

Bags were provided by Basildon Council’s Recycling team at theEastgate centre in Basildon Town Centre,

Cllr Malcolm Buckley, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said:“Traditional single-use carrier bags can take up to 100 years tobreak down in a landfill site as well as using natural resources intheir manufacture. Although they can be recycled in your pink bagat home, reusable bags are better environmentally.

“Taking a reusable cloth bag when you do your weekly shoppingis a very easy step you can take to cut down on yourenvironmental impact. One per cent of all the waste produced inthe UK is made up from single-use carrier bags. Bag-free Fridayshows you how important the little steps you can take are insecuring a better environment for tomorrow.”

Give up a “Bag” Habit

WALK RAISES DOMESTIC ABUSE AWARENESSA WALK through Basildon town centre took place last monthas part of Domestic Abuse Awareness Week.

Starting at the Mother and Child fountain, it celebratedthose who have survived domestic abuse, but alsoremembered the 100 victims who die every year throughoutthe country from domestic abuse.

Walkers include members of Basildon’s Domestic AbusePanel, Community Safety Partnership (CSP), Councillors,Deputy Mayor and also survivors of domestic abuse.

Those walking were given a white ribbon and red t-shirtand flag to walk with whilst they made their way to St.

Martin’s Square. Here they were met with a display of red,wooden ‘silent witnesses’ and a minutes’ silence was held inhonour of domestic abuse victims.

A non-denominational prayer and reading also took placein St Martin’s Church and the SOS Bus was available, withvolunteers on hand to offer advice and support.

Cllr Frank Tomlin, Cabinet Member responsible forcommunity safety said: “Two women every week, and 30men every year are killed by current or former partners andwe must put a stop to it. The CSP is working hard toencourage victims to seek the help they need and deserve.”

New Community radio launchesThe launch of a new community radio offeringradio training, work placements andeducational accreditation in media hasbeen welcomed by a leading BasildonCouncillor.Gateway 97.8 FM also broadcasts a

variety of shows from its Eastgatestudios, from a studio at BasildonLower Academy School, as well asonline at www.gateway978.com.

Cabinet Member for Community,Cllr Andrew Baggott said: “I welcomethe launch of this community radio stationwhich offers much needed work placementsand training for our young people.

“The more opportunities available in the boroughto help people get the qualifications and work

experience they need to compete in the competitivejob market, the better!”

Danny Lawrence, BusinessDevelopment Director, said:

"These are exciting times as thestation has started to link itself tomore people than ever before.

“We are there now foreverybody. It’s your station somake sure you tune in and

support it 97.8.”Council Leader, Tony Ball has

also taken up a regular monthly sloton the station, and will be appearing

on the ‘Good Afternoon’ show to discusslocal issues on Monday 13th December and Monday10th January 2011.

People ‘walk away’ from domestic abuse

15December 2010

Wickford High Street Lights up

THEATRE PROMO TOPS ESSEX AWARDSBASILDON'S Towngate Theatre haswon big at the 2010 Essex BusinessExcellence Awards 2010, thanks to itsnovel use of Facebook and Youtube tomarket some of its top shows.

The Basildon Council-run theatre wasnamed the winner in the 'Excellence inMarketing' category for using innovativesocial media channels to promote theborough’s most successful panto to date,Jack and the Beanstalk. This was despitehaving a limited budget.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member forLeisure and the Arts at Basildon Councilsaid: “This is not only a reward to the paidstaff of the Towngate but also thevolunteers who give up so much of theirtime to make the Towngate the success it is.

“The annual pantomime is the pinnacleof the year at the Towngate and it hasrightly gained a reputation as one of thebest, if not the best, in the county.”

Glyn Mummery, from FRP Advisory,sponsors of the award, said: “We wereimpressed by the innovative ideas used topromote Jack and the Beanstalk,particularly taking into account the tightmarketing budget. For example, socialnetworking sites were used to great effectwhich enabled the theatre to keep in touchwith customers and update them withspecific panto news.”

For more information about theTowngate Theatre, or this year’s pantoproduction of Aladdin, visitwww.basildon.gov.uk/towngate or call01268 465465.

Funding helps more to ‘try’ rugbyTHE future looks bright for BasildonRugby Club following an influx oflocal young players.

Over the past three years the club hasbeen working closely with secondaryschools across the Borough recruitingyoung leaders as tag rugby coaches towork with year three and four childrenin local primary schools.

Last season the club only had enoughyoung players for a combined u9s andu10s team. However, because of thegreat work the club is doing with the

scheme, it now has enough players fortwo U10s teams and an U11s team.

Basildon Council has supported theclub by awarding a sports grant to helptowards the cost of the new equipmentneeded for the large influx of additionalyoung rugby players.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member forLeisure and Arts, said: "This is afantastic example of how a local team isworking with the local community tobuild for the future.

“We were very pleased to assist them

Communications team, staff and this year’s panto star at the awards ceremony

Some of the 52 new young leaders sponsored by Festival Leisure

A friendly, efficient, caring service’

Basildon Careline has been providing peace

of mind and reassurance for over 32 years

for people living in the Basildon Borough.

The ServiceThe emergency alarm service helps give peace of mind 24 hours a day, every day of

the year, to clients and their families. We can provide a wide range of products to suit

an individual need and remain independent within your home environment.

These items include a smoke alarm, a bogus caller button and a Careline alarm.

When an alarm is activated, a client’s next of kin. keyholder, GP or the emergency

services would be contacted. Even if a client were unable to respond to an operator,

someone would attend to ensure the client’s well-being.

Who Can Apply?The service is available to anyone who feels vulnerable in their own home, whether

it’s due to age, physical disability, or prolonged ill-health. It offers the reassurance of

knowing that someone is just a push of a button away from a rapid response in an

emergency. All you need is a telephone plug and an electric socket on the same wall

within 6 foot (2 metres) of each other.

Careline also provides alarms for victims of domestic violence and people

experiencing racial harassment and neighbourhood disputes, as well as a short-term

service if someone’s family is going on holiday, or for a period after leaving hospital.

Careline is also currently trialling a tailored service for clients who suffer from

unexplained falls.

Apply now and you may be eligible to receive the first 12 weeks of

the service free!If you would like to know more about the service or would like an application

form, please call us on 0800 121 45 45

with a sports grant and, who knows, oneor two of these young players may be theJonny Wilkinson of the future!"

The club is still keen to continue gettingmore children involved at all age levelsand is now launching the next youngleader programme sponsored by FestivalLeisure. The programme will see 52

young leaders put through their pace andundergo coaching courses beforedelivering rugby sessions to children in 22different primary schools.

Anyone interested in playing rugby, orany aspiring coaches who would like toget involved with the club, can contactDave Hare on 07966842577.

WICKFORD High Street comes alive on Friday 10 December with its annual ChristmasCelebration.

Light Up Wickford, a group made up of local volunteers and businesses, are advanced intheir preparations to make this year’s event even more successful than last year.

The event runs from 6pm to 9pm, with residents being able browse the market stallsselling all sorts of great Christmas stocking fillers, take a ride in the fairground and witnessthe turning on of the St. Lukes’ Hospice Tree of Light.

Fantastic live family entertainment, including popular children’s entertainer Ziggy Zoo,will also be at there as the High Street lights up for the festive period.

16 December 2010

A BRIGHTER FUTURE FORLOCAL FAMILIES

Pitsea Children’s Centres

Join Basildon’s Natural History SocietyNATURE and history enthusiasts looking to havesome fun, meet new people and get some exerciseare invited to join Basildon’s Natural HistorySociety (BNHS).

Supported by Basildon Council, this winter the BNHSis recruiting more volunteers to work at Mark HillsWood Nature Reserve in Langdon Hills, one of thebest-managed woodland sites in the area.

Established in 1968, BNHS has been working closelywith the Council on wildlife conservation, includingthe creation of Norsey Wood as a nature reserve in the1970s. A more recent involvement has been in the

management of roadside verges, creating a sanctuaryfor many rare plants and animals.

Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr MalcolmBuckley said: “The BNHS has worked hard over theyears to discover and record Basildon’s remarkably richwildlife.

“The BNHS Marks Hill Wood nature reserve has beenmaintained using entirely voluntary labour, but newmembers are always welcome, and they even get to goon regular field-trips too.”

For more information, contact Gordon Reid on 01268521099 or Peter Furze on 01268 523882.

SUPPORTING and empoweringparents in the Borough is the aim ofan award-winning Basildon Councilrun Children’s Centre in Pitsea.

Part of the SureStart scheme,Northlands Park, Davenants, andStartBright Children Centres, welcomearound 800 children through theirdoors each year, and are passionateabout encouraging more children andfamilies to come.

Nazmin Mansuria, the Centres’ Co-ordinator, explains that the centresoffer ongoing support to hard to reachfamilies in Pitsea: “We have manyclasses and so much support availableto local families, from ante natal right

through to when the childstarts school.

“We are here to help

and educate families and get childreninto the routine of playing andlearning ready for when they startschool. Although all these services areavailable free of charge, not as manyfamilies as we would like are comingthrough.”

The two centres run a number ofactivities for children including acrèche, ‘chatterbox’ sessions toencourage speech, and a sensoryroom to help enhance motor andsensory development from birth.

The centres also work with a numberof partners to offer a holistic approachto parenting including baby massage,a parent’s forum, midwife drop-insessions, cookery lessons and classesto encourage parents to gain aqualification.

Since opening in 2006, the twocentres have won a number of awardsincluding the Basildon BusinessAward’s ‘Education and LifelongLearning Award’ and ‘ExcellentCustomer Service Award’.

They have also been awarded topmarks for their healthy food optionsin their café, with a Healthy EatingGold Award and five stars in theCouncil’s Scores on the Doors scheme.

The centre is so much more than acrèche – it is about supporting parentsnot only in bringing up their child butalso by empowering parents to gainextra qualifications and skills so thatthey can get back into work and breakthe cycle of poverty.

For more information about PitseaChildren’s Centres, call 01268 720090.

Pitsea Children’s Centres

Northlands Park Children’s Centre

Basildon’s Elephant Hawk Moth

Sarah and her daughter enjoy the different weekly activities heldat the centre

Wannida says her son now knows how to use apen and about different fruits and colours , thanksto “Fun with Ones” at the Northlands Park centre

17December 2010

Basildon Borough Council, The Basildon Centre, St Martin’s Square, Basildon, Essex, SS14 1DL. Website: www.basildon.gov.uk � Switchboard: 01268 533333 � Email: mailroom@basildon.gov.uk

Chief Executive: Bala Mahendran � Leader: Councillor Tony Ball

Printed on 75% recycled paper.Please recycle your BoroughDiary after reading.

THE new climbing wall will forma striking entrance into theSporting Village which opens inApril 2011.

The wall will be 24.2m across and10 metres high making it a greatfacility for all climbing enthusiasts.It will also extend out to variety oflengths, ranging from 3 metres to 4.9metres in parts.

Designed by expert companyRockworks from County Durham,the wall will include a 7.4 metrewide ‘bouldering’ area.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Memberfor Leisure and Arts, said: “This

climbing wall will create a reallybold and stunning entrance into theSporting Village, taking up the entireten metre height of the building.

“It will be a very impressivefacility in its own right andsomething that the community willwant to come and use.

“Although I am not sure I will takeon the wall myself, this is going tobe a big hit with local climbers, whohave to travel long distances toaccess a climbing wall of thisquality. I am sure that it will becomea popular part of the SportingVillage.”

NEW GYM CLASSES FOR EVERSLEY LEISURE CENTREFOLLOWING the success of the Gym Expressproject that has seen record numbers of users at theEversley Leisure Centre in Pitsea, the gym hasannounced two new classes to run at MarkhamsChase Leisure Centre.

BodyPump, the original barbell class that strengthensthe entire body, is a 60-minute work-out that challengesall of the major muscle groups by using the best weightroom exercises such as squats, presses, lifts and curls.

The class includes great music, awesome instructors anda choice of weights inspiring people to get the results theycame for – and fast!

Bodybalance is the Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates work-out thatbuilds flexibility and strength, leaving you feeling centredand calm. Controlled breathing, concentration and acarefully structured series of stretches, moves and posesto music create a holistic work-out that brings the bodyinto a state of harmony and balance.

Cabinet Member for Leisure and Arts, Cllr Kevin Blake,said: “Basildon Council is always looking for new andinnovative services to help residents keep fit and enjoy abetter quality of life. These new classes at our Council-run centres are geared towards helping people, no mattertheir fitness level, lead healthier lives”

Classes run on Mondays at Eversley, and Wednesdays atMarkhams Chase. To join contact the centres on 01268583076 and 01268 410126 respectively.

New 5-a-side Football league SPORT loving youngsters will havethe opportunity to take part in a 5-aside street football league, thanksto a new Basildon Council projectfunded by the Community SafetyPartnership.

Basildon Council, in conjunctionwith Positive Futures, is running asecond free five week 5-a-sidetournament at Basildon LowerAcademy from January 2011. Theproject aims to give young peoplethe chance to improve health andfitness and enjoy competitive sport.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet

Member for Leisure and Arts said:“This is another fantastic freeproject for young people in theborough. It’s a great opportunity tomeet others, get fit and enjoy somecompetitive sport.

“I hope we see some great footballover the coming weeks and I lookforward to meeting some of thewinners.”

To enter a team, or for moredetails, call 01268 465443. Teamscan also be registered online atwww.getouttherebasildon.co.uk/events/street-football-5-a-side.

Imagery of new climbling wall set for the Sporting Village entrance

YOUNG people beat the boredom and gotactive in Gloucester Park recently at the SXUrban Games.

The event, hosted by the Bald MC, includeda variety of urban alternative sports rangingfrom skate boarding and bmx’ing tobasketball.

Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member for Leisureand Arts said: “The SX Urban Games aims toattract new audiences to sports whilehighlighting the 2012 games to young people.Over 1000 residents of all ages came along tothis free event jointly organised by BasildonCouncil, Positive Futures and Sport Essex.Play Rangers were also on hand to providefun for younger visitors, while music loverswere catered for by the ‘Boom Room’ whichfeatured local DJs and bands, including TheEnds and JT Hodz. Kayzar street dance crewwere also there throughout the event.”

Workshops were held for archery and the new and upcoming rock-it-ball, the latest up and comingcraze, as well as mountain boarding lessons courtesy of Ride the Hill. An inflatable multi-sport pitch,cage football and basketball bungee was also on site all day.

The SX Urban Games is running across the county, and has been awarded the London 2012 InspireMark, meaning it is recognised as an important event in promoting the forthcoming 2012 Olympics.

Young people enjoy the Urban Games

Over 1000 enjoy Urban Games

SPORTING VILLAGE’S“STUNNING” ENTRY