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…

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.’

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…

Public Exclusion Back On The Town Council’s Agenda

THIS IS NOT PROVING to be a good week for the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP). Cynical Observer again unmasked Dave Blackwell as the contentious author of a comment, on this Blog, posted under the name of Ian Day – and, the very next day, the Echo had the audacity to blame the untimely death of newly planted Canvey trees on the CIIP led Town Council.

Echo readers were, justifiably, gob-smacked. PJR, from Basildon, said in the column’s comment section: ‘Is this the Echo publishing a story that is negative towards Canvey town council? Wow, I may just book that skiing trip to Hades after all!’

Sarah Calkin, it appears, had taken time out to attend the latest Town Council’s Environment and Open Spaces Committee meeting, held on 2nd August. But she makes no mention of being excluded, along with the public, when, according to the published agenda, the TC again resorted to a Section One resolution when it was to ‘consider and agree quotes for the fencing at Waterside allotments.’

Section Ones enable public bodies to exclude members of the public, and the press, from public meetings when ‘publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be
transacted.’

It seems that Section Ones, apparently dropped last year, are now firmly back on the agenda (just when the Town Council also deems fit not to publish minutes of their meetings on their Website for resident inspection – or publish their annual accounts).

One wonders why the Town Council applies a Section One to such discussions when tenders are being opened and they then have no commercial sensitivity; when the details of such tenders must, in any case, be recorded in the minutes; and when any related payments to contractors employed must be made available to anyone requesting to see the TC’s books.

Are councillors unwilling to let the public and their representatives see how many tenders were received, and from whom? And are they also unwilling for the public to know which councillors supported each tender?

Dave Blackwell is only too willing to point his political finger at Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) over its executive’s awarding of contracts; but it just so happens that he appears totally unwilling to use his privileged position to shed light on current allegations that a CPBC officer is presently under investigation concerning matters relating to council maintenance and repairs.

Is this Blackwell supporting Castle Point Borough Council’s position that: ‘The Council does not issue public statements on internal personnel matters?’ Or is it because Blackwell is unwilling to raise the issue because the spotlight might then fall upon Canvey Island Town Council?

That Blackwell has not publicised and spun this issue to accuse the Castle Point Tory majority of incompetence or corruption is entirely out of character.

The Town Council’s re-introduction of blanket Section Ones does nothing to relieve public suspicions – particularly when the TC cannot point to any of its lucrative contracts being awarded to island businesses. The only thing that appears certain, at this time, is that Blackwell and his CIIP are unwilling to incorporate the topic of local contract awarding in its political agenda. And this at a time when they are desperate to manufacture an issue upon which to fight next May’s local elections.

Meanwhile, it appears that Dave Blackwell is content to pass the blame on to King & Co Ltd, the TC’s Braintree contractor, for the death of the Tewkes Creek trees. In Sarah Calkin’s article he is reported as saying: ‘We employed the same contractors to plant the second lot as the first lot. They obviously didn’t realise the soil was different in the area where they planted the second lot.

‘When we look at the condition of the soil we will see if they are planted in rubble. We may have recourse to complain to the contractor.’

Well, maybe Dave can get a refund. After all, Sarah’s article puts the cost of the trees’ planting at ‘about £4,500.’

If only that were true, huh Dave?

According to the Town Council’s own accounts, free resident and child labour was supplemented by hiring King & Co’s services to the tune of £6,305.17. (£700 to hire machines and operatives; £5,255.17 for tree planting; and £350 to apply herbicide).

Wouldn’t it be interesting to know just how much a local contractor might have charged for similar work (and if they might just also have been aware of the local soil conditions)?..

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.

Warnings Issued Over Unofficial ‘Press Card’

(Press Gazette) – UNITED KINGDOM Press Card Authority chairman Mike Granatt has expressed concerns about a “press pass” being sold by a citizen journalism website.

Granatt said that his organisation, which oversees the voluntary press card scheme run by the news industry, is to make contact with police forces and other organisations across the country to alert them to the unofficial card.

Despite having a similar appearance to the industry-approved card carried by members of the UK press (inset), Granatt said the pass issued by Demotix had not been sanctioned by the industry.

Currently, 17 national news industry employers, trade unions and professional associations act as "gatekeepers" by issuing official journalist credentials across the UK.

These organisations include the BBC, Sky, ITN, the National Association of Press Agencies, the Newspaper Society and the NUJ and BAJ.

Granatt said: "The National Press Card is the card of professional journalists within the UK.

"All the major media organisations, associations and trades unions are part of the scheme…We have worked hard over many years to establish the National Press Card as the ID for professional journalists.

"It is designed to assure the police and others that the holder is a professional news-gatherer, working full-time to serve the public.

"Our concern is that the police and third parties might be misled by the Demotix card."

Canvey’s Dream Team Have Their Own Vision For Canvey’s Town Centre

IN HIS latest column devoted to recording quotations from Canvey Island’s Top Cat, Dave Blackwell, Max Orbach reports the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) leader’s further opposition to Canvey Town Centre plans.

This time, it is about the number of residential flats to be created in order to support Town Centre businesses. And, again, the mischievous Blackwell bases his concerns on the Borough Council’s Core Strategy that was derived under the duress of the last Labour government - and which now lies in tatters.

Blackwell, it appears, has no confidence in the Borough Council’s Planning Committee being able to forestall unwanted developer plans while that strategy is under review – despite his own membership of that body, and their recent rejection of Barrett’s plans in Thundersley.

Blackwell is reported as saying: ‘No one on Canvey knows about the real number of flats planned for the town centre,’ which begs the question: why is he raising the issue if he, also, is clueless?

Well, Blackwell obviously has his reasons. He is still casting around for an issue that can save his party the next local elections due in May, and, since Canvey Town Centre’s regeneration project is set to attract a great deal of press coverage during the intervening period, Blackwell and his chum Neville Watson are keen to latch onto it as a means of securing badly needed publicity. Unfortunately, the disruptive nature of their particular form of party politics prevents CIIP councillors from adding anything constructive to the local debate.

Despite evidence that pedestrianising High Streets has them morph into virtual no-go areas at night – attracting vandals, rapists and drug-dealers – the Town Council is intent upon ignoring the wishes of some 4,000 informed residents whom have taken the trouble to visit the town’s Canvey Comes Alive shop, and Website, to make their wishes known. Instead, driven by John Anderson (the Town Council’s leader) they intend to spend more residents’ money providing all islanders with a ‘postal vote,’ carefully phrased, to support the idea of paving the High Street over.

The fact that the majority receiving an invitation to ‘vote’ do not use the Town Centre for their weekly shop is, apparently, irrelevant.

And now, Blackwell and Watson are set on ensuring that the new Town Centre facilities lack the very customers which local businesses need to survive, grow, and flourish. They are against providing sufficient new flats to which elderly islanders can move to and access local services easier. And they are against any well-heeled, new blood, bringing their scarce resources into the Town and supporting local businesses.

’Canvey for Canvey, people,’ is Blackwell’s continuing cry.

What that means is: no progress; no support for elderly residents; no new homes for our children; no secure future for local businesses – and a new Town Centre that attracts the dregs of society as dusk falls, and residents fear to venture onto their streets.

Blackwell’s posing and twittering would be laughable – if the issue were not so serious. But, then, residents get what they vote for. In this case a dream team in which CIIP councillors live firmly in an imagined past.

The 21st Century, it seems, is a complete anathema to Blackwell’s bumbling luddites.

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.

Are You Trying To Tell Us Something, Dave?

THERE IS a definite air of backroom conspiracy emanating from the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) this week – and the intriguing hiatus appears to have its origin in Dave Blackwell’s last public appearance in the Echo.

Readers will remember that, on his last outing, Dave was pointing his finger at Castle Point Borough Council and accusing them of not using local contractors for local building work; but his criticisms back-fired on him when this Blog revealed that Canvey Island Town Council, originally led by Blackwell, could not claim to have employed any local island firms for their contract work either.

The loss of Bob Spink as Castle Point’s MP appears to have fatally wounded Blackwell’s party. Although still an active supporter and confidant, Spink’s political acumen and influence is no longer immediately at the party’s finger-tips, and, left to its own devices, the CIIP is belatedly struggling to find an issue on which to fight the next local and Town Council (TC) elections. It also needs an issue which can be used to turn attention away from the CIIP’s bumbling incompetence administering the TC.

In June, it appeared that the CIIP was intending to ‘buy’ May’s TC elections out of their £86,000 events budget for this year; but it seems that the reality of the TC’s financial position has led to them cancelling their ‘Summer Fun’ package. An anonymous reader, of this Blog, informed visitors that the events collated in the two PDF brochures, published on the TC’s Website, had ‘nothing to do’ with the Town Council.

‘Canvey Town Council have had absolutely nothing to do with the production of this leaflet,’ that reader informed us. ‘It is a collaboration between Canvey & Benfleet Extended Schools with contributions from other organisations so that all children in Castle Point have a comprehensive guide as to what is happening in the Borough in one place. Canvey Town Council have just uploaded it onto their site. It is delivered through schools to all pupils and is not posted to residents addresses and is of no cost to Canvey Island residents.’

Canvey Island Town Council make no mention of that on their Website; nor do they congratulate the collaborators whom have joined forces to provide Castle Point’s Youth with such badly needed resources during the summer holidays. It seems that town councillors would rather have residents assume that they played a vital role in organising those events – just as they appear to wish visitors to believe that the Annual Town Council Meeting (ATM), for residents, took place.

It did, and has, not.

The minutes on the Town Council’s Website for 24th May, mischievously labelled: ‘Annual Council Mtg,’ concern the usual annual appointments of a chairman and committee members following the local elections.

The last ATM was actually held on 27 April 2009 and the next is planned for 9th May 2011. Residents are not to be permitted the opportunity of hearing the Chairman’s Annual Report, or questioning councillors, in this the TC’s election year. And it seems that residents are not to be permitted to read TC minutes this year either. (Meeting agendas are available on the TC’s Website; but not a single minute has been published so far this year).

So what is this air of conspiracy surrounding Blackwell and his CIIP colleagues? The Canvey pool issue has run its course; the claims regarding new island housing have been shown to be just political lies; and the CIIP has found no traction in its complaints regarding the Adizone or Bumble Bee park.

Are we to see the revival of that old Spink chestnut, attempted by that once MP together with the political activist Luke Akehurst, during the general election campaign, accusing the local Tory party of corruption?

Is there something going-on at Castle Point Borough Council that Blackwell, as chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, is aware of, which could be spun to further his political agenda?

If there is, then Blackwell is uncharacteristically keeping it close to his chest. Perhaps he has been cautioned by Spink not to reveal his cards, just yet. That would be the course of following political expediency at the expense of the public interest – if the public interest were, in fact, involved.

Responsible politicians would, of course, use their privileged position in the council chamber to ensure the public interest was served; but perhaps there is a reason why Blackwell has chosen to keep quiet.

Or perhaps he is just saving his powder for the next full council meeting at which all will be revealed.

One can but hope…

‘Sarah’s Law’ Comes To Essex

THE HOME OFFICE SCHEME that allows parents to check with the police if someone with regular access to their children has a history of child sex offences is being extended to Essex.

’Sarah’s Law,’ which was proposed after the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne by a convicted sex offender 10 years ago, is being rolled-out to eight more forces and will be expanded to the whole of England and Wales by next spring. The scheme was piloted in four areas in England from September 2008.

Home Secretary, Theresa May, said the expansion of the scheme was an ‘important step forward for child protection’ which would also help police manage known sex offenders more effectively.

‘Being able to make these checks reassures parents and the community and, more importantly, keeps children safer,’ May said.

The Home Office said more than 60 children had been protected from abuse during the pilot scheme. Nearly 600 inquiries to the four forces involved in the pilot led to 315 applications for information and 21 disclosures about registered child sex offenders. A further 43 cases led to other actions, including referrals to children's social care, and 11 general disclosures regarding protection issues linked to violent offending, they said.

Chief Constable Paul West, of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), said the new arrangements were a ‘major development.’

’They empower members of the public to initiate action aimed at protecting children and will help to increase public confidence in the police and other responsible authorities as part of their role in monitoring sex offenders,’ he said.

’Some of the cases that have arisen during the pilots have included extended family members and neighbours who have raised concerns.

’Their interventions have undoubtedly resulted in children being protected from potential abuse.’

Diana Sutton, of the NSPCC, said it was good the pilot schemes had helped protect some children; but urged the government to ‘tread cautiously’ as it expanded the initiative.

‘We remain concerned about the risk of vigilante action and sex offenders going underground. All new local schemes need close management and proper resourcing to avoid this,’ Sutton said.

Make Your Voice Heard Where It Matters

THE LAST FOUR WEEKS have been an interesting time for the Canvey Beat, and me as its author. I had to get used to a quirky BlogSpot dashboard – as opposed to the all-singing, all-dancing version provided by WordPress. And regular contributors, in the new site’s first two weeks, had to come to terms with a comment editor that seemed unwilling to post their contributions.

I had decided to permit all and sundry to comment, provided they could prove their humanity by typing a randomly displayed word as confirmation; but what I did not know was that the facility only worked if the visitor pressed the ‘preview’ button. Those hitting ‘post comment’ had their contributions disappear into the far reaches of Cyberspace. The fix has been to allow all postings; but to direct them at moderation.

Commenting on posts is still, I am afraid, a bit of a pain as compared with WordPress. BlogSpot insists that visitors choose a profile from a drop-down list – and that has confused many. The solution, if you do not wish to use your own name or an alias is to choose ‘Anonymous.’ If you wish to post in your own name, or an alias, use the ‘Name/URL’ profile option. You will be asked to complete both fields; but you can leave the URL field blank if you wish.

BlogSpot does not place a cookie on your machine to make your task easier if you decide to post again in the future. You need to select an appropriate profile each time you leave a comment.

So why should you go to all this hassle? Well, if you want your opinions to be seen by the people that matter, the Canvey Beat makes that happen.

Over the past few weeks, the Canvey Beat has been devoid of any Internet traffic. Google only got around to indexing the Blog yesterday and it has been very interesting to look at the detailed statistics that the site’s new StatCounter provides. Unlike WordPress, which only provides a count of page loads, the new facility provides detailed information on visitors; their software and machine specifications; the number of times they have visited; the duration of their visit; what pages they accessed; and full details of their Internet Service Provider and access node used to connect to the site. On WordPress you only obtain an IP address for those leaving comments – and are left to dig-out the basic information yourself.

I was pleased to find that old Canvey Beat contributors were continuing to access the new site; and surprised to find that it is also being monitored by the Echo and its Newsquest owners, along with Castle Point Borough Council, Essex County Council and Parliament. It seems that those organisations are particularly interested in what Canvey Beat readers have to say.

So please brave the strange new comment facility and leave your usual candid remarks on my posts.

Your comments on the Canvey Beat really will be read by the people who can make things happen…

... (03/08/2010, Ted Pugh) - Knock! Knock! Who's There?

Britain’s Antiquated Benefits System To Be Reformed

THE COALITION GOVERNMENT raised a number of eyebrows this week when it revealed that the new ‘work capability assessment,’ introduced in October 2008 to replace the old incapacity benefit scheme, had reduced claimant numbers by some 75 percent.

If the same ratio is present in the 2.2 million people currently in receipt of incapacity benefit, it would mean that almost 1.7 million of them should be at work.

The figure is extraordinarily high. Most observers had predicted that the new ‘fit to work’ test might be able to reduce the numbers by up to 30 percent – and that was borne out by the original pilot studies – but no one has had the courage to suggest that three-quarters of sickness benefit claims are bogus.

Last month the government appointed Professor Malcolm Harrington to carry out an independent review into the assessment scheme to ensure it was ‘fair and accurate.’

The ‘fit to work’ tests are being carried out by doctors and medical professionals working for a private contractor, Atos; but the Department for Work and Pensions has said that the firm does not receive any extra money for recommending that applicants be denied benefits.

From October, all existing incapacity benefit claimants will be required to undergo the new test.

But it was not just sickness benefits that were in the government’s sights this week. On Saturday it had emerged that housing benefit claimants steal more than £220 million of handouts every year, and that one in 10 are abusing the system.

The sickness figures were just the final nail in the benefit system’s coffin.

A command paper from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) outlined a number of options today, one of which could see the end of housing benefit; income support; council tax benefit; working tax credit; and child tax credit. The benefits would be replaced by a 'universal benefit,' which would be tailored to ensure claimants are always better off returning to work.

’The key thing is getting people back to work and the reality is that more money will be saved, you save through fraud and bad overpayments,’ Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said.

’All these things go on in this terrible system left over to us from the Labour party which is complex and very expensive.’

According to the DWP, working more than 16 hours a week is financially disadvantageous for many claimants under the current system. Around 1.9 million lose 60p out of every £1 they earn, while 130,000 lose 90p out of every pound earned.

’The complexity of the system also creates risk and uncertainty for the people in society who most need stability. We want to simplify the system to make it clear that work will always pay,’ Mr Duncan Smith said.

’Our reforms should also ensure the system is easier for individuals to understand and will reduce the high costs of fraud and error.’

Many will need some convincing that the 75 percent bogus sickness benefit claims are true – although it may reflect the increasing trend of unemployed drug addicts to claim benefits. At present, they receive the same benefit as others who are jobless as a result of illness.

It is estimated that one in 15 of all those on benefits are drug users, compared to just one in 100 in the wider population.

The government has set its aims high; but none of the proposed measures address the problem of uneducated young women choosing to become pregnant as a means of securing state funded housing and having further children to increase their benefit income. Few, it seems, are even willing to recognise the scale of that problem, which disadvantages responsible young couples choosing to contribute to society and raise a family – but without the resources to buy their own property.

It does not sit comfortably to find the coalition government targeting the sick while failing to ensure that all social housing only be let to those who have contributed, or are contributing, to society.

There is nothing here to deter the likes of Peter and Mary.

Hanningfield Unable To Claim Parliamentary Privilege Over Expenses Claims

THE CONSERVATIVE PEER, Lord Hanningfield, cannot use Parliamentary Privilege to protect himself against charges he abused his travel expenses.

The Court of Appeal judges said that they were ‘unable to envisage how dishonest claims’ by MPs or Lords could ever come under the protection of the ancient defence. They added that ‘ordinary criminal activities’ were never intended to be protected.

Lord Hanningfield, together with MPs David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine, was appealing the ruling by Mr Justice Saunders that the men should be tried in a criminal court.

The three judges, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, sitting with Lord Neuberger and Sir Anthony May said: ‘The stark reality is that the defendants are alleged to have taken advantage of the allowances scheme designed to enable them to perform their important public duties as members of parliament to commit crimes of dishonesty to which Parliamentary immunity or privilege does not, has never, and, we believe, never would attach.’

They added: ‘In our judgement no question of privilege arises and the ordinary process of the criminal justice system should take its normal course, unaffected by any groundless anxiety that it might constitute an infringement of the principals of Parliamentary privilege.’

It is expected that the accused will now take their case to the Supreme Court, which could delay the proposed date for their trials in November.

The four men deny theft by false accounting.

Council Workers Face Changes To Local Government Pensions Scheme

AN AUDIT COMMISSION REPORT on the £130bn Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS) has raised concerns that the scheme only has funds to cover about three-quarters of its future liabilities.

The LGPS has 1.7 million active members; 1.1 million members with deferred pensions; and 1.1 million currently receiving pensions.

Although workers contribute to the fund, most of the money comes from their employers, the local authorities, and therefore, ultimately, from taxpayers. The government says that the pensions cost households hundreds of pounds a year.

To counter the shortfall, the commission’s proposals include: increasing employee contributions; raising the retirement age; and allowing local funds to adjust the benefits paid out.

Audit Commission Chief Executive, Eugene Sullivan, said that without corrective action the gap will widen.

’The scheme cannot continue as it is,’ Sullivan said. ‘Unfunded liabilities are being deferred, and this is storing-up problems for the future.’

Communities and Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, said the report ‘highlighted the need for change, to ensure fairness for all.’

‘A massive take of everyone's council tax bill is going on pension costs, rather than emptying bins weekly or cleaning the streets,’ he said.

‘Local taxpayers simply cannot afford to foot an ever-growing bill for town hall pensions - especially for highly paid senior officers and town hall chief executives.’

Is This The £35,000 ‘Summer Fun’ Package Promised To Islanders?

PERHAPS I WAS GUILTY of unduly whetting islanders’ appetites when I related Canvey Island Town Council’s intention of spending £35,000 of residents’ money on ‘Summer Fun.’ It now appears that that particular budget was no more than the anticipated cost of producing glossy brochures to be delivered to residents’ houses – advertising other organisations’ arrangements for summer events this year.

The CITC’s Website has recently been updated with two PDF booklet proofs containing details of local events for young citizens during the summer. They cover the period from Sunday 18th July to Friday 27th August. One is a colourful, 20-page, logo enhanced version – aimed at young children. The other is an austere, 8-page, text only offering aimed at secondary students.

Interestingly, it appears that there are only four events specifically aimed at the older group (the remaining entries in the 8 page booklet are just reproduced from the larger version) and there are the inevitable ‘printer’s errors’ that has placed one event, organised by Southend United FC, only in the 8-page version – despite being suitable for those between six and 15-years-old. Another, a rock-climbing day, taking place at  Deanes School on 20th August – and suitable for those up to 14-years-old – has similarly been misplaced.

It is difficult to understand why the Town Council has gone to the expense of bulking the information into two brochures, when one, with a single page insert advertising those four activities only suitable for secondary students, would have sufficed. But, then, financial management has never been one of the TC’s strong points.

In the interest of making local parents’ task of eliciting the required information easier, here are those four events aimed only at secondary students:-

Friday 30th July

Beauty Workshop at The King John School, Shipwrights Drive from 10am to 2pm. Price: £5. ‘Come along, have fun and learn some great techniques from the professionals, including learning how to file, massage and paint nails. You will also be taught party make up, prom make up and also day make up. Includes a souvenir photo (which will be sent onto you). Hosted by The King John Hair and Beauty Team. To find out more or to book a place please call Mary on 07738 217717.'

Hair Workshop at The King John School, Shipwrights Drive from 10am to 2pm. Price: £5. ‘Come along, have fun and learn some great techniques from the professionals, learn plaits, setting hair, pin curling, and creative hair. Includes a souvenir photo (which will be sent onto you). Hosted by The King John Hair and Beauty Team. To find out more or to book a place please call Mary on 07738 217717.'

Friday 6th August

Construction Taster Day at Crown College, 1 Elm Road, Canvey Island
from 10am to 3.00pm. Price: £10. ‘Please join us for a taster day at Crown where you can try your hand at carpentry, plumbing, electronics and tiling. There are very limited places so please book early by contacting Pat: 07867 787235.'

Monday 9th to Friday 13th August

Tennis ‘Thunderball’ Tournament at Deanes Sports Centre, Daws Heath Road, Thundersley between 9am to 5pm. Price: £25 for week long tournament. ‘Bookings can be made weekdays after 4pm and weekends 9am-6pm, tel: 01268-741162.'

And here are those misplaced events:-

Friday 20th August

Rock Climbing Day at Deanes Schools, Daws Heath Road, Thundersley from 9.30am to 3pm Age: up to 14yrs. Price: £15. ‘Check out http://www.mobilerockwall.co.uk/. To book contact Deanes weekdays after 4pm and weekends 9am-6pm, tel: 01268-741162.'

Monday 23rd to Friday 27th August

Southend United FC - Soccer Fun Camp at Deanes School, Daws Heath Road, Thundersley from 10am to 3pm. Age: 6-15yrs. Price: £15/30/45/60/75 or £12/24/36/48/60 if paid in adv (10% Discount available for siblings) – tel: 01702-341351.'

Residents will notice that, as usual, the local Essex Police Force is the most prolific of organisations providing sporting activities for all ages this summer. They have 24 separate events planned – and they do not cost a penny.

For details of other events that the Town Council may not have captured, residents can refer to the Echo’s What’s On section of their Website.

Is Neville On The Sauce?..

I HAD INTENDED to write an intelligent dissertation on Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting; but all my thoughts remain upon Neville Watson’s contribution to what was otherwise a series of competent presentations.

Neville, it will be remembered, in his role as one of the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) councillors for the island’s Winter Gardens Ward, was responsible for raising the shroud of the CIIP’s Blog last Tuesday – so it is not surprising that he should attend Cabinet when the subject of his post, the government inspector’s examination of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy, should be on the agenda.

The main surprise was that he actually attended one of those meetings that he has always vigorously insisted takes place in secret and behind closed doors; but another came when he decided to ask his question during the Cabinet’s Housing Update.

I was surprised; and Neville was hesitant and confused. He lost the thread of his question on three separate occasions and stuttered his way through its delivery. When he had finished, I was no clearer about what point he was trying to make. I read and re-read my notes – and then replayed the Webcast; again and again.

I decided that Neville was asking Wendy Goodman, Cabinet Member for Homes (whom happened to be on holiday) what the effect would be on homes, empty properties and the landlords’ accreditation scheme if Thames Gateway funding was cut back. And he also wanted to know what the effect would be on the ‘Pathmeads initiative.’

That, as I understand it, was his question; but Neville had apparently just tagged it onto the end of some quote made by the MP for Bromley and Chislehurst concerning an Exocet missile.

Now Neville’s Blog post, last week, had attempted to prove his party’s case that the Tory’s are in favour of 5,000 new homes being built on the island, by accusing them of ‘not turning up’. But what he does not say, and what was made clear by Steve Rogers, during his presentation on the government inspector’s examination of the council’s core strategy to Cabinet, is that the subject of new house building has been postponed until the Autumn (awaiting further announcements on policy from central government). In other words, the topic of new housing in the borough has not yet been investigated – let alone discussed at the public enquiry. But, despite this, Neville says, in his post: ‘As they [the Conservatives] never turned up that means they were for mass development on Canvey Island. We told you at election time and we were right.’

It is not clear what planet Neville is on, or whether there is actually a form of direct communication that he shares with us lowly earthlings; but it stands to reason that his cabinet question must contain a point – and I was determined to discover what it was.

Google led me to an article contained on the Inside Housing Website. It carried the quote from Bob Neill, MP, which Watson related in his question. The only problem was that there was no mention of the government intending to cut the Thames Gateway budget. Far from it: the article was about the coalition government pledging support for the Thames Gateway regeneration project and its associated Crossrail plans.

So, what on earth was Watson on about?

It appears that Neville was just as confused, when extracting quotes to introduce his cabinet question, as he was when raising it. Had he been sober (one can only assume the opposite) he would have seen the phrase, which he needed to use, glaring at him from the article’s second paragraph:-

‘Bob Neill said that the plan to build 160,000 homes in the 40-mile strip of land to the east of the capital was “a great and important initiative.”’

What Watson should have asked, was: ‘Does the Cabinet Member for Homes welcome the coalition government’s intention not to cut-back on the Thames Gateway budget? And does she agree with her party colleague, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government, Bob Neill, when he said that: ‘…the plan to build 160,000 homes in the 40-mile strip of land to the east of the capital was “a great and important initiative?”’

Now that would have been a good question, Neville – had you been up to the task of asking it…

Dartford Crossing On Minister’s Agenda

COMMUTERS will welcome today’s news, from Mike Penning, the Roads Minister, that the barriers at the Dartford Crossing toll booths could be lifted during times of severe congestion.

It was also announced that the Highways Agency will look at whether new licence plate recognition technology could permit free-flow charging.

The BBC reports the Roads Minister as saying; ‘The Secretary of State for Transport and I had a constructive meeting today with local and interested MPs to discuss the Dartford/Thurrock River Crossing.

’We both confirmed that reducing congestion at the Dartford crossing is an absolute priority.

’Our preferred option is the use of newer technology to allow free-flow charging and we have asked the Highways Agency to work-up proposals as a matter of urgency.

’However, we are also willing to consider the possibility of lifting the barriers when congestion is particularly severe.

’Any solution will need to take account of the potential benefits and impacts, and the need to maintain the safe operation of the crossing for the millions of its users.’

The Dartford Tunnel and the Queen Elizabeth II bridge carry, on average, 150,000 vehicles a day.

More Torrential Downpours Forecast By The Met Office

THE MET OFFICE issued the following flash warning of regional torrential downpours for: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk and Thurrock at 0816 today:-

‘Isolated torrential downpours could give more than 20 mm of rain in one hour locally, with overall totals perhaps exceeding 50 mm.

’The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways Agency for further advice on traffic disruption on motorways and trunk roads.’

The flash warning, indicating an 80 percent confidence level, is valid for the period 1015 to 2100 today, Thursday, 22nd July.

If The Cap Fits…

IT SEEMS that Canvey Island organiser, Colin Letchford, is determined to be seen casting his own hat into the ring (hungrily eyed by Dave Blackwell and Bob Spink) for an elected Castle Point Mayor.

Yesterday, Colin was regaling the Echo with his solution to retaining Canvey’s Concord pool from the evil Castle Point Tories – by setting-up a residents’ fund to pay for its maintenance and restoration.

There was little detail of the fund. No information about which island banks had agreed to accept donations from the public; just a closing quote from Lea Swann promoting her own financial security blanket – the Friends of Concord Beach.

It is understood that the pair, or, as the Echo puts it: ‘fellow campaigners,’ are more than happy to accept any spare cash that the Concord Cafe’s visitors can provide.

Colin appears to have an inside track on the Concord pool discussions, which have been taking place between the Town Council (TC) and Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) since February. He is quoted as saying that CPBC intends to spend £50,000 on the pool ‘no matter what happens.’

He makes no mention of the additional money just spent on the pool to ensure its continued use this year – and it seems that the reporter, Paul Offord, did not ask him.

Colin also let slip that the TC is no longer looking to take-over the pool from Castle Point Council. Their meetings are apparently now focusing on the two bodies agreeing to share the pool’s costs.

Colin’s plans for his own fund are various. As Offord explains in his piece: ‘if Castle Point Council and Canvey Town Council eventually decide to fund the health and safety repairs between them, meaning the residents’ fund is not needed, everyone who made contributions will be given three options.’

They are: to take back the money; transfer it to Little Havens Children’s Hospice; or use it to boost Lea Swann’s fund.

It is not reported how Colin is proposing to record all individual contributions; but it appears he will be asking our local MP, Rebecca Harris, to attach her name to any final balance his collection may enjoy.

Paul Offord reports: ‘He [Letchford] said the campaigners were looking to get someone above reproach, like Castle Point Tory MP Rebecca Harris, to be the final person to sign off any money that gets paid out from the fund.’

I wouldn’t touch either with a bargepole, Rebecca…