May 2010 basildon.gov.uk

- See page 2

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COUNCIL tenants who commithousing fraud have been given twoweeks to come clean - or face court.The two-week amnesty began on 12

May and is part of a campaign to free-up hundreds of Council propertiesfor families most in need. It targetstenants who are illegally sub-lettingtheir property or have left it vacant.Cllr Phil Turner, Cabinet Member for

Resources, said: "It may be that, overthe years, a tenant has made somebad choices and now wants to comeclean and have a fresh start. “This amnesty gives them exactly

that. Once the amnesty ends on 26May, our team will be working 24/7and any tenant caught committingCouncil house fraud will beprosecuted."Research suggests as much as five

per cent of UK Council owned prop-erties might be subject to housingfraud. Temporary accommodation canbe costly and there are approximate-ly 4,000 people on the Housing Reg-ister, many of these are families des-perate for accommodation.Cllr Turner continued: “Some

people, for a variety of personalreasons, are not actually living intheir Council property but cannotbring themselves to hand theproperty back. “Whilst we appreciate that people's

lives move on, this is not acceptable

when there is such a high waiting list.”Using funds from central government, the

campaign is seen as a major offensive onhousing fraud with extra resources nowavailable to investigate and prosecute.

During the amnesty, tenants who havecommitted housing fraud through Councilproperties can contact St George’s Commu-nity Housing to repay any rent arrears andhand back the property - but they will not

face a criminal prosecution. Residents can report suspected housing

fraud to the Council's confidential Fraudlineby calling 01268 294566 or online atwww.basildon.gov.uk.

BASILDON Council's St George's Daycelebrations have been hailed the best in Essex– and fourth best in the country.Thousands of people enjoyed this year’s

event which included market stalls, a paradeand balloon release, a BBC Essex roadshow anda performance from the world famous Joe LossOrchestra. The Council also produced its special“Party in a Box” for community groups filledwith flags, party hats, balloons and bunting.The "Saint George Unofficial Bank Holiday"

group rated Birmingham and Manchester CityCouncils top for their events, with Basildonnarrowly behind third-placed BroxbourneBorough Council. The group’s Graham Smith,said: “Basildon Council is leading the way inEssex and have scored highly through theoriginality of its “Party in a Box” and thequality of the events it organises. “We’re not talking about spending large sums

of money. There is a lot that can be done freeof charge and Basildon Council hasdemonstrated that.”To see photos of the day visit

www.basildon.gov.uk or visit the BasildonCouncil facebook page.

BEST ST GEORGE’S DAY IN ESSEX

HOUSING FRAUD CRACK DOWN

St George and the dragon were just one of the highlights of this year’s celebration

- See page 6

LOCAL ELECTIONSRESULTSSEE

PAGE 3

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2 May 2010

p6 Will Young to sing in Billericay

About the District Diary: This newspaper is produced by the Marketing and Communicationsteam at Basildon District Council. It is published six times a year and delivered free to almost80,000 homes in Basildon, Billericay and Wickford.

Write to the Editor: If you would like to comment on any story in this edition of the DistrictDiary or comment on a Council service, please write to : Michelle Edwards-Norcisse, Editor,District Diary, Basildon District Council, The Basildon Centre, St. Martin's Square, Basildon, EssexSS14 1DL, or email michelle.edwards-norcisse@basildon.gov.uk.

Advertise in the District Diary: If you would like to advertise or enquire about rates anddeadlines, call 01268 294201. Basildon District Council accepts no responsibility for the contentof any advertisement published in District Diary and the inclusion of any advertisement does notimply approval or recommendation by the Council of either the terms of any offer or servicecontained in it or of the advertiser.

Other formats: To receive the District Diary in large print, Braille or spoken word format, pleasecall 01268 294590.

THIS EDITION’S HIGHLIGHTS

p10 Council committed to Wickford

p4 Council nets global trade deal

p14 District gets a “spring clean”

Now the election is over thereis another important vote com-ing up that I need to draw yourattention to. Yes, it's Eurovisiontime! I realise this isn't every-one's cup of tea, but this yearthere's a special reason to tunein. Josh DuBovie, a local lad, willbe representing the UK in Osloon 29 May and he's likely toseen by more than 100m view-ers across the world. Josh grewup in Laindon and attended theBillericay School. I've knownhim for years, of course, andtake much personal pride in hisamazing achievements whichare down to his own hard workand dedication, and the supportof his family. Of course, we can'tvote for our own performer, butwe can show Josh our supportby tuning in. Just last month, I was in

Meaux in France, which is oneof the towns Basildon istwinned with. I was a guest ofJean-Francois Cope, who is theMayor of Meaux and also a veryprominent Cabinet Minister inFrance. We were marking thebeginning of building works fora new first world war museum

which is scheduled to be com-pleted in September 2011, whenit will be opened by the Presi-dent of France. It was a veryhigh profile event and I waseven seen on France's nationalTV news. So it was great for ourdistrict to get that sort of recog-nition. I would also like to thank the

thousands of people who cameto our St George's Day event in

St Martin's Square in Basildonon 23 April. It was a wonderfulday with all sorts of entertain-ment including markets stalls,morris dancers, a paradethrough the town and a BBCEssex roadshow. Our balloonrelease also went off without ahitch, and we've alreadyreceived cards back from allacross Europe. It's been quite amonth!

Chairman’s message from Cllr Mo Larkin

Showing our support!

PREPARATIONS areunder way for the nextCensus, and BasildonCouncil is encouragingresidents to apply forone of the 35,000 jobsavailable across thecountry.The Office for National

Statistics (ONS), inconjunction with Capita,their recruitmentcontractor, is looking torecruit local people to filla range of fixed termposts in the lead up to the2011 count.The posts include

address checkers, area managers, censuscollectors and census co-ordinators. Chris White, Executive Director at

Basildon Council, said: “This is a greatopportunity for our residents to takeadvantage of the wide range of jobs thatthe Census will create. “The 2011 Census is crucial in providing

us with a detailed picture of thepopulation of our district, allowing us to

target the Council’s resources moreeffectively.”The 2011 full Census of England and

Wales will involve the collection,processing and analysis of informationfrom more than 25 million householdsand takes place every 10 years.All those recruited for the 2011 Census

will be employed directly by the ONS andCapita. For more information on the jobsavailable, visit www.censusjobs.co.uk.

35,000 Censusjobs up for grabs

Cllr Mo Larkin with the staff and pupils of Basildon LowerAcademy, winners of the St George’s Day Favourite EnglishLiterary Character competition

Now is the time to plant up beds, borders,hanging baskets and patio containerswith tender bedding plants that willturn gardens into a riot of colour for sum-mer. Be warned though, my Old Dad usedto say there can always be a frost anytime up to Cup Final day, so just watch theweather for cold frosty nights that coulddamage these tender plants, and coverwith fleece or Peter Seabrook’s favouritewas to use old net curtains. When planting out bedding give the

plants a thorough watering in the traysor pots before planting so they have hada good drink. Try and choose plants forthe right position in your garden. For ashady spot you can plant Busy Lizzies and

fibrous rootedB e g o n i a s ,they thrivewithout toomuch direct sun. So too will Pansies,Canterbury Bells, Lobelia and even Coleus.For a hot, sunny spot plant Geraniums,Petunias, Zinnia and Eschscholzia (Cali-fornian poppy) as they are much more tol-erant of hot, dry conditions. When planting it’s better if the soil is

moist but never wet, so it ends up clag-gy. Lightly dig the hole with a trowel andfirm down with the fingertips, and don’tpush too hard as compressed soil is notwhat you want. Water well in, thenleave for a couple of days for the roots to

start looking for water, thenwhen they start to grow youcould add Miracle-Gro All PurposePlant Food or other soluble plantfood so you can feed and waterat the same time. By applying theplant food over the leaves andaround the roots you will quick-ly help the plant to get moving.The nutrients that are absorbed inthe first few weeks will help theplants roots to establish quickly.

with BBC Essex presenter Ken Crowther

GGaarrddeenn DDiiaarryy

3May 2010

Food wastecollectionEACH YEAR an estimated12,000 tonnes of foodwaste are collected inyour black sacks by Basil-don Council’s waste andrecycling team - whichends up in a landfill site.Food waste in landfill

produces methane – agreenhouse gas 25 timesmore polluting than car-bon dioxide.To reduce this problem,

and improve the district’srecycling performance,Basildon Council ispleased to announce anew food waste collec-tion from October 2010.Look out for updates in

your District Diary show-ing how the collectionswill work and how youcan help Basildon recycle50% of its householdwaste by 2012.

ALL RESIDENTS claiminghousing benefit willnow be receiving theirpayments by bank trans-fer.Since 1 April, Basildon

Council has been mak-ing all housing benefitpayments by BACS, anelectronic transfer di-rectly into someone’sbank account, instead ofthe more expensivecheque option.Cllr Phil Turner, Cabinet

Member for Resources,welcomed the change asanother example whereefficiency measures arebenefiting Basildon’sresidents and saving tax-payers’ cash. In cases where bank

details have not beenprovided, residents willreceive a letter urgingthem to provide bankdetails so their benefitpayment can be paid.

CRUNCH TIMES IN MAY/JUNELocations marked with (G) can also be used for the disposal ofgreen waste. The Crunch Service is not suitable for paints, oils orother waste liquids. Time: 9am until noon unless otherwisestated.

22 MayWickford – The Wick Country ParkLaindon Link – Bluehouse Community Centre (G)Vange - Redgrave Road s/o no.49am to 10.30am, Southview Roadopposite dentist 10.30am to noonCraylands – Linchfields Hill - rearof shops

29 MayWickford – Alderney Gardens - rearof shopsBillericay – Radford Crescent - CarPark (G)Laindon – Five Links Somercotes -next to shopsPitsea – Kenneth Road - in layby

12 JuneRamsden Bellhouse – Village Hall(G)Billericay – Meadow Rise/Kelvedon Rise behind shopsLaindon Hills – Triangle shopsSteeple View – Kings Crescent

19 JuneWickford – Kershaws Close - rearof Neverdon Road shopsBillericay – Little Burstead car park(G)Fryerns – Ghyllgrove - opposite theUpwayChalvedon – Mill Green - layby nearcar park

Recycling your food waste

Housingbenefit paychanges

AN EXTENDED “Crunch Service” isbeing launched offering 44 additionalvisits across the district.Basildon Council has pledged £90,000

over the next three years to expand themobile tip service, which accepts anyhousehold waste except paint. The servicewill be running over 170 times a year atlocations district-wide on a scheduledbasis. This new investment will add 11 new

locations with four visits to each new sitethroughout the year.Cllr Malcolm Buckley, Cabinet Member

for the Environment, said: “The CrunchService is hugely popular with residents,which is why we want to make sureinvestment in these services continues. “The new locations for the Crunch visits

will mean that more areas of the districtare covered.

“The funding we’re putting towardsthese schemes will increase recycling atthe site to help us reach our 50% recyclingtarget rate, and make the service easier toaccess for everyone.”There will also be a trial for recycling

wood and electrical waste taking place atselected Crunch sites.The Crunch is a free Basildon Council

service designed to help you keep yourhome free of clutter. There are two types of Crunch Service

available – a green crunch for gardenwaste recycling and normal crunch forother materials, such as general householdwaste. The Crunch takes place from 9amto noon each Saturday.For more information on the new

locations and timetables for the Crunchcall Streetcare on 01268 294949 or visitbasildon.gov.uk/recycling.

Popular Crunch service expanded

Town Centre’s new glowA MAJOR improvement works programme inBasildon town centre has been completed.The project was funded by the Homes and

Communities Agency not by Council Tax money andcost £750,000. The money has been used to makemajor changes to the lighting around the Town andSt Martin’s Squares.Feature lighting and improved security lighting

have been installed along with four centre piecelighting columns, to replace the current lamp poststhat run along Town Square. Cllr Stephen Horgan, deputy leader of the Council

said: “The new lighting will give the town centrevitality at night and will hopefully create sometalking points.“This is a project with the future very much in mind.

Over the next 25 years Basildon town centre will betransformed, and a vibrant night time economycreated.”The iconic town clock has also returned to a new

key location in St Martin’s Square. The lifts and stairsleading up to Northgate House were also completed,after the Council’s intervention last year, when thegroup appointed to do the work went bankrupt.

VISITOR numbers soared to almost40,000 at Wat Tyler Country Park dur-ing the first seven days of the recentEaster Break.The park, based in Pitsea Hall Lane, Pit-

sea, saw record numbers flock to enjoy thesunshine and attractions such as the minia-ture railway, Go Bonkers Bouncy CastleVillage, free play area and the new WatTyler visitor centre.Steve Prewer, Basildon Council’s Man-

ager of Open Spaces, said: “Despite dis-ruptions because of the landscaping worksit has been great to see so many people outenjoying the sun and the new facilities thepark has to offer as well as the much lovedattractions we’ve had for many years. “The free play area was a particular hit

with our younger visitors.The conversion of an old machine shed

into a “Dutch” barn is almost completeand will provide shelter from the rain andshade from the sun as well as potentiallybeing a venue for farmers’ markets andoutside education groups.” The recently opened RSPB Information

Centre and Discovery Zone has alsoproved popular with visitors.Mr Prewer added: “The park is a haven

for watery wildlife in the ponds and ourteaching staff have been doing an excel-lent job entertaining and educating youngpeople about the exciting creatures to befound around the park.”For more details visit www.wattyler-

countrypark.org.uk or call 01268 550088. Miniature railway at Wat Tyler Country Park

40,000 AT WAT TYLER

RESIDENTS across the district voted intheir thousands in the local andparliamentary elections on May 6. In the Basildon Council elections, 14 of

the 16 Council wards were contestedwith all parties holding their seats - theConservatives held 11 seats, Labour twoseats and the Liberal Democrats one. Thismeans Basildon Council is still made up of29 Conservative councillors, 10 Labourcouncillors and three Liberal Democratcouncillors.In the parliamentary election,

Conservative candidate Stephen Metcalfewon the South Basildon and EastThurrock seat, John Baron remainsConservative MP for the new Basildonand Billericay constituency, andConservative Mark Francois won theRayleigh and Wickford seat. Theparliamentary boundaries changedrecently following a reorganisation bythe Boundary Commission for England.

Turnout for the local elections was 64%while the parliamentary turnout was64% for Basildon and Billericay seat, and62% for the South Basildon and EastThurrock seat.For a full list of the new Councillors, look

out for the June edition of the DistrictDiary or visit www.basildon.gov.uk.

2010 LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS

2010 Election count underway

COUNCIL NETS GLOBAL4 May 2010

COUNCILLORSURGERYTIMESSINCE the beginning of the

year, over 10 benefit cheats,prosecuted by Basildon Councilhave been sentenced.The value of benefits stolen

ranges from £2,500 up to £28,000,with various punishmentsincluding unpaid work andsuspended imprisonment.Cllr Phil Turner, Cabinet

Member for Resources, wanted toremind residents that the Counciltakes benefit fraud extremely

seriously.“Our specialist Fraud

Investigations team worktirelessly to successfully prosecutethose suspected of benefit fraud,no matter what the value ofbenefits falsely claimed. Imaintain that benefit fraud is not avictimless crime. Cheats wouldtake care to remember they arestealing from the public purse.“No matter how hard they try to

cover their tracks evidence of their

deceit is left somewhere and ourinvestigations team use a varietyof methods to uncover it.Residents who suspect someone

they know of committing benefitfraud can complete an online format www.basildon.gov.uk or call01268 294566. The more detailsyou can provide will help us withour investigation. You do not haveto give your name but if you do,your details will be treated withthe strictest confidence.

Basildon Council closes in on cheats

BASILDON Council signed a memorandumof understanding with a prosperousChinese local authority in March that willhelp to develop trade links between thetwo countries.The deal was struck as part of a visit to

Basildon by the Changzhou MunicipalPeople’s Government. Along with signing a memorandum of

understanding, the delegation visited FordDunton, Prospects College, Basildon andEssex Police and Basildon Hospital’sCardiothoracic Centre, and attended thebusiness networking event at the TowngateTheatre.Cllr Stephen Horgan, Deputy Leader, said:

“This agreement highlights the high regardBasildon is held in as a business location. Itis vital to keep developing strongerinternational ties to ensure our companies’success by cooperating with the publicsector in countries such as China, wherelocal authorities often have the essentiallinks.”This will be taken forward throughout the

year by helping Basildon companies to findtrading partners in China.China is the world’s second biggest

economy and has been the UK’s fastestgrowing export market since 2002 and inDecember 2007 became the largest exportmarket in Asia for British goods. Basildon Chairman Cllr Mo Larkin and Changzhou Vice Mayor Sun Guojian

signing the Memorandum of Understanding

Benefit Fraud poster

NEW SIGNAGE has been appearingacross Basildon’s business heart aspart of a project to raise the profileand improve the appearance of thenewly named Basildon EnterpriseParks.Along with 22 new highway signs,

three new enterprise park signsdirecting people to the variousbusiness locations have also beeninstalled. Most noticeably of all though is

the new landmark BASILDON signon the A127/A176 Noak Bridgejunction that has attracted nationalpublicity.The £400,000 project was funded

from the Government’s Thames Gate-way programme, with Basildon beat-ing other areas to the cash. The in-vestment was ring fenced for theA127 signage project and could notbe used for other purposes.

BASILDON sign on A127

RRAAIISSIINNGG OOUURR NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPRROOFFIILLEE

The full list ofcouncillor surgerytimes can befound at www.basildon.gov.uk,and will also beincluded in thenext edition of theDistrict Diary.

TRADE DEAL

5May 2010

Basildon local service directory

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Counselling Dancing

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Full Body Spray Tan now available for only £16!

Walkers

Don’t take Health andIndependence for granted,call now on 01268 419 288the walking frame specialist

Keep active and reclaim your independencewith our range of Uniscan Walkers...Do you: • Struggle to get around the home?

• Only go out when you have someone with you?

• Worry about losing your independence?

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• Get short of breath when walking?

• Think you may fall when you are out and about?

If this sounds like you or someone you care about,maybe it’s time to consider a walking frame.

Uniscan Limited, 38 Hornsby Square, Southfields Industrial Estate, Laindon, Basildon SS15 6SD. www.uniscan-walkers.co.uk

CraftsmanRestorationSpecialists in Re-Upholstering

and French PolishingFree Estimates,

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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 wingsPlus: pizza, kebabs and burgers

To advertise here call Angela Christall on 01268 294201 or email angela.christall@basildon.gov.uk. As with all District Diary adverts, publication does not imply anyguarantee of service or recommendation 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. Closed Wednesdays

Folk FestivalreturnsFOLLOWING the successof last year’s Wat TylerFolk Festival, the eventreturns this year andpromises to be a day ofmusic not to be missed.Held at Wat Tyler Country

Park, Pitsea Hall Lane,Basildon, on Sunday 12September between noonand 7pm, headlining thefestival is Adrian Edmond-son and the Bad Shep-herds. Star of ‘Bottom’ and ‘The

Young Ones’, Edmondson’sband was recently nomi-nated for the best live actaward at the BBC Radio 2Folk Awards.Tickets are £12 and £8

concessions, and areavailable from theTowngate Box Office on01268 465465, via EssexLive at www.essex-live.co.uk or directly from WatTyler Country Park.

Nappy offerPARENTS in the Basildondistrict can take advan-tage of two special offersif they give cloth nappiesa try for their baby.Basildon Council – which

supported ‘Real NappyWeek’ - is offering a £10laundry service refund plusa sample nappy pack forjust £10. The aim of the ‘Real Nap-

py Week’ campaign is toencourage more peopleto use cloth nappies. Theseare more environmentallyfriendly than disposableones. Basildon Council’s Cabi-

net Member for Environ-ment, Cllr Malcolm Buckleysaid: “Using home laun-dered nappies makessense, as they can be usedover and over again savingparents’ money.” To get your voucher visit

essex.gov.uk/nappies, orcall the nappy helpline on01245 437318. To orderyour sample pack, visitmodernbaby.co.uk, or call0800 093 1500.

Offers for your little one

Networking event held at the Towngate Theatre

A MAJOR networking event to get Basildonbusinesses talking has been hailed a hugesuccess.Over 300 people from approximately 175

businesses from Basildon got together at thebiggest local networking event of 2010, whichtook place at the Towngate Theatre in March.The free event was run by Basildon Council

and the Basildon Renaissance Partnership.Over 300 guests were treated to ‘a taste of

the orient’ with a free buffet and refreshments,and oriental themed entertainment, including

foot juggling, lion dances, a Chinese magicshow, and a charity casino.Cllr Phil Turner, Cabinet Member for Re-

sources said the event was a great night andhoped it would become an annual event:“Events such as this are vital for local businessprosperity and this event was a huge success. “This event will have helped companies

build supply chains with each other and gen-erate vibrancy in the local markets, increasingthe prosperity of local businesses which ulti-mately benefits our wider community.

HUNDREDS ATTEND BUSINESS LINK UP

6 May 2010

Compostfreebies RESIDENTS from acrossthe district have beenhelping themselves tofree garden compost,thanks to BasildonCouncil.The Council invited

residents to visit theBarleylands Depot tohelp themselves tosome free compost fortheir gardens – madeusing the garden wastecollected from theirgreen bins!On the day, three

tonnes of compost weredonated by Veolia En-vironmental to helpclose the recycling loop.This shows how

everything you recyclecan be used to make auseful product – in thiscase a rich soilimprover to help yourflowers bloom thisspringtime.

A COMMUNITY is being encouraged to visit a newweekly mobile clinic to get health checks and advice.Vitality, the local health and well-being service run by

NHS South West Essex Community Services, is workingin partnership with Basildon Council to bring its newmobile health improvement unit or “health bus” toBasildon.Since April, the Craylands Estate has been the

permanent base for the multi-purpose clinic whichoperates every Tuesday between 10am and 1pm. Basildon residents are encouraged to come down to

the mobile clinic in Exeter Close on the Craylands Estatewith any health improvement questions related tostopping smoking, losing weight, eating better or tobook a health check.Rab Fallon, Head of Housing Services at Basildon

Council, said: “Basildon Council and NHS South WestEssex are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the residents of Craylands. “We encourage Craylands residents to come along

next Tuesday”.For further information call 0800 077 8000, or visit

www.lovevitality.org.

HEALTH BUS IN CRAYLANDS

Summer atthe racesMembers of BasildonCouncil’s day centreswill be ‘off to the races’as part of a line-up ofcelebration and enter-tainment this summer. A special lunch is being

held at the George HurdCentre on Tuesday 25May to celebrate its sec-ond anniversary and thiswill include entertain-ment from local group“What Friends AreFour”. This is followedby a Horse Racing After-noon on Wednesday 30June.Members of the Lain-

don Day Centre willenjoy an 'Ascot Races'Ladies Day on Thursday17 June including horseracing, afternoon tea,bubbly and a best hatcontest. The events are open to

members only. To join,call Tricia Radmore on01268 465854.

“... and they’re off!”

NHS SW Essex workers, health trainers and the Council’sCommunity Development Coordinator, Heather Wood

MULTI platinum-selling artist Will Youngand award winning pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor have joined the star line-up for the2010 Billericay Gala Weekend. Organised by Basildon Council, the two day

open-air concert on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25July is being held at Billericay’s Lake MeadowsPark. On Saturday 24 July, TV star Barry Norman

will host 'Proms in the Park'. The world famousCity Orchestra - a full 40+ piece orchestra - willperform a range of classical hits accompaniedby top soprano Elizabeth McDonald and a guesttenor. On Sunday 25 July, Will Young headlines his

summer open-air concert, supported by SophieEllis-Bextor. Will is the recipient of two BritAwards and has a catalogue of classic popsongs, from ‘Evergreen’ to ‘Your Game’ to‘Leave Right Now’ - which has been selected asthe winner’s song for the 2010 series ofAmerican Idol.Sophie is famous for hits including ‘Groovejet

(If This Ain’t Love)’ and ‘Murder on the DanceFloor’ - a song that remained in the UK Chartsfor 23 weeks and was Europe's most playedtrack of the year. Tickets for each day are available from the

Towngate Theatre Box Office on 01268 465465or online at www.essex-live.co.uk.

TWO teams from the Basildon district won awards at the EssexPolice Young People of the Year ceremony.Team 35, a group of unemployed young people from Basildon who

spruced up a run-down, vandalised pre-school building, won secondprize at the awards in March. The group, from the Prince’s Trust, were nominated for raising £1,000

to repair and re-paint the outside of the building with artwork about thesolar system, marine life and cartoon characters to aid the children intheir learning.Wickford’s ‘Partini’, a group of five youngsters who raise awareness

of alcohol-related issues to their peers, won the Junior runner up prizefor their work with students at Beauchamps High School. The groupwere fed up with the bad press given to young people and decided to

teach other students about how much fun can be had without alcohol –by providing free fancy non-alcoholic cocktails at the school discos.

District shines at Young People Police Awards

Wickford’s Partini with Essex Police officers

1. Make sure there is a Basildon Council Licence Plateon 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 cannot charge more than the metered fare

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

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

Tips for Safe travelling by Taxi in

Basildon district5

For more information:Call 01268 294280 or email taxi.licensing@basildon.gov.uk

STARS REVEALED FOR BILLERICAY GALA

7May 2010

For tickets and information call the Box Office on 01268 465465

GO WEST fan Donna Fearn flew 10,000 miles from her home in Aus-tralia to see Go West in concert at the Towngate Theatre – and then metthem backstage!Go West was one of the most successful bands of the 1980s with hits

such as ‘We Close Our Eyes', 'Call Me' and 'Goodbye Girl'. Their biggesthit was 'King of Wishful Thinking' from the film 'Pretty Woman'. Thisyear the band reunited for a European tour to celebrate the 25th an-niversary of their first chart hit. Donna contacted Basildon Council last year to ask for help finding a

local hotel. Theatre staff were so impressed with her dedication – jet-ting 10,000 miles to see the band – that they organised for her to meetthem backstage after the concert. Donna said “I’m a massive fan of the band. I would like to thank every-

one at the theatre who has been so friendly.”Theatre Manager Graham Sandford said: “This is probably the farthest

anyone has travelled to see a show here at the Towngate and wewanted to make sure we pulled out all the stops for Donna.”

So what is it about theTowngate Theatre that peoplelove?It’s a great evening out inBasildon and has something foreverybody. I really enjoy seeingpeople’s faces leaving thetheatre after a fantastic evening.

What’s the best thing aboutworking in the theatre? It’s great meeting famous facesand seeing what they are really like once offthe stage. By far the biggest star I’ve ever metis comedian Al Murray who was reallydifferent in real life. He’s quite posh actually!Another comedian - Stephen K Amos - washilarious on the stage and a really friendlybloke. In fact he took the theatre staff out tothe pub for drinks afterward his show.

Have you had any unusual requests fromartists? In theatres, we have a thing called a ‘rider’which is basically a ‘wish list’ that we get fromartists or their agents of items for theirdressing room. For instance, one star gave usa two-page list of requests including 20laundered fresh towels. I can’t say who it was.

Who would you like to see perform at theTowngate?I’d love to see Lee Evans play the Towngateand, as he lives local and maybe reads theDistrict Diary, perhaps he will answer my call.You never know.

Are there any highlights people can lookforward to this year at the Towngate?The Spirit of Pink Floyd is on Thursday 9September. This will be a special evening asthis is their second visit here. I’m also lookingforward to the visit from Postman Pat onSaturday 31 July during the summer holidaysbecause the kids absolutely love it and it issure to be a sell-out.

BASILDON’S Towngate Theatre hasofficially unveiled Aladdin as itsannual pantomime for 2010/11.The news was broken in spectacular

style as a rickshaw holding panto starSimon Fielding rolled into St Martin'sSquare.The show set to run at the Towngate

Theatre between 1st December and3rd January comes after the success oflast year’s pantomime, Jack and theBeanstalk which saw a record numberof people visiting the theatre. The fourth pantomime to be held at

the Towngate, it is already showingsigns of being a huge hit with ticketsalready selling well. Graham Sandford, the Towngate's

manager, said: "It's important wedon't rely on just two or threepantomimes, so we keep having to

think a year ahead. “Two years ago it was Cinderella,

last year Jack and the Beanstalk andfor 2010/11 its going to be a fantasticproduction of Aladdin." He added “We are very pleased to

have Simon Fielding back this year. Heis a superb performer and directorand is passionate about putting on agreat show. “Last year’s was the standard of a

West End musical and this year will beno different.”Set in old Peking the show promises

everything from genies and lamps todragons and flying carpets and is notto be missed. For further information on tickets

contact the Towngate Box Office on01268 465465 or visit www.essex-live.co.uk.

AUSSIE FAN MEETS80s BANDGOWEST

A view from the Box Office

Donna Fearn with Go West

Duty Manager Joe Finn tells us some Towngate tidbits

Basildon favourite Simon Fielding is back for the Aladdin panto this December

Towngate Theatre duty manager Joe Finn has always had an interest in live theatreand music. Here Joe offers us an insight into a few of the acts he’s met and someof the unusual things they’ve asked for

ARE YOU READY FOR ALADDIN?

20 May - Waterloo 21 May - The Bon Jovi Experience 26 May - Forever Blowing Bubbles 28 May - Roxy Magic31 July - Postman Pat

For all tickets contact the Box Office on 01268 465465 or visit www.essex-live.co.uk

Coming up at the Towngate Theatre:

8 May 2010

CQC inspection team saw in the A&EDepartment in October wereunacceptable. Our A&E Department isone of the busiest in the country, andthere are times when critical and oftenlife-saving treatment for patients has totake priority over the cleaningschedule. However the clinical and cleaning

teams needed to work closer togetherso that as soon as a patient left, thecleaning team could move in andprepare for the next patient. The hospital was criticised for not

having a dedicated children’s treatmentarea in the A&E Department. We wereonly able to put that right in Novemberwhen the space was made availablefollowing the completion of a purposebuilt Endoscopy unit.

Bala: The media used extremelycritical rhetoric, not just of you, butof hospital staff generally. Iremember one national paperblaming ‛lazy nurses’. What sort ofimpact did that have on staff at thehospital?

Alan: As Chief Executive of thehospital, I take full responsibility forthe quality of the services and was not

surprised that criticism was thereforelevelled at me personally. My mainconcern was for the staff at the hospital,and how on earth anyone could describenurses as ‘lazy’ beggars belief.

Bala: What sort of response did youget from patients and their families?

Alan: Staff were amazed at the amountof support local people offered and

A&E, in particular, was inundated withwell-wishers offering gifts and words ofsupport. Staff were very grateful. I spenta lot of time on the wards meeting staffand patients. On one occasion I was witha national TV news crew and severalof the patients on our cardiac wardinsisted on being interviewed by thereporter to say how well they had beentreated. I have also received a number of letters

Basildon University Hospital hit the headlines in Novemberlast year following the publication of two critical reports

The flurry of publicity that followed was unprecedented and Chief Executive Alan Whittle foundhimself on the front line. Alan met separately with Basildon Council’s Leisure and HealthScrutiny Committee and Chief Executive Bala Mahendran to clarify the issues at hand.

Bala: Talk me through how eventsunfolded for you at the hospital.

Alan: Firstly, the Care Quality Commission(CQC) issued an improvement notice on theTrust. The main focus of the criticism wascleanliness standards in the A&EDepartment. Then Dr Foster Intelligenceissued the Good Hospital Guide. This drewattention to a high mortality ratio at BasildonHospital and this, taken with 13 furthermeasures of hospital safety, resulted in theTrust receiving the lowest patient safety scorein the country. What is also important to pointout is that there were 27 other measures ofpatient safety in the guide where our scorewas fine.Unfortunately, the two documents were

taken together by the media and much of thecoverage was confusing and inaccurate so Itried to clarify the position with a number ofmedia interviews. Monitor, which is theindependent regulator for Foundation Trusts,said the Trust was in significant breach of itsterms of authorisation and decided ataskforce should be established to assist theTrust in making rapid improvements.

Bala: Do you support the findings of theoriginal inspection?

Alan: The standards of cleanliness which the

HOSPITAL CHIEF SPEAKS TO BASILDON COUNCIL

MEMBERS of Basildon Council's Leisure and HealthScrutiny Committee had the chance to quiz Alan Whittleabout the challenges facing the hospital when heattended the group's March meeting. The committee is part of the Council's 'Overview and

Scrutiny' function which is an important part of thedecision-making process at the Council. It gives localcouncillors the chance to examine, monitor and influencethe activities of the Council and its partners - includingthe hospital - and investigate issues of communityconcern.Mr Whittle gave the Committee an update on the

measures put in place since the media reports lastNovember, and gave a thorough overview of thechallenges the hospital has faced and the improvements

being made. During questions from Committee membershe explained that MONITOR (the regulator responsiblefor assessing the hospital) had highlighted a number ofareas for concern in its assessment last November. These included areas such as hygiene code breaches,

slow implementation of improvements to children’sservices and breaches of NHS core standards. Following this intervention by MONITOR, Mr Whittle

said, the hospital introduced a number of measuresincluding the appointment of extra doctors in medicaladmissions and the A&E department. There have also been changes in working shift patterns

to ensure consultants are on site at key hours. Clinicalpathways have also been reviewed to ensure clinical datais captured efficiently and a peer review of all deaths has

been put into place to ensure high quality clinical care. When asked in particular about cleanliness, Mr Whittle

said this was something the hospital was working hardto improve, and standards are now set above the 92%national standard. The hospital’s performance againsttargets for healthcare associated infections is good withfour cases of MRSA Bacteraemia recorded for the year todate, against a target of 10, two of which had not beenacquired in the hospital. There had also been 68 cases ofClostridium Difficile (C Diff), against a target of 130. During the meeting Alan confirmed that although the

improvements were a start they are ongoing and thatprojects such as the new Paediatric unit and the futureA&E department will be vital in improving the servicesthey provide.

Basildon Council Chief Executive talks to Basildon University Hospital ChiefExecutive Alan Whittle

COUNCIL SCRUTINISES HOSPITAL ISSUES

9May 2010

of support from patients who werevery happy with their care and cannotmatch their experience with the mediacoverage. The mood among staff now is a

determination to prove that the careprovided by the hospital is not as themedia described it.

Bala: You had a follow up inspectionfrom the CQC in December whichshowed an immediate improvement.What actions did you take to achievethat?

Alan: Most of the concerns that theinspection team found in October wereput right before they had left thehospital. The performance noticeissued by the CQC in the middle ofOctober gave us until the end ofNovember to complete all the remedialworks. When the inspection team revisited

the hospital on Friday 4 December,they commented on the extent of theimprovements achieved in such a shorttime. I have to commend the hospital’scleaning company, which respondedsuperbly to the challenge and hasmaintained very high standards ofcleanliness across the hospital eversince. I know that because thefrequency and depth of checkingcleaning standards have increased.

Bala: Moving forward, what are youdoing to ensure that this doesn’thappen again, and importantly, toreassure patients?

Alan: The challenge for the Trust is tomaintain high standards of cleanlinessand continue with our plan to invest inthe older parts of the hospital whichneed to be upgraded. We have nowopened an excellent Children’sDepartment within A&E, withconsultant paediatricians working inthe department, and qualifiedchildren’s nurses. We have seen a reduction in the

hospital mortality risk figure sinceApril to expected levels and arecontinuing to work to improve thatfurther. In my view, it is mainly people in the

local community who haven’t comeinto contact with the hospital recentlythat need reassurance, not the manythousands who have been patients andhad a good experience. The most important message from

me at this time is we accept there werefaults, they have been put right, andthe safety and care of our patients isalways our highest priority.

Bala: Your hospital serves the samecommunity as Basildon Council. Howwould you like the hospital and Councilto work together in the future to bestserve the community?

Alan: The council and the hospital have

a long history of working together already,and we jointly take our responsibilities tothe local community very seriously. Anumber of our governors have strongconnections with Basildon Council, andpersonally, I have enjoyed a greatrelationship with the Council for a number

of years. I know that the Council is alsoproviding great support in forging health-related links with Basildon internationally.I think local people are well served by theCouncil and the hospital, and the closerthat we can work together to support eachother in future the better.

Entrance leading to Basildon University Hospital

Nurse with patient in the Endoscopy Unit

Basildon University Hospital ChiefExecutive Alan Whittle speakingabout one headline appearing in a

national newspaper

“How on earthanyone could

describe nurses as“lazy” beggars

belief...”

Child being examined at the hospital

HOSPITAL CHIEF SPEAKS TO BASILDON COUNCIL

10 May 2010

BASILDON Council has withdrawnfrom the regeneration of Wickfordtown centre procurement process, butconfirmed its commitment to the townrevamp.Councillors agreed in February to with-

draw from the procurement process, butreconfirmed their commitment to theregeneration of the town centre, and inparticular, the development of a newhealth centre, and the redevelopment ofthe Nevendon Road shops andmaisonettes.The Council also acknowledged the

work of all the bidders, and in particularCommunity Solutions for Regeneration(CSR). Cllr Tony Ball, leader of the Council

said: “The Council remains absolutely

committed to delivering the regenerationof Wickford town centre, and we will betaking this forward. “This has already started with the an-nouncement in the budget for hundredsof thousands of pounds to finish thepaving of Wickford High Street. “We will also be working with the PCTon a new Health Centre, and we hope tohave a planning application later in thesummer and building works starting thisyear. “This decision has not been takenlightly, but I have repeatedly stated thatI would only proceed to appoint adevelopment partner if they offered asolution that met the needs of the peopleof Wickford and delivered value for thepublic land that the Council put in.”

COUNCIL COMMITTED TO WICKFORD

Partnership WorkingACHIEVEMENTS of the Basildon Community SafetyPartnership over the last two years were displayedat Wat Tyler Heritage Centre in April.Initiatives including Troy and Royal Kingdom youth

clubs displayed their achievements with photographsand testimonies from young people, while BasildonWomen’s Aid showed their award from the High Sher-iff recognising their refuge for domestic abuse victims. One project participant Craig Warren, 20, from

Basildon, attended the event as a graduate from theFirebreak scheme. The scheme allowed Craig to gethis life back on track and he is now hoping to becomea fire officer himself.

TWO innovative projects aimed at improv-ing the health and wellbeing of residentshave been hailed a success.The Basildon Council supported schemes

were organised by ‘Our Basildon’ andfunded by NHS South West Essex.Pupils from three local schools – De La

Salle, James Hornsby and Woodlands –took part in the ‘Our Basildon, Our Memo-ries’ project, giving them the chance toappreciate and respect the contributionmade by older people.Over 2,000 people took part in free taster

days as part of the ‘Our Basildon, OurFood project and an increased number ofhealthier food options are now being soldat discounted prices subsidised by therestaurants and cafes involved.Council Chairman, Cllr Mo Larkin, met

with the ‘Our Basildon’ team. She said:“The work ‘Our Basildon’ has been doingin the community is fantastic.“I encourage more organisations to get in-

volved with the excellent work they do.” For more information on ‘Our Basildon,

visit www.ourbasildon.org.

Chairman of the Council, Cllr Mo Larkin, with ‘Our Basildon’ participants

Firebreak graduate Craig Warren

Wickford Town Centre

BASILDON Council has been commendedfor helping to safeguard wildlife sites inthe district in an innovative ecologicalcontract which is the first of its kind inthe county.Since 2007, a team of ecologists from

Essex Wildlife Trust’s ecological company,have carried out yearly surveys ofdifferent woodlands, grasslands andmarshland habitats, to check on theircondition, coverage and ability tosupport a variety of different plants andanimal species. The data from these surveys helps to

inform the Council’s planning decisionsand assists in monitoring habitat change. The project has found that rare species

are re-colonising parts of the district,including the Green Winged Orchid andat least three rare butterflies includingthe Grizzled Skipper.Manager of Essex Ecology Services

(EECOS) Neil Harvey, and Senior EcologistAdrian Knowles, highly praised theCouncil in their report stating “no otherdistrict in Essex has put in place such aproactive mechanism to refine andstrengthen the evidence base requiredunder national planning guidance.”Cllr Richard Moore, Cabinet Member for

Development Control and CustomerServices, said: “I am pleased to see thatEECOS has recognised the Council’s goodwork in safeguarding the district’swildlife, as part of its job as a LocalPlanning Authority.”The surveys also highlighted Local

Wildlife Sites that need special attentionin the future to make sure they do notlose their wildlife value. This includesNorsey Meadow in Billericay, which theCouncil recently announced was to berestored with a mixture of grazing,fencing and grassland management.

Safeguarding our wildlife sites

Restaurants put healthierfood options on themenu

Grizzled Skipper butterfly

Photo courtesy: Essex Wildlife Trust

National Family WeekNORTHLANDS Park and StartBrightChildren’s Centres in Pitsea will besupporting National Family Week fromTuesday 1 to Saturday 5 June 2010.Both Basildon Council run centres will

be holding fun events and activities tocelebrate the importance of family life.This will include a trip to the library,

cookery classes and a special event on theSaturday.

May 2010 11

12 May 2010

BASILDON’S reputation as a ‘bellwether’constituency has gone global – with areporter from China jetting into town duringthe elections. The publicity could lead to aninflux of tourists from China.Jane Li is International News Editor for the

City Express newspaper, which has more

than a million readers in Hangzhou. In a triporganised with Basildon Council, Janevisited the district after being inundatedwith requests from her readers for moreinformation on Basildon. Jane said: “My newspaper sent me to

London to do some election reports, but also

asked me to visit Basildon to write a storyon the general election. I was also asked towrite about what the district could offerChinese tourists. Having spent the morningtravelling around the area, I think there aremany similarities between it and Hangzhouand I am confident that our readers wouldenjoy a visit to Basildon.” Bala Mahendran, Chief Executive of the

Council: “It is fantastic that Jane wanted tocome and visit Basildon and report back tothe readers of Hangzhou. We hope that thisencourages more tourists to visit Basildon ifthey are travelling to the UK, and we wouldof course welcome them to the area.” Jane visited the Basildon Centre, the town

centre, Gloucester Park and the SportingVillage construction site.

WORLD FOCUS ON “BELLWETHER” BASILDON

RHYS Archer of James Hornsby School scooped firstplace in this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight secondaryschool’s cook-off organised by Basildon Council.His dish of Vegetable Curry and dessert of Mango

Sundaes saw off competition from Woodlandsstudents Ben Morris, who came second with hisChicken Curry meal followed by Chocolate Fondantsoufflé, and third place winner, Charlotte Clift, withher Honey Barbecued Chicken with Cashew Nut Rice,and Banana Chocolate Cheesecake.Cabinet Member for Community, Cllr Andrew

Baggott was one of the judges.He said: “I was really impressed with the quality ofdishes our young people produced as part of theFairtrade Cook-Off. It was great to see so many schoolchildren engaging in a competition using ethicallysourced products that helps ensure farmers get a fairprice for their produce.”Meanwhile Buttsbury Junior School’s Scarlett Mann’s

poem took the top spot in the primary schools’fairtrade poetry contest, also arranged by the Council.

Fairtrade Fortnight cooks up a storm

(L - R) Winner Rhys Archer looks on as Darren Bennett, owner and head chef of Magic Mushroom Restaurant judges his food, second and third place winners at the cook-off

BASILDON councillorshave been meeting withyoung people to look atways Basildon Council canhelp more young people intowork, education or trainingopportunities. An Overview and Scrutiny

Task and Finish Group hasbeen set up to look at thebarriers facing 16 to 18-year -olds in finding meaningfuland satisfying jobs. The grouphas met with ProspectCollege, Connexions,Basildon Action on Learning, and EssexCounty Council to look at ways ofovercoming the problems these youngpeople face. Cllr Silvia Buckley, Lead Member of the

group, recently visited Prospect Collegeto gain first-hand experience of the varietyof apprenticeship schemes on offer to

young people. She said: “I was thrilled tosee so many young people learningdifferent trades and putting their talents touse. Having such a range of hands-oncourses, supported by the necessaryequipment and teaching, will ensure ouryoung people can get the knowledge andskills they need to access worthwhile andfinancially rewarding jobs in the future.”

Options boost for young people

Engineering courses at Prospect College

Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network

Do you want to find out more about stroke and how toprevent a stroke from happening?Then come along to a free event onWednesday 21st July at 10am

Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network and NHS South West Essexare holding a stroke awareness day at the Towngate Theatre inBasildon.Find out about:

How to recognise a possible strokeWhat to do if you suspect someone is having a strokeThe experiences of people who have had a strokeA Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA), know as a mini stroke or strokeTypes of stroke - such as a clot or bleedWhen and why clot-busting drugs are usedThe Stroke AssociationHow to prevent a stroke by making changes to yourlifestyle

Listen to presentations, browse the stands, ask the clinical expertsyour questions and talk to people who have expereienced a stroke.

Free refreshments will be providedFor catering purposes, please let us know if you are coming byphoning Scarlett Kemp on 01268 705087

www.ecsnetwork.nhs.uk

Jane Li reading the District Diary

14 May 2010

Members of Basildon Youth Council gave the underpass near Gloucester Park swimming pool a sparkly spring cleanat the start of April. After their peers said graffiti removal is a top priority for them, the Youth Council set aboutfinding the worst spots in Basildon and the underpass was chosen as the first area to tackle. The Youth Councillorsspent the day sweeping down the underpass and giving it a fresh coat of paint to hide the graffiti. To join Basil-don Youth Council or find out more about what they do, email them at basildondistrictyouthcouncil@google-mail.com. The project was funded by the Basildon Community Safety Partnership.

GGRRAAFFFFIITTII BBUUSSTTEERRSS!! VIGILANCE HELPS PROFILEOFFENDERS

A national project aimed at cutting crime bytargeting known offenders has led to successfulprojects being implemented in Basildon. Basildon Community Safety Partnership was

invited to join the Vigilance Programme by theHome Office. The programme’s aim was to crack down on

known offenders who cause the most damage toour communities particularly in relation toburglary and robbery. Bala Mahendran, Chairman of the Basildon

Community Safety Partnership and also thepractitioner representative on the national SeniorVigilance Board at the Home Office said: “Basildonhas benefitted greatly from joining theprogramme and has allowed the CommunitySafety Partnership to develop an intelligence-ledapproach to targeting its most prolific offendersand put in place a number of projects which willhelp to keep Basildon a safe place to live, workand grow.” One of these projects is the ‘Offender Profiling’

initiative. Funding was given to allow analysis ofBasildon’s most prolific offenders and create 14offender profiles. The profiles establish whereoffenders are likely to offend and how theycommit their crimes, making it easier for the policeto predict their movements, preventing them fromcommitting offences. Operation Brightshadow, also funded by the

Vigilance programme, is an overt police operationwhere prolific burglars are followed with a videocamera, and has led to a number of arrests locally.

BASILDON Council’s clean-upcrews have given Vange a ‘springclean’ with the start of 12 clean-upand amnesty days planned for 2010 tomake the district cleaner.The hit squad included graffiti

cleaning crews, street sweepers, parkscrews, and litter pickers from theProbation Service carrying out theircommunity payback. A rubbish amnestytook place on the day focusing onaround 3,000 properties in the VangeHill Drive region in March, andcollecting 68 tonnes of rubbish.Feedback from residents has been

positive, with many thanking theCouncil for the opportunity to haveextra rubbish collections for largeritems.Cllr Malcolm Buckley, Cabinet

Member for Environment, said: “TheCouncil is determined to keep thedistrict clean, and periodic “springcleaning” helps to add the sparkle we allwant to see.“I hope residents will support the

Council in making our district an evenbetter place to live.”Rubbish collected included fridge

freezers, TVs and washing machines.Cllr Luke Mackenzie, Assistant

Cabinet Member for Community,added: “As the ward member for VangeI have been lobbying for a clean up andwelcome this event. Vange residentswant and deserve to live in a clean andpleasant environment and the clean upwill go a long way in improving thelocal environment on top of theCouncil’s regular services.”

DISTRICT GETS “SPRING CLEANING”12 JuneLittle Oxcroft/ FiveLinks, Laindon

26 JuneThe Knares area, Basildon

10 JulyGhyllgrove area, Basildon

24 JulyCraylands, Basildon

7 AugustNoak Bridge Village

21 August Rectory Road area,Pitsea

11 SeptemberStagden Cross area,Vange

25 September Valence Way area, Laindon Hills

9 October Keats Way area, Wickford

16 October Hannikins Farm area, Billericay

CLEAN-UP/AMNESTY DAYS IN 2010

Clean-up crew during rubbishamnesty

Local caterers help fight obesityFIFTEEN local businesses and caterers took partin a free training course to help tackle obesity andencourage healthy eating.Basildon Council, in partnership with NHS South

West Essex, offered the free training course toencourage businesses to take part in the Essex HealthyEating Award.Businesses that applied for the award had their menu,

hygiene and cooking methods assessed on twoseparate visits by the Council’s environmental healthteam. Those receiving a gold or silver award must

now offer healthy food on at least a third of their menu,adopt healthier cooking techniques and display goodhygiene standards.Cllr Richard Moore, Cabinet Member for

Development Control and Customer Services, said:“We think the awards are a good way of encouragingcaterers to offer healthier meals as well as recognisingthose that already do.”For businesses in your area that offer healthy choices

and good hygiene standards, visit www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk.

15May 2010

THIS SERVICE CHARTER DETAILS THE SERVICE YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US.TO SUPPORT VICTIMS AND WITNESSES OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR WE WILL:

• Make it easy for you to report anti-social behaviour

• Take your complaint seriously and investigate it thoroughly

• Provide you with a single point of contact for those cases being investigated

• Offer you a preferred choice of communication

• Keep you informed about your case and provide you with updates (within timescales agreed with you)

• Provide you with appropriate support, working with our partners and other service providers

• Utilise the full range of tools and powers available to tackle anti-social behaviour• Keep you informed about how we are tackling anti-social behaviour and offer the opportunity for community feedback

• Provide you with a route to raise your concerns when you consider that anti-social behaviour you have reported is not being tackled positively

VICTIM AND WITNESS SUPPORTANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOURSERVICE CHARTERTackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for Basildon’s Community Safety Partnership. We are committed to tacklinganti-social behaviour and will use the full range of tools and powers to ensure victims and communities are protected. Wewant to cultivate a sense of trust and respect among residents, where communities and agencies work together to tackleanti-social behaviour.

We know that being a witness or victim of anti-social behaviour can cause stress and upset. We will ensure that we deal withyour case in a timely, supportive and professional way and that you are treated fairly and with respect.

ANTI-SOCIALBEHAVIOUR

HOW DO I REPORT ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR?Essex Police 0300 333 4444 (non emergency)

999 in an emergency

St Georges Community Housing Anti-Social Behaviour Team 01268 465130, asb@sgch.org.uk

Basildon Council Environmental Health (noise nuisance) 01268 284280

Streetcare (graffiti, fly tipping, abandoned vehicles) 01268 294949

RIGHT TO COMPLAINTWe recognise that sometimes you may not be satisfied with the service you receive.If you wish to make a complaint about the way an anti-social behviour case has been dealt with contact:

Essex Police at any police station, on 0300 333 4444 or at www.essex.police.ukSt Georges Community Housing on 01268 465130 or via the website: www.sgch.org.uk

STEELWORK is appearing out of the ground,and the hole for the first 50 metre swimmingpool in Essex has been dug, as the constructionof the Basildon Sporting Village steps up a pace.The pool, that will be 50 by 21 metres and 1.8

metres deep, will have eight lanes and a dividingboom enabling the pool to be split into twocommunity pools. There will also be seating for400 spectators.The Sporting Village, opening in April 2011 will

also boast a large sports hall, a regional gymnasticscentre, fitness centre, multi purpose studio andclimbing wall. Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet Member for Leisure

and the Arts, said:“The progress on site is great tosee. This will be a fantastic facility for the wholecommunity to use and be a part of.”Once complete over 820 tonnes and 5000 pieces

of steelwork will have been erected on site.

taking place every week including PlayRangers which provides year round projectsfor children and young people; “Get backinto…” which runs basketball, tennis andnetball session aimed at getting people intheir 30s and 40s back to taking part insporting activities they enjoyed in theiryounger years; and Active+ whichencourages over 50s to get involved inphysical and sporting activities.Cabinet Member for Arts and Leisure, Cllr

Kevin Blake, said: “Basildon Council is proudof the leisure projects we make available to

the local community. “The ‘Get Out There’ scheme has continued

to go from strength to strength and is agreat way for people in the district to be-come more physically active and moreaware of their health.”For more information on the Get Out

There activities available in your area visit:www.getouttherbasildon.co.uk.“Get Out There” is delivered jointly by

NHS South West Essex Community Servicesand Basildon Council and is funded by Basil-don CDRP and NHS South West Essex.

Basildon District 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 District Diary after reading.

Successful year for “Get Out There”

Sporting Village construction continues

‘Get Out There’ success makes the headlines

BASILDON Council’s “GetOut There” scheme hasbeen hitting the headlinesfor all the right reasonsover the past year.The successful “Get Out

There” programme isaimed at improving thehealth of residents of allages in the district by in-creasing physical activitylevels and healthier eating. It primarily targets the

most deprived communi-ties where lack of afford-able activities creates abarrier to healthylifestyles. Activities are provided

both for free and at ex-tremely subsidised rateswith the most expensivecosting on average £2 persession.Over the past year

residents have beenbenefiting from over 35scheduled activities

Sporting Village takes shape

SPINNING YOUR WAY TO FITNESS

Get you hands on your free copy of the new Spring/Summer edition of “Get Out There!”packed withlots of exciting activities for all the family in the district including cycling, badminton, dancing,trampolining and many more!

To get your free brochure visit your nearest leisure centre, or email: richard.meggison@basildon.gov.uk to request your copy.

For Get Out There! news and updated activities visit www.getouttherebasildon.co.uk.

THE new spinning centre at theEversley Leisure Centre hasbeen given the thumbs up byusers of Basildon Council’s GymExpress.Spinning is an aerobic exercise

which takes place on a speciallydesigned stationary bike and issuitable for all ages andabilities.The Gym Express based at

Eversley Leisure Centre in Pitseais a cut price gym offering state-of-the-art fitness equipment ata fraction of the price youwould usually pay, and with nojoining fee or contract, the gymhas proved a big hit.With its increasing member-

ship and the opening of the newSpinning studio, the Council have

now extended the gym makingit the best facility for spinning inthe local area. Over 16 spinning classes are

held each week and GymExpress is the only one in thedistrict to offer classes on a “payas you go” basis.Cllr Kevin Blake, Cabinet

Member for Leisure and the Artssaid: “The Gym Express hasbeen a great success and is vitalin keeping residents usingleisure facilities during theeconomic downturn whenpeople have been giving upluxury items like gymmembership.”To join Gym Express or one of

the Spinning Classes call EversleyLeisure Centre on 01268 583076.

(L -R) Cllr Kevin Blake at Gym Express and the new spinning studio