Not An Easy Question To Answer

THE 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.’

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.

Peter and Mary Unavailable For Comment

UNCHARACTERISTICALLY, Peter and Mary have avoided my emails and calls this morning as I attempted to obtain their thoughts on the Daily Telegraph’s latest article.

Headlined: ‘Bounty hunters to cut benefit fraud by £1bn,’ it seems that Holly Watt, Rosa Prince and Robert Winnett have compiled the one piece that our two benefit system cheats had been dreading.

’Private agencies are to be paid by the Government to reduce benefit fraud,’ the Telegraph announced.

’Finance experts will identify welfare cheats by trawling through their records, household bills and credit card applications.’

And the authors also revealed that the agencies would get a ‘bounty payment’ for each fraudster they identify.

Peter reverted to drawing upon the old Saxon language on the one occasion he answered his mobile phone to me today. Roughly translated, he spoke on his and Mary’s behalf to decline any further interviews - and hope that nothing untoward would ever blight my further attempts at journalism.

He said nothing of my housewarming invitation being in the post.

Canvey’s Triffids

ISLANDERS’ ATTENTION this week has been focused upon the perennial problem of weeds. The Echo devoted a column (fast becoming a habit) to Dave Blackwell, Canvey Island Independent Party leader, posing for the newspaper’s photographer amongst long grass and the offending triffids as they encroached upon the driveway to an island garage.

It appears that this year’s variety of stringy green invaders are too dangerous for residents to approach – let alone engage in mortal combat. Even the mercenary army, Pinnacle, is refusing to engage them in battle without further danger money for their soldiers.

The aliens are reported to be marching upon the area around the garages in Little Gypps Road; the pavements in Rainbow Road, Dovervelt Road and Larrup Avenue. Even the town centre is under attack.

Blackwell has appealed for reinforcements from Essex County Council; but his messenger, Brian Wood, has been unable to get through. Furthermore, it is understood that Castle Point Borough Council has been forced to withdraw its troops from defending council housing estates against the advancing enemy.

Colin MacLean, of the Methane, Mud and Memories battalion, sent a scouting party out to Maurice Road in an attempt to discover the enemy’s strength; but was forced to return without any prisoners. Heckled as a coward by armchair generals, it is not clear if Colin is now in any mood to make a further attempt.

The latest drone’s photograph (inset), taken during Canvey’s monsoon period earlier this week, shows that the second echelon of the triffid’s army is content to camp in Maurice Road while it is delivered supplies from the air.

While residents wait in trepidation, the enemy gathers in size and strength…

‘No Worries. It Won’t Apply To Us!’

PETER AND MARY were disturbed to find that David Cameron, the Prime Minister, was considering social housing today. In a Daily Telegraph article, the PM is reported as saying that: ‘Council house tenants should no longer be given the right to keep their properties for life.’

Mary was first to raise the obvious question: ‘What’s he mean? Does he mean we won’t be able to buy our property?’ (Interestingly, Mary already assumes that the three-bedroom council property, just granted to her and her two children, now forms part of her, and her boyfriend Peter’s, personal assets).

Cameron was addressing the situation where council tenants are currently awarded an indefinite ‘secure tenancy’ if they successfully complete a 12-month trial period. They can then only be evicted through the courts if they fail to pay their rent; cause serious problems for their neighbours; or under what are termed: ‘exceptional circumstances.’ If they die, their secure tenancy can be passed on to their child or partner.

Peter had been re-reading the article in earnest. ‘No,’ he finally said. ‘Cameron isn’t talking about us.

’He’s just talking about those bastards clogging-up the system and holding onto properties that are too big for them. If anything it works in our favour.

’If we have another kid, there may be an opportunity for you to get your hands on a four-bedroom property – and then we could really make a killing!’

’Are you sure?’ I asked, pointing-out another quotation. ‘Look at this.’

David Cameron had gone on to say: ‘There is a question mark about whether, in future, should we be asking, actually, when you are given a council home, is it for a fixed period, because maybe in five or 10 years you will be doing a different job and be better paid and you won’t need that home, you will be able to go into the private sector.’

For the first time since the coalition government took office, Peter and Mary actually looked worried. But it was not for long.

’Yeah,’ said Peter. ‘Maybe you are right; but it won’t effect us. It says here:-

‘”The Prime Minister said that any changes would not, however, apply to people already in social housing. The Conservatives pledged in their general election manifesto to protect the rights of existing tenants.”’

Only Mary continued to have doubts. ‘Better keep hold of that, Peter.’ she said, pointing to the newspaper, ‘Just in case we need to refer to it.’

While Mary made the tea, I was asking myself why Cameron, having finally confronted the issue of council tenant income, was still unwilling to confront Thatcher’s legacy of the Right To Buy. Surely income was a common factor.

’You’re gonna write this up, aren’t you?’ asked Peter. ‘I love the pieces you do on us.’

‘Oh, yes,’ I said.