Friday 31 December 2010

Grey Skies Portend Grey Times Ahead

Misty woodsGREY SKIES hung over the Borough this afternoon as residents prepared to usher in tomorrow’s New Year, and the morning mist, which stubbornly refused to move from low lying regions, obscured a previously visible horizon.

The conditions perfectly expressed the political weather that lies ahead.

Borough councillors face an ominous task in 2011, paring back overheads and public services to achieve almost 30 per cent cuts over the next two years. Few residents are likely to be happy as the axe falls; but the majority of Canvey Beat readers agree: deep cuts are necessary, and members should not increase Council Tax or Business Rates to lessen their impact.

Thursday 30 December 2010

Local Hustings On The Canvey Beat In 2011

Live blogTHE CANVEY BEAT will be inviting all Canvey Island Town Council candidates to take part in six live husting events, hosted during April, on this Blog. Individual candidates will be invited to take part as panellists in one of six live debates, each covering one of the Canvey Island wards.

The debates will take place on consecutive Friday and Saturday evenings, at 7.00pm, commencing Friday 8th April 2011, and all will follow a simple format:-

  • All candidates will be given five minutes in which to present an election address – with incumbent councillors going first and others following in alphabetical party order.
  • Those addresses will be followed by questions from those viewing the event live in their browsers, and others, put on readers’ behalves, which have been emailed-in.
  • Each debate will last approximately one hour and, after it has ended, will be archived and immediately made accessible to anyone unable to attend the live event.

… (Ted Pugh, 30/12/2010) – Planning The New Year

Sunday 26 December 2010

A New Year Dawns As The Borough Thaws

January thawAT THIS TIME LAST YEAR, Canvey Beat readers were debating whether Bob Spink, with the Echo’s support, would again retain his House of Commons seat as the Borough’s MP in May’s general election. This year, this Blog’s readership will be debating whether Dave Blackwell and his Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) can retain control of Canvey Island Town Council in the local elections to be held in May.

Blackwell and his party, like Spink last year, can be expected to receive a great deal of friendly press coverage from the Echo; but that did not help Bob Spink’s campaign. Instead, the paper’s local political coverage alienated a large swathe of residents when it became apparent that it was supressing publication of relevant breaking news and evidence produced by this Blog.

Looking Forward To 2011

New YearTHE CANVEY BEAT underwent a major upheaval in 2010 when, in June, it was decided to move away from its original WordPress host and take advantage of the multi-media capabilities offered by Google’s BlogSpot. Unlike WordPress, BlogSpot provides full JavaScript support and also permits unrestricted advertising (which was a major consideration in the decision to move).

The Canvey Beat underwent a number of significant changes. Freed from WordPress restrictions, this Blog can now provide live coverage of interesting local and national events – as well as providing live links to all the breaking national and local news in its STOP PRESS column. And, instead of being confined to plain text and image content with hyperlinks, the new Canvey Beat can now provide full interactive access to supporting documents within its articles, together with full video hosting.

Monday 20 December 2010

The Canvey Beat Will Be Back In The New Year

A Merry Christmas To All Canvey Beat Readers

Christmas Card

Readers Reject Council Tax Increase Option

Council tax poll resultsCANVEY BEAT READERS have strongly rejected the idea that Council Taxes or Business Rates should be increased in order to find the savings that Castle Point Borough Council needs to satisfy the demands of central government.

In three 48-hour straw polls, conducted by this Blog, 92 per cent of businesses said they could not afford any increase to their business rates – with only 8 per cent prepared to pay a one per cent rise.

An overwhelming 100 per cent of readers rejected any idea of Canvey Island Town Council receiving an increased precept.

Voting was softest when asked how much extra readers could afford to pay in Castle Point Borough Council Tax. Sixty-four per cent said they could not afford any increase; but 29 per cent were happy to pay a two-and-a-half per cent rise – and seven per cent were prepared to pay up to five per cent more.

Bar Monico’s Licence To Be Reviewed

Canvey MonicoESSEX POLICE have called for a review of the Bar Monico’s Liquor Licence after it was found to be in serious breach of new mandatory conditions that came into force on 6th April and 1st October 2010.

Despite the conditions being explained to Mr Derek Gray and Mr Reece Turner, the licensees, it is alleged that, during its Howl Or Scream Halloween event, alcohol was poured directly into the mouths of under-18s by staff – and a male exposed his penis to female customers.

Saturday 18 December 2010

Not An Easy Question To Answer

CPBC Income and Expenditure 2009-2010THE FINANCIAL QUANDRY, which Castle Point Borough Council finds itself placed in by severe government spending cuts, is not easily solved. That fact is illustrated by so few readers responding to the question: ‘What would you cut?’

Jean Burroughs finds the question impossible to answer. ‘The problem,’ she says in her email, ‘is that so few people know what the Council spends its money on.’ And she goes on to say: ‘I just feel fortunate that I am not one of the councillors forced to make these decisions.’

Friday 17 December 2010

What Is It With The Echo?

Mayor stops critic speaking at debateEVERY NEWSPAPER has a right to its own editorial opinion; but in its columns, unless it is clearly marked as an advertorial, it has an overwhelming duty to ensure it prints the facts.

That duty is clearly something that the Echo’s editorial department simply disregards whenever Dave Blackwell or his associates are mentioned.

It is known that Bob Spink, Castle Point’s last MP, held a sword of Damocles over editors’ heads - threatening to sue them over stories they had written about the former’s marriage – if they once again impugned his image. It is that threat that lay behind the Echo’s reluctance to pursue the topic of Bob Spink’s expenses and other allegations that were consequently confined to this Blog. But Bob Spink no longer holds power – and the man, it could be said, now has no image to impugn. There is enough information on this Blog and its WordPress sister to ensure that any libel action undertaken by our deposed MP (if he can now in fact afford such actions without access to taxpayers funds) would be summarily dismissed.

Canvey Island Prepares For More Public Protests

Spink addresses the paddling pool protesters earlier this year

THE IMAGES OF THE ONE HUNDRED or so protesters organised by Bob Spink and the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) may soon re-emerge in the local press as Dave Blackwell’s party launches its attempt to keep control of Canvey Island Town Council in the run-up to May’s local elections.

The swingeing Government cuts, imposed upon Castle Point Borough Council, will provide the opposition leader with just the issue he needs to accuse the Conservative majority of disregarding islanders’ wishes. And, just as Spink alluded to the real CIIP’s objective of achieving Canvey’s separation from Castle Point in the accompanying David Bullock video, Blackwell and his party’s members will again represent public protest as support for that separatist policy.

Thursday 16 December 2010

Castle Point Council Faced With 30% Cuts

Pam Challis announces the cutsDESPITE ITS FINANCIAL PRUDENCE, Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) members are faced with the herculean task of having to reduce their expenditure by some 30 per cent over the next two years. Government funding will be reduced by 17.6 per cent from April next year – and 12.1 per cent the year after.

Castle Point Borough Council Leader Pam Challis announced the news to shocked members at the Full Council meeting held on Tuesday evening.

The cuts are much more than anticipated. This year CPBC received £6.65 million as its formula grant from government, crystallising the two reductions as  £1.17 million next year and a further £663,000 the year after.

‘It is important that we all work together,’ Pam said, as she concluded her announcement.

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Canvey Beat Readers Back Government Cuts

Poll on Coalition CutsIN A 48 HOUR STRAW POLL, Canvey Beat readers backed the Coalition Government’s programme of cuts.

Fifty-five per cent were in favour, against 45 per cent who were opposed or undecided.

This week the Government will put flesh on the bones of its Autumn spending review and, by the end of the week, councils will have a good idea of how the cuts are likely to impact them.

Saturday 11 December 2010

Use Snow Time To Tweet Or Build Your Free Website, Says Essex FSB

penguinESSEX FEDERATION of Small Businesses is urging business owners facing quiet periods due to the snow and ice to use the time to revise their marketing plans and start using social media and the internet.

Essex FSB Chairman, Iain Wicks, said: “We know that the current bad weather has meant many business owners are seeing fewer customers through their doors and we are encouraging people to use that time to develop their marketing and internet presence.

“Many businesses are finding that using Twitter and other social media is proving successful for them and, in very little time, it is possible to develop a presence which will raise the profile of your business and help attract more customers.

Friday 10 December 2010

CITC To Undergo Rebranding For May’s Local Elections

CITC WebsiteNOT CONTENT with re-inventing themselves as the Canvey Island Independent Party to hoodwink islanders into thinking they were voting for something new, failed ex-Labour councillors, who are now comfortably installed in Canvey Island’s Town Council, have decided to refresh that establishment’s failed image by completely overhauling its rarely used Website.

The image conscious councillors passed a resolution to employ local firm, Impact Media Design (based in Charfleets Farm Way) to conduct the work - at a meeting of the Canvey Island Town Council on 19th July this year.

Thursday 9 December 2010

And Now: FREE Local Advertising Via Twitter

HomepageSINCE INTRODUCING this Blog’s live STOP PRESS panel, the number of readers whom have set the Canvey Beat as their homepage has increased from just under 25 per cent to 43 per cent (as of yesterday).

Local residents are discovering that the Canvey Beat is the only place on the Web that now brings together all the local and national news as it breaks – as well as providing local weather information and immediate announcements from Essex and Castle Point Council Twitter feeds. Moreover, local business information is also made immediately available via tweets from the Federation of Small Businesses.

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Now That Is A Majority Decision!

Live Blog CoverageWITH JUST OVER A FORTNIGHT to go before Christmas, now is not the best time for readers to be asked their opinions on how they would like to see the Canvey Beat’s Live Blog facilities used.

Most have far more important things to do as they settle down to writing Christmas Cards and preparing for the festive season, so my sincere thanks goes to those who took time-out to participate in the two 48-hour straw polls in the new STOP PRESS panel. (Readers may also have noted that, to encourage its use, I am also publishing a funny video in that column each day – at different times – to help lighten the mood).

Saturday 4 December 2010

Advertise Your Events And Appeals For Free

Stop PressCANVEY BEAT READERS can now take advantage of a new 24 hour Stop Press panel - providing live breaking news snippets - to inform other guests and their families of their own news and forthcoming events.

Local organisations; Bloggers; and aspiring young reporters are also invited to provide their Twitter account names so that those feeds can be incorporated into the feature’s live content.

If you need to advertise a forthcoming event or make an appeal: just enter your company or private name in the 'Your Name' field and then write your post in the 'Send questions or comments' box.

Approved content will normally be published within 24 hours.

Friday 3 December 2010

A Feisty Performance From Rebecca

Rebecca Harris MPOUR LOCAL MP, Rebecca Harris, today showed the nation why she had been elected to serve the Castle Point constituency. In presenting her Private Member’s Bill to the House of Commons, this morning, she made an impassioned, eloquent speech calling for the benefits of Single Double Summer Time to be investigated – and not once tripped over her words or diluted her argument with attacks upon its opponents.

It was a polished delivery, belying the fact that our MP has little commons experience, and was delivered with a masterful command of keeping a wary eye upon the opposing benches (where the Scots sat).

The debate went all Mrs Harris’ way, despite an unedifying attack upon Peter Hitchens (at the Mail on Sunday) by Tobias Elwood - one of Rebecca’s supporters and author of an extensive missive of all the benefits that SDST could bring - for the reporter to have dared to use the term: ‘Berlin time’ in a fortnight-old MoS article.

Oh, What A Wally!

Im StupidI KNEW I would have problems during this Blog’s first live broadcast – and that the technology would have ‘bugs.’ But the ‘problems‘, earlier this morning, were confined to my own stupidity.

I managed the event keeping a wary eye on the system’s visitor counter, wondering why it only peaked at eight viewers and deciding not to engage those few with the various polls I had prepared – because the results would have no statistical basis. Similarly, I confined myself to Parliament’s proceedings rather than broadening the various issues out as I would have liked.

Tuesday 30 November 2010

Live Blog: Rebecca Presents Her Daylight Saving Bill To Parliament

Calling All Castle Point Residents – And Bloggers!

Rebecca HarrisTHIS FRIDAY, the 3rd December, the Canvey Beat will be venturing into live Blogging with coverage of our local MP, Rebecca Harris, as she presents her Private Member’s Bill to the House of Commons. Live coverage will begin here at 9.00am and continue until the vote has been counted.

Visitors will be able to contribute by commenting; asking questions; and contributing to various live polls throughout the time the broadcast remains ‘on air’ – and any local Blog will be able to carry the feed (to ensure their readers remain on their sites) by simply emailing me a request for the embed code.

Sunday 28 November 2010

Neville Congratulates TC On ‘Spectacular’ Event –But Fails To Acknowledge Those Whom Made It All Possible

ClownNEVILLE WATSON, Castle Point Borough Councillor for Canvey’s Winter Gardens Ward, decided to use the Canvey Island Independent Party’s Blog, yesterday, to congratulate the Town Council on its £20,000 Christmas event, held last Saturday.

Neville makes no mention of his recent call upon councillors to reduce their allowances – or mention the fact that his party, currently in control of the Town Council, has budgeted to introduce lucrative personal allowances for its members this year.

Perhaps that sordid matter has just been brought to his attention, and he has decided to remain quiet.

Saturday 27 November 2010

And Now – A Local Newsreel Widget

Local NewsreelREADERS WILL KNOW that I am not a particular fan of the local Echo’s coverage of Canvey Island politics; but that I nonetheless provide its daily feed in this Blog’s widget columns. Also, regular guests will know that the Canvey Beat used to provide feeds from the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, and the Guardian; but that I removed them because so few readers made use of their facilities.

It took me some time; but I finally realised that Canvey Beat readers were not interested in national news. They seek out this site to supplement their knowledge of local matters.

It is to that end that I have now introduced a ‘Local Newsreel’ widget in this site’s first right-hand column, above the Echo feed. Powered by Google, it draws upon that search engine’s news database to provide customised local coverage according to the topic chosen in its header. For instance, clicking upon ‘Rebecca Harris MP’ will return the top news articles recently written about her – and, clicking upon ‘Canvey Island’ will bring up the latest news regarding our local football team. Just click on the headline that attracts you and the article will open in a new browser window.

Friday 26 November 2010

Confusion Over Concord Beach Fund Raising

Seaside pleasuresTHE CONCORD POOL issue seems set to dominate the local press this winter as the Echo prematurely announced, on 13th November, that Canvey Island Town Council (CITC) had saved it from destruction. As usual, the paper gave voice to the Canvey Island Independent Party’s posturing over the issue - hoping to put pressure on Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) to remove the condition that the Town Council also take over responsibility for the pool’s beach area.

Having placed itself in a dubious financial position and faced with the need to increase resident contributions, while all other Councils seek to reduce their costs, CITC is currently doing everything it can to save face over its public promises regarding the Concord Pool. But just how it can maintain that particular asset without the right to have a labour force or its materials access it – and be obliged to restore the beach area to a suitable pristine condition afterwards – is anyone’s guess.

Thursday 25 November 2010

Ray Prepares To Take The Fight To Island ‘Independents’

Candidate Ray HowardIN A STATEMENT issued today, the local Castle Point Conservative Association announced their pleasure at Ray ‘Mr Canvey’ Howard agreeing to stand for re-election as Borough Councillor for the Canvey Island West Ward in next year’s May Council election. At the same time, the Echo was announcing yet another island fight that Ray had successfully concluded – rescuing Winter Gardens’ pre-school budget from Essex County Council.

Ray will lead a strong team of candidates, committed to winning back Conservative seats from the Independent Party. He will be joined by James Parkin in South Ward; Mark Howard in Winter Gardens; Lydia Parkin in East Ward; and Chas Mumford in North Ward.

At the same time the Conservatives will be battling to gain control of Canvey Island Town Council. Candidates already in place include Bill Sharp in Central Ward; Tony Belford in South Ward; and Pat Haunts in North Ward.

The selection process for remaining seats will continue over the coming weeks.

Tuesday 23 November 2010

Party Tricks

HERE IS a little party gem that may prove useful to readers over the coming festive season – particularly if you do not have the funds to stand the next round yourself.

This video is currently doing the rounds on the internet – so beware…

How to get that cork out of the bottle

Saturday 20 November 2010

Less Than 1% Of Voters Visit CPBC Website?

You stole my voteACCORDING TO COUNCIL OFFICERS, providing information to last Thursday’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, visitors to its information page regarding changes to the borough’s waste collection policies totalled just 155.

The number of Castle Point residents, registered to vote, is 67,284.

It is an interesting comparison that Norman Ladzrie seized upon to support his argument that the Cabinet had not ensured that the majority of residents had been properly consulted over the Borough Council’s new waste policy – but was he right to do so?

As usual, with statistics, there is more to this than meets the eye…

Friday 19 November 2010

Council Constitution Blamed For Fortnightly Black Bag Collection By Blackwell

Blackwell in the hot seatCASTLE POINT BOROUGH COUNCIL’s opposition leader, Dave Blackwell, shifted uncomfortably in his high chair as he opened the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s meeting, last Thursday evening, in the Council chamber.

His committee had called-in the Cabinet’s decision to introduce weekly collections of food waste, using specially designed caddies, and confine the borough’s non-recyclable waste to fortnightly collections.

Councillors Norman Ladzrie (Conservative, St James); Martin Tucker (Canvey Island Independent Party, Canvey Island North); and Andy Cole (Conservative, St George’s) had been concerned that the Cabinet’s decision would lead to health problems from not collecting nappy and surgical waste on a weekly basis, which is currently the case.

Thursday 18 November 2010

Are British IQ Levels Declining – Or Is It Education Standards That Have Declined?

Book-headTHE BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM, over the past thirty years, has become a political football, passed between the main opposing parties, and fought over - as hyenas argue over fresh carrion. There is strong evidence to suggest that exams have become easier as the years have progressed, and many UK businesses now find that degree level immigrants have much more to offer than their British counterparts.

Dumbing down educational standards, it can be argued, has resulted in dumber citizens. And dumb citizens are easily controlled; because they are not taught to think for themselves.

Both here, and on my personal Blog, I recently exposed how the current national debate over our own MP’s Private Member’s Bill (regarding the adoption of Single Double Summer Time) has been hijacked by powerful lobbyists and self-centred interest groups by basing their argument for adopting SDST upon ‘manufactured’ statistical evidence from an old 1998, Labour Government commissioned report – whose authors remain anonymous.

Monday 15 November 2010

Rebecca Under Pressure From Sunday Mail’s British Time Campaign

Fatal road accidents since 1926FEW SITUATIONS can be more daunting than to find yourself suddenly propelled to Parliament, only to find that your name has been selected, by ballot, to research, prepare, and present a Private Members Bill on behalf of the Nation’s voters. Even more daunting when it falls upon you to choose a suitable cause; when you have only limited political experience; when the country finds itself on the brink of financial ruin – and you have just fought a tiring, blood-thirsty, political battle with a morally corrupt sitting MP.

Having just defeated Bob Spink in last May’s General Election – in a contest which few thought she could win, our new MP, Rebecca Harris, chose not to select a soft option; but finally come to grips with an issue that has polarised the British public ever since Railway Time was introduced in 1840. She proposed that the new Coalition Government seriously investigate the pros and cons regarding Britain’s Daylight Saving Time – including the option of dispensing with GMT and adopting Central European Time instead.

Thursday 11 November 2010

An Interesting Poll

Straw pollREGULAR READERS will remember that the old Canvey Beat, hosted by WordPress, used to frequently provide different straw-polls to assess reader opinion on a number of different local matters; but the poll it conducted regarding reader voter intentions, for last May’s local elections, proved to be hopelessly wrong as far as the island was concerned. The Canvey Island Independent Party, on a low turnout, swept aside all local opposition.

Monday 8 November 2010

Town Council Prepares For Friday Night’s £10,000 Extravaganza

Citizenship AwardsJUST ONE WEEK AFTER Castle Point Borough Council brightened residents lives with its self-funding fireworks display on Friday, 5th November, Canvey Island Town Council (CITC) is preparing to go head-to-head with its first Citizenship Awards celebrations – funded by £10,000 from precious reserves contributed by island taxpayers.

The costly event will take place at 7.30pm, in The Paddocks, this Friday, on November 12th – and all islanders are invited. It is understood that the current Chairman, CIIP councillor John Anderson, will be there sporting the Town Council’s Chain of Office (for which islanders paid £1,000; but which is so rarely seen by the public).

Saturday 6 November 2010

While Others Cut Their Cloth, Islanders Prepare To Take On Another Financial Burden

John BurridgeDESPITE WASTING OVER 78% of islanders’ annual Town Council precept on overheads, Canvey Island Town Council is attempting to recruit another administrator at its spacious premises in Canvey High Street.

Mrs Elaine De Can replaced Bosmere’s John Burridge in October - after just six months in office. The post being advertised is for the assistant’s position that she originally held.

The Town Council is casting its net as wide as possible in its search for someone capable of putting-up with Dave Blackwell and his Canvey Island Independent Party’s financial incompetence. Unusually, for such a post, there is no requirement upon applicants to have any formal qualifications; or any experience of Local Government.

Thursday 4 November 2010

Blackwell Looking Forward To The Borough’s Asset Auction

Dave BlackwellTHIS WEEK’S LIGHTER MORNINGS have apparently inspired the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) Leader, Dave Blackwell, to launch another dubious verbal attack upon ‘certain’ local Tory councillors - whom he felt unable to name. As readers of this Blog know only too well, Blackwell is only keen to point an unwavering finger at those he wishes to undermine when he can be sure of anonymity.

Innuendo, rumour and convenient political spin is Blackwell’s main stock in trade, so it would have come as no surprise for islanders to read his rantings in Monday’s Echo regarding: ‘A plot by certain Tory borough councillors to wipe out the town council.’

Saturday 30 October 2010

Time To Turn Back The Clocks?

British sunrise
THE UNITED KINGDOM will turn its clocks back an hour - at midnight tonight - in order to gain an additional hour’s morning daylight as the Earth’s rotation around the Sun leads us all towards the shortest day of the year (which coincides with December’s Winter Solstice).

At 11.37pm, Universal Time (or GMT), on Tuesday, December 21st, the life giving rays of our Sun will be at their weakest. The old Sun will ‘die’ and be ‘reborn’ to us at 8.07am UT on Wednesday, the 22nd of December.

Coincidentally, this year, there will be a full-moon eclipse at 8.17am on the Tuesday in which the planet will seem to disappear – before being fully visible again, in all its glory, fifteen minutes later.

It is unclear if this portentous event denotes the heavens’ support - or opposition - for our MP, Rebecca Harris, and her Private Member’s Bill.


Thursday 28 October 2010

87% Of Letchford’s Petition Signatures Invalid

CLOSE ON THE HEELS of Canvey Island Town Council’s Summer Fun package – that never was – Colin Letchford’s eight-month long petition for an Elected Mayor looks set to become one of this year’s biggest non-events. After handing-in his 4,442 strong signature, 179 page petition to Castle Point Borough Council for inspection last month, it transpires that only 588 signatures meet the requirements of the law relating to referendums and petitions.

Of those valid signatures, 93% are from Canvey residents and only 7% from Benfleet, Thundersley, and Hadleigh. It was therefore found to contain insufficient signatures of electors covering the whole of the Borough. In addition, the petition was also found to fail a further legal requirement in that it does not accurately describe the constitutional change being sought: namely an Elected Mayor with a Cabinet.

Thursday 21 October 2010

Another Late Night For CIIP Councillors

WHILE RESIDENTS ANXIOUSLY AWAIT details of how yesterday’s Comprehensive Spending Review will directly affect them and worry about the provision of local Meals on Wheels Services; Home Care Charges; Job Security; Benefit Reductions and huge increases in new Council Home Rents, the Canvey Island Independent Party’s blog – true to upholding its promise of keeping all islanders informed – has spent the last two months recording Neville Watson’s and other senior CIIP councillors’ appearances on the local celebrity circuit. But rumour has it that tonight will be an evening-in with a Chinese take-away and a six-pack as they anxiously follow the Tower Hamlets’ poll for an elected mayor on cable TV.

Unlike George Galloway’s Respect party, the local CIIP has been keen to distance itself from collecting resident signatures to have an elected Mayor - and an opportunity for Spink and Blackwell to launch a further attempt at controlling the borough. But, just as Galloway instituted the Tower Hamlets’ petition, there is little doubt that Spink’s fingerprints were all over Colin Letchford’s to provide an opportunity for the former to achieve another public office should he fail to be re-elected as our local MP.

Saturday 16 October 2010

Get Advice Before Starting Your Own Business

FIGURES PUBLISHED THIS WEEK show almost seven people out of work for every job registered in the local Castle Point Council area, putting it fourth highest in the country; but the Essex Federation of Small Businesses is urging the jobless to think twice before starting their own business.

South East Essex FSB Branch Chairman, Terry Taber, said: ‘The latest figures showing that for every job advertised in Castle Point there are 6.6 people unemployed is a very worrying statistic – and, following the Comprehensive Spending Review this week, it is likely there will be an increase in that figure as the public sector sheds jobs.

Friday 8 October 2010

That’s Not Quite True – Is It, Dave?

THE ECHO provided several of its precious column inches to covering the island this week. The paper reported that Joan Liddiard (Vice Chair of Canvey Island Town Council) would be hurling her ‘really bad knees’ from an aircraft in the hope of obtaining the £400 cost of making the parachute jump from donations she hoped to collect in support of the local Citizens’ Advice Bureau. One would have thought that, in her position, she could have called upon the civic support of the Town Council to cover the costs of her charitable venture - but perhaps there is nothing left in the local Grant Budget to make that possible.

Saturday 2 October 2010

Council Votes To Review Cabinet System

AT ITS FULL COUNCIL MEETING on Tuesday, Castle Point Borough Council voted 21 to 14 in favour of undertaking a review of the current Cabinet System in anticipation of Coalition Government changes to the Local Government Act, which currently makes the present system mandatory.

The Canvey Island Independent Party voted in block against Bill Dick’s amendment to Dave Blackwell’s original motion calling upon the Council to revert to the previous Committee System, employed under the last local Labour administration, which had led to the Council being rated one of the eight worst boroughs in the UK. At that time, John Prescott (the then Deputy Labour Prime Minister) had threatened to take central control of the Socialist run borough to rectify the lamentable state of its political leadership and administration.

Thursday 30 September 2010

Young Residents Requested To Complete Kismet Park Play-Space Survey

DESPITE Anne Wood’s well publicised complaints regarding Kismet Park’s Adizone and her Canvey Island Independent Party’s opposition to the park’s play-space budget being reduced by Castle Point Borough Council, it seems that the CIIP and its Town Council is unwilling to encourage the island’s younger generation to participate in the online survey designed to ensure that the needs of its young residents are met.

No information is provided on the Town Council Website, and it appears that no CIIP councillor has so far taken the trouble to encourage young resident participation in the exercise. Instead, CIIP councillors have been keen to call for Canvey Road’s railings to be replaced; re-launch their aborted campaign for a Youth Centre in the Paddocks under new leadership - and reduce previously encouraged resident expectation over Canvey Lake.

Wednesday 8 September 2010

The Gentle Author Visits Canvey

EACH SUMMER, as a respite from Spitalfields, I take a day trip to the sea. Last year, I enjoyed a visit to Broadstairs, but this year, inspired by a brochure given to me by Gary Arber, I decided to be more adventurous and go to Canvey Island. Printed by W.F.Arber & Co Ltd in the nineteen twenties – when Gary’s grandfather Walter ran the shop, his father (also Walter) was the compositor and uncles Len and Albert ran the presses – this brochure seduced me with its lyrical prose.’

You really should read the rest.

What are you waiting for?..

Friday 3 September 2010

More Spam From Tom Jea

AS I MAKE final preparations for my overdue vacation, I find that this site’s spam box - once again – contains numerous comments from YourLocalTownTalk’s editor, Tom Jea - who does not permit any comments to be left on his own Web pages. Instead, he seems to be obsessed with trying to obtain the last word on any comments criticising the Canvey Pool campaign on the Echo’s site, and championing the causes of Colin Letchford and the Swann sisters (as if being appointed their sole publicity agent).

This Blog, as readers will know, has a policy of publishing all comments, provided they are on topic and that - provided they are not boring - they libel no one but me. So, for completeness sake, I now publish all Jea’s latest accusations - belatedly.

Interestingly, Tom always takes his time over replying to posts; despite being this month’s most frequent visitor. One wonders if they are actually spontaneous or if he is receiving some help in constructing what he writes.

Tom: Blogger does not notify me when spam is received by this site. I need to physically sign-in to my control panel and review those items myself (which I only do monthly). None of your posts are being communicated to me because, it seems, Blogger has identified your IP address as generating spam. You have only yourself to blame for that.

If you want to post here again: change your IP address (or use an Internet cafe or Canvey’s public wireless node) and post using the Name/URL option – which will also give you the neglected opportunity of promoting your Website(s). Do not use a proxy service because your comments will not be published (and, in future, do not post ‘off-topic’ – because those remarks will definitely be killed).

I have actually permitted your libellous remark, Tom (regarding me being a liar) and I make no apology for quickly removing an unfounded remark when the reader sending me your leaflet’s image immediately emailed me to explain your original flyer was on white paper. However, I was glad to see you still visiting this site so early in the morning. Apart from myself and the late contributor, all other readers were in bed.

Confused visitors will see Cynical Observer’s fingertips holding Jea’s flyer up to his computer’s videocam in the leaflet’s images - which I then put together and captioned in Photoshop. In the second image I had Photoshop render the background in white – but there is still a slight blue cast from Cynical’s computer screen.

You are using a Mac, Tom, and you should have no difficulty in confirming what I say about the images – which both contain Photoshop tracking information. (It is visible in Windows based systems too, via the Properties tab).

... (04/09/2010) - Actually, it seems that the Photoshop information is not visible to all Windows users. It could be that this is a new Windows 7 thing - or that you need to have Photoshop CS5 Extended installed on your system.

Thursday 2 September 2010

CITC Press Release (Concord Pool)

Press releaseA meeting of Canvey Island Town Council took place last night (1st September) at the Paddocks, Long Road, Canvey Island, to receive and discuss an offer made by Castle Point Borough Council to transfer responsibility for the day to day management and operation of the old pool to the Town Council.

Council welcomed the offer, which it has been in favour of since the future of the pool was first cast into doubt, and resolved unanimously to accept in principle, subject to the Borough providing full details of the likely costs.

An unconditional acceptance cannot be entered into until the information that the Town Council has been seeking is released, to ensure that the Town Council obtains best value for money on behalf of its community and that next year’s outgoings can be met from the existing budgets which were set last January.

Council is very aware of and grateful for the publicity and support generated by Lea and Liz Swann and Colin Letchford, all residents of Canvey.

For more information, please contact the Clerk to Canvey Island Town Council on 01268 683965 or clerk@canveyisland-tc.gov.uk

2nd September 2010

... (Echo, 06/09/2010) - Town council poised to take on Canvey pool by winter

... (Methane Mud & Memories, 06/09/2010) - Now that's a paddling pool - in which Tom Jea eventually states that he is 'not practising any kind of journalism... just blogging'

Tuesday 31 August 2010

An Overdue Holiday Beckons

AS OUR CHILDREN return to school (and I can look forward to eating my hotel meals in peace) the Canvey Beat will be entering a quiet period. I will pick-up my new Nikon body from Jessops, later this week, and then venture forth into the English countryside in pursuit of photographic experimentation - and some autumnal stock.

I will leave you with the words of Tom Jea, to ponder over, as his just reward for being the most frequent Canvey Beat visitor this month (and all in the past eight days); but whether we will be reading more from YourLocalTownTalk’s editor is open to question.

Tom’s childish attempts to ensure only his name appears in this Blog’s Recent Comments widget, by making multiple, identical posts, has, on two occasions, led to his comments being treated as spam by Blogger. Both times I have rescued them from this site’s trash bin in order to ensure he can still use his Blogger account and continue making contributions.

If you are reading this, Tom – and I suspect you are – Blogger does not like spammers. That is probably why you had so much trouble trying to use your account here (until I accepted all your posts). However, I have no intention of accepting your spam again – so please limit yourself to single, relevant comments like everyone else.

Saturday 28 August 2010

In Order To Aid The Discussion

TOM JEA is currently defending his actions in distributing his Concord pool flyer during this year’s local election campaign, in the readers’ forum.

For those who have not seen it - or trashed their copy - both sides of the offending leaflet are reproduced here. (Click on the inset to see a larger version).

... (30/08/2010) - Tom Jea has apparently taken exception to the original flyer image I posted here. Unknown to me at the time, it contained a blue cast from the method used to produce it. The new image, now placed here, is (with the assistance of Photoshop) a more faithful reproduction of the original.

Monday 23 August 2010

Town Council To Vote On Concord Pool – Monday 13th September

CANVEY’S CONCORD POOL ISSUE is finally coming to a head. On Monday, 13 September, Canvey Island Town Council will vote on whether to take-over responsibility for the paddling pool from Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC).

What a fiasco this matter has been. Dave Blackwell, at the beginning of this year, could not believe his luck when CPBC’s Tory Cabinet voted to close the pool, citing funding and safety grounds. Immediately he went on the political offensive, using his position as Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to ‘call the decision in.’ He arranged press interviews; accused the Borough Council of being anti-Canvey; and, with Bob Spink’s help, began building the local issue which the Canvey Island Independent Party, and Bob Spink, so badly needed for their election campaigns in May.

The Scrutiny Committee assembled under the public’s gaze; but Blackwell made himself scarce. Despite his vocal criticism in the press, the matter was not to interfere with his holiday (and it was not possible to pend the issue until he got back). Dave did not want to be around when, surprisingly, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee backed the Cabinet’s decision in record time amid protests from the public gallery.

Blackwell and Spink rubbed their hands together in glee. It was the very result they were waiting for – and the only decision the committee could have taken, given the known facts. No one, outside the inner CIIP circle of the Town Council (TC), was then aware that the TC was sitting on over £291,000 of unallocated resident funds – and was perfectly able to provide a solution to CPBC’s financial problems if they had wished to.

This whole matter could have easily been solved by Blackwell in January: by simply offering to assist CPBC, from residents’ funds, in the constrained financial situation that it found itself.

The reason he made no such offer; and the reason he made himself scarce at the committee meeting is clear. He could not be seen agreeing with the Cabinet’s decision if he was to pursue his own political agenda of using the Canvey pool issue to embarrass Castle Point Borough Council and effect a means of winning CIIP seats at the local election. (Helping his close friend Spink to retain his Parliamentary seat at the same time.)

The scene was set for another island protest, stoked into flames by Tom Jea’s campaign coverage and Lea Swann’s frequent appearances in the Echo.

Jea even ensured a leaflet, advertising his protest site, accompanied CIIP and Spink leaflets on their way to residents’ doormats at the outset of May’s election campaigns. It is still not clear who actually paid for those flyers.

But this issue may yet bite Blackwell back. The £291,000 of residents' funds, which the TC was sitting on at the beginning of the year, has now been spent on Canvey Lake and Town Council Administration. If the TC is to find the money to take-on the island’s old paddling pool, it can only come from next year’s annual precept.

And that means a rise in Council Tax for you, me, and everyone else on this island.

The calculation, which CIIP Town Council members will be making on the 13th, is just how much they can push residents’ contributions to – without creating a new public protest, which, this time, is directed against them.

... (28/08/2010) - In this post's comment section, Tom Jea announces that the Town Council meeting will now take place on Wednesday, 1st September; but there is no mention of this change on the Town Council's Website.

... (28/08/2010) - In Order To Aid The Discussion

... (02/09/2010) - CITC Press Release (Concord Pool)

Saturday 21 August 2010

Adding Another Dimension

READERS of my personal Blog will know that, in order to earn some money, I freelance as a photojournalist. Last year I finally went digital and, for the last 12 months, I’ve been playing around with the medium; but now that I am comfortable with my new kit, I thought it about time I started using it to enhance the Canvey Beat’s coverage.

This, like the Canvey Beat itself, is a bit of an experiment; but, in order to provide readers with copies of the shots I take, I have handed the task of actually printing and despatching all images to PhotoBox.

There is only one photo that you can obtain at the moment, which has been covered on my personal Blog. It is actually a cheat that pushes the digital photographic medium (and PhotoBox) to its limits.

I used to do things like this in my old darkroom; but pushing a 35mm negative to A2, while ‘hiding the joins,’ would have been impossible.

If you click on the inset image you can see the photo at its original size in your browser - and you are free to ‘pinch’ this particular version if you like.

As a conversation piece it works brilliantly - but I would spin it like that, wouldn’t I?..

Friday 20 August 2010

The Canvey Beat Is Under No Obligation To Promote Political Spin

PERHAPS IN PREPARATION for Tuesday’s full moon, Tom Jea took up the Canvey Island Independent Party’s cudgel this week to begin howling about the ‘bad misinformation’ disseminated on this Blog. Tom tried to confine himself to the Concord pool issue (where his Website’s heart lies) but he could not help beginning his statement by promoting the same lie, which Colin Letchford used, to encourage residents to sign the latter’s ‘Elected Mayor’ petition.

The ‘Cabinet Leader,’ Jea says, is ‘voted in by fellow cabinet members.’

The statement is totally untrue.

Readers of the old Canvey Beat will remember that I once directed Jea’s attention to Castle Point Borough Council’s Constitution; but it seems he still has not read it.

Jea’s comments come just as the Town Council announced its own intention to set-up a Friends of Canvey Lake residents’ fund on the same lines as those recent financial implements created by Letchford and Swann – and close on the heels of Dave Blackwell’s attempt to cast aspersions on this Blog’s posts under the guise of an ‘Ian Day’ alias.

It seems that Blackwell and his friends are gearing-up for the long campaign to retain their Borough and Town Council seats and, as in the last local election, one of their ambitions is to discredit the Canvey Beat.

Of course, Dave Blackwell is understandably angry. Unlike the local media, the Canvey Beat does not provide space for his curious views. But neither does it provide prime space to any other local politician’s personal interpretation of the facts.

This is just a part-time Blog. It is not an online newspaper. Its main purpose has always been to highlight inaccurate political statements, which seek to deceive residents, and cut through political spin.

It can be argued that the Canvey Beat has a duty to put both sides of an argument; but it inevitably does. All its articles contain links to the sources upon which they are based, and readers can draw their own conclusions as to whether they agree with its editorial or not. They are also free to leave comments in the reader’s forum, or provide an email for publishing, if they wish.

Hypertext linking is the modern way of ensuring readers obtain a full picture - without running the risk of being accused of taking a quote out of context.

But Dave likes to see his name in print, accompanied by a quote that an overworked junior reporter does not have the time to query. When that fails, he resorts to commenting in a suitable readers’ forum, cloaked in an alias, to get his message across – or has one of his friends do it for him. (He can hardly use his own name lest it be proved he is lying).

Spin, it appears, comes as naturally to Tom Jea as it does to Blackwell - but residents can well do without it.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Town Council Announces Public Meeting To Bring Out The Begging Bowl

IN ITS SUMMER NEWSLETTER, Canvey Island Town Council (CITC) has announced a forthcoming public meeting (but it is not the Annual Public Meeting that residents have been denied). Instead, in the first sign that CITC is admitting to being completely out of its depth, the meeting will pass around the begging bowl to prevent the Town Council from sinking under its self-imposed Canvey Lake burden.

’We have earmarked reserves in the Council’s budget [of £50,000],’ the Town Council reports, ‘specifically set aside for this task, but the total cost of restoring the lake to something approaching its former glory will be enormous and the work will have to be spread over a number of years.’

The Town Council will have spent around £180,000 on the project by the end of this year.

’It has been suggested,’ the Newsletter continues, ‘that a “Friends of Canvey Lake” group should be formed. A public meeting will be arranged to discuss this, but in the meantime, anyone interested should contact the Town Council office by telephone or e-mail, or please call in during opening hours.’

The Town Council’s precarious financial position has already been reported on this Blog, and it is clear why CITC should now wish to follow Colin Letchford’s and Lea Swann’s leads to form a 'Friends of Canvey Lake’ fund. Out of every pound contributed by residents each year, 29p will have been spent on the lake’s regeneration (but that figure palls into insignificance when one realises that around 54p of every pound is spent on Town Hall administration). That leaves just 17% (around £47,000 a year) of the Town Council’s annual precept to be spent on other projects; but none of that is available when it plans to spend £100,000 on community events to increase its election year PR coverage.

The Town Council is virtually bankrupt and the ‘Friends of Canvey Lake’ plan seems to be a desperate attempt to avoid raising residents’ annual contributions from their council tax.

Islanders will ask themselves why the Town Council pressurised Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) into releasing their responsibilities for Canvey Lake when the TC was not in a financial position to undertake its restoration and maintenance. Furthermore, why did the Town Council not ensure they obtained sufficient grant backing for its renovation project in order to preserve resident funds?

Instead of taking-over the lake, why did the Town Council not encourage CPBC to live-up to its own responsibilities for the asset – and perhaps offer to assist financially in the lake’s improvements?

As time goes on, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the TC should abandon its Canvey Lake ambitions and return the community asset to CPBC control.

Islanders cannot afford the Canvey Island Independent Party’s political and financial incompetence any longer.

… (16/08/2010, Methane, Mud and Memories) – Canvey Town Council, Unlucky Or Awful

Sunday 15 August 2010

Doing A Blackwell

REGULAR READERS will have noticed that I made a complete ass of myself on two separate occasions reporting flash warnings from the Met office promising local torrential downpours. In both cases we had a little rain; but the predicted thunder and lightning, accompanied by metaphorical cats and dogs, never materialised.

Canvey, it transpires, does not have its own weather station (perhaps the Town Council can look into that). It seems that Shoeburyness is the nearest and one has the choice of reporting Met Office predictions for either Southend or Basildon.

Yesterday, I again attempted to provide islanders with some warning of the stormy weather flashed to me by my Met Office feed. We did, then, obtain the predicted downpour; but, when the weather brightened-up, this Blog was left with the old forecast as its lead – and I therefore deleted it.

Now weather forecasts are an important aspect of my life. I rely upon them to tell me when conditions are right for taking those lucrative stock photos – and I also need them to accurately predict when I can get away with not washing my car. Accurate rain forecasts, I have found, can save considerable expense in unnecessary, or ill-timed, valeting fees.

In an attempt to bring visitors these valuable savings, and ensure that all islanders are informed when the island needs to be evacuated, I have now placed a Met Office weather widget in this Blog’s right hand column. If nothing else, it is amusing to see how the five-day forecast often changes by the hour.

But there is a serious aspect to these predictions. Although the Met Office sometimes gets its predictions wrong, more often than not they are right. (I just appear to have had a particularly bad run on my published selection). Moreover, the gadget now placed in these pages is particularly powerful.

The key is not to rely too much on the description of the five-day forecasts; but to use the maps intelligently. They provide a snapshot of the rainclouds over England and Wales; barometric pressure and temperature – which are all regularly updated. In addition, a ‘Weather Warning’ icon appears in the gadget’s top right corner when conditions begin to change for the worse, and you need only click upon it to reveal the detailed information.

In particular, the gadget allows me to do a Blackwell.

I can now place the blame for my own dead trees upon the contractor I employed to plant them…

Friday 13 August 2010

Town Council Goes Ahead With £10,000 Citizenship Awards

THE FRONT PAGE of this week’s Yellow Advertiser is devoted to announcing Canvey Island Town Council’s new Citizenship Awards.

First announced to islanders in June on this Blog, the Town Council will contribute £10,000 towards the event, due to take place at 7.30pm, in The Paddocks, on Friday, November 12th. The amount is two-thirds more than that apparently spent on the island’s Armed Forces' Day Celebrations costing £6,000 – so it promises to be an extravaganza.

There are six categories of award.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is being sponsored by the Yellow Advertiser and rewards a person who has, in the course of their paid duties or voluntary work, provided exceptional service and demonstrated a lifelong dedication.

The Citizen of the Year Award will go to an inspirational resident who lives or works on Canvey.

A Young Citizen of the Year Award is to be provided for an under-21 who has made a significant contribution, achieved educational success, or overcome personal difficulties. This award still seeks a sponsor.

There is also to be an Educational Award; a Sports and Culture Award; and the inevitable Chairman’s Award (to be presented to someone for a specific single action of bravery, courage – or who has overcome exceptional difficulties).

Residents will receive a nomination form, presumably along with their voting paper for Town Centre pedestrianisation, in the summer edition of the Town Council’s newsletter (shortly coming to a doormat near you).

Jeff Rickards’ smiling face belies the fact that this is money the Town Council can ill afford to spend. But perhaps he is relieved that the £35,000 Summer Fun package has apparently been cancelled…

Thursday 12 August 2010

Rebecca Obtains Cameron’s Backing

OUR LOCAL MP, Rebecca Harris, has cause to celebrate this evening. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has agreed to consider plans to move Britain’s clocks forward by an hour to give the country permanent summertime.

In June, Ms Harris presented her Daylight Savings Bill to the House of Commons, which is intended to provide for an analysis of the costs and benefits of moving the clocks forward to provide more light in the evenings (and less in the mornings).

Rebecca needs government support if her Private Member’s Bill is ever to become Law.

The English tourism industry says that the change in time zone would boost tourism; and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents estimates that lighter evenings could save hundreds of lives a year by reducing the number of evening traffic accidents.

Some environmental groups are also in favour, arguing that it would mean less use of electric lights and reduce Britain’s carbon emissions.

However, the move is strongly resisted in Scotland, where it would mean that, in winter, the sun would not rise until almost 10am.

Mr Cameron was challenged to support the bill after delivering a speech in London promising to boost British tourism. He signalled that he was willing to consider the switch.

’We certainly will look at it,’ the Prime Minister said. ‘The argument will be won when people across the country feel comfortable with the change.’

He added: ‘It's up to those who want to make the change to make the argument to try to convince people right across the country that it's a good thing. People who like taking part in sporting activity and would like longer days are already quite easy to sway. That's the key to winning this argument.’

Rebecca’s Bill is due to face a decisive Commons vote in December; but it already has the backing of many MPs including Zac Goldsmith, the millionaire Conservative environmentalist, and Frank Field, the former Labour Welfare minister.

Rebecca has said: ‘I believe there is so much potential to improve people's quality of lives, and bring health benefits for everyone (children, the elderly, and people returning from work) that I think the government should examine the matter properly.’

Wednesday 11 August 2010

Neville Jumps On His Bike

THE Canvey Island Independent Party’s promise, to keep residents informed of local matters on their Blog, appears to have been interpreted by their jovial councillor, Neville Watson, as providing a personal platform for his own spirited musings.

In what is now fast becoming Neville’s personal column, this month’s update from the CIIP’s father figure is devoted to his latest visit to London.

Neville writes: ‘… On driving to London, I noticed that the roads were totally clear with no struggle to the capital, I thought I must have been on another planet!

’But no, upon arrival the roads were empty. I wondered if the Mayor’s new hire bike project was taking the traffic off of the road?’

As if responding to his teacher’s request to provide a short essay on what he did over the weekend, Neville treats readers to recalling his conversation with a gentleman whom he almost ran over while riding one of the Mayor’s new bicycles, and how he managed to place his tubular companion in the back of a taxi-cab. This is compelling stuff from the CIIP’s PR man, who is normally content to witter on about Tory conspiracies, secret meetings, and justified resident protests.

Neville, it appears, has his own thoughts about a promising local issue, which his party could exploit in the forthcoming election campaign in May. While his party leader, Dave Blackwell, casts around for an issue with which to beat the Tories over the head, Neville seems content to just offer his latest idea for his readers to contemplate.

No prizes for guessing what that bright idea is, however. After congratulating London’s Mayor with a, ‘Well done Boris,’ for ‘Giving people a lot of fun out there,’ Neville suggests:-

‘I do wonder if a similar scheme could be as successful in Castle Point?’

So far, CIIP Blog readers have left no comments to assist father Neville in his musings…
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