It can no longer paint the prospect of 5,000 new homes in the Borough as being the idea of the local Conservative majority – and it can no longer claim to be the Greenbelt’s protector. Instead it has shown that a minority party is incapable of influencing the political decisions that impact most upon residents’ lives – and it has also shown itself, by its claims that the Tories are the Greenbelt’s enemies, to be a liar.
As the local Tory majority begins rewriting its new homes policy in the wake of the newfound freedoms, and the Coalition moves to enshrine Greenbelt protection in Law, the CIIP finds itself in tatters. Upon the heels of having his mentor, Bob Spink, resoundingly defeated in the last election; the revelation that the CIIP run Town Council (TC) has been all but bankrupted by its ill-conceived policies; and the TC’s promise to islanders that it would save the island’s Concord pool (despite not having the financial resources to do so) Dave Blackwell is, reportedly, an increasingly dejected man.
Rumour has it that Bob Spink and his current partner, Gail Boland, are preparing to move from the constituency. It seems that his defeat in May’s General Election has taken its toll, and that plans to stage a comeback via a local Mayoral challenge have been put on hold. It is said he now believes that the prospect of a local referendum backing a call for an elected Mayor is very unlikely.
Spink’s apparent analysis of the situation is unlikely to please Blackwell who, although keeping his political distance from Colin Letchford’s Elected Mayor petition, has apparently been looking forward to standing with Spink in any subsequent campaign. Together they could have produced a straight island versus mainland contest; but, in the absence of Spink, the odds would favour an unopposed Conservative candidate on the mainland. Only Spink could have hoped to divide the mainland vote to make it a two-horse race.
Blackwell has between now and April next year in which to manufacture another local issue to protect the CIIP’s Town Council majority. Logically, that issue will probably be Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) cuts; but that is the one issue that has the most chance of back-firing on the CIIP. The Tories need only point to the TC’s profligate spending in the current financial climate and their subsequent increase in resident taxes to keep the Town Council afloat; and they need only point to the voluntary wage cuts, recently announced by Council, as compared to CIIP members changing the TC’s founding principles of not providing member allowances, to providing significant member benefits for which hard pressed residents must pay the bill.
If Blackwell’s party is to stand any chance of retaining the Town Council: it needs to abandon any plans it has to increase its annual precept; but few can see that happening unless the Canvey Lake budget is significantly cut, and plans for ‘Summer Fun’ and taking over the island’s Concord Pool are abandoned. In particular, Blackwell and his party need to abandon their plans to covertly raise the shroud of Canvey District Council in the guise of Canvey Island’s Town Council.
Blackwell needs to stop dreaming of the past and wake-up to how things really were and how much better they need to be.
The CIIP’s Town Council leadership has proved to be an absolute disaster. Its only claim is to have wasted residents’ money on building castles in the sky and misleading the local electorate.
As residents prepare themselves for extensive cuts by Castle Point Borough Council; but look forward to a new Town Centre fit for the 21st century, the Town Council needs to come to its senses and not waste the opportunity that brings.
It should now abandon its plans to take-over the Concord Pool. It should, instead, convince CPBC to close the new, Western Pool, and redirect its funds at reinstating the old pool, which islanders want.
It should abandon its plans for ‘Summer Fun’ and save that money.
It should abandon its plans for Canvey Lake and, instead, open negotiations with CPBC and BDP on how responsibility for the asset can be re-transferred to CPBC and improvements to it made in conjunction with BDP’s Town Centre plans. It should be the Town Council’s intention to contribute, if necessary, towards improving the lake from its earmarked funds.
Last, but not least, the Town Council needs to ensure that the new Town Centre plans are not derailed through parsimonious financial considerations when, from next year’s precept, it could well contribute additional funds to ensure residents’ expressed wishes are met.
If the Town Council were to adopt this strategy now, it would put itself on a firm financial footing for next year and create a pot of money with which to assist the Town Centre’s regeneration.
Perhaps then the Town Council could erect its plaques with some semblance of pride…
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