http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Basildon, Billericay and Thurrock Liberal Democrats en-GB Basildon, Billericay and Thurrock Liberal Democrats http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Basildon, Billericay and Thurrock Liberal Democrats 2008-05-16T05:52+01:00 United Kingdom http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/news/000014/basildon_golf_course__further_threat_to_basildons_green_belt.html Local residents cannot fail to have noticed the increasing press and media furore over recently passed plans to redevelop Basildon Golf Course. Proposals to import 120,000 cubic metres of "inert material" on to green belt at the site. No-one seems to know where this material will come from and no-one, not least Basildon's ruling Tory councillors, has shown concern for the very real health impact that the dumping and processing of concrete etc. will have. The hospital wasn't consulted, nor St. Luke's hospice, both within a couple of hundred yards of the course. Resident consultation was kept to a bare minimum and there were procedural errors during the application process. Despite widespread opposition, including from the three Lib Dem ward councillors, Basildon council is blundering ahead with probably the "most environmentally irresponsible plan" (Cllr Geoff Williams) seen in Basildon for years. 2007-10-21T17:00+01:00 http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/news/000015/council_meeting_18_october.html Basildon Council's October meeting proved to be the usual bear-pit, despite the presence, at least initially, of young school council reps trying to gain an insight into how local democracy works.Fears about proposed developments at Basildon Golf Course were dismissed out of hand, at least one former councillor, a member of the public at the meeting, was treated to the most astonishing tirade by a senior Tory, and attempts to debate sensibly the potential disposal of community assets by the Conservatives descended into the accustomed Punch and Judy knockabout. 2007-10-19T00:00+01:00 http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/news/000013/stonking_victory_for_nethermayne_libdems.html Cllr Ben Williams romped home with over 50% of the vote in May's Nethermayne Ward election. Outsiders - lieterally - Tory Steve Foster (from South Woodham Ferrers)and Labour's Julian Ware-Lane (from Leigh on Sea) trailed a long way behind. 2007-05-27T09:44+01:00 http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/news/000012/tories_bizarre_concept_of_democracy.html Basildon's Tory council has reneged on its commitment to cross-party cabinet working by removing Lib Dem leader Cllr Geoff Williams from his post and replacing him with a second Labour representative. Cllr Buckley, leader of the council, declared this to be a "punishment" for the Lib Dems for not standing in all council seats. The announcement was met with embarrassed silence on the part of some Tory councillors, while others, in true Tory fashion, resorted to personal attacks on the 3 Williams councillors. Cllr Geoff Williams commented: "While we're not shedding buckets of tears at the loss of the cabinet place, it does seem a bizarre way of administering local democracy to reward Labour with an extra seat on cabinet when it was the only party to lose a seat in May's elections." 2007-05-27T09:40+01:00 http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/news/000011/start_of_a_new_era.html Since 1st January 2007 Liberal Democrats in Basildon, Billericay and Thurrock have come together in one Local Party, covering three constituencies with branches established in each constituency area. The change reflects alterations to the parliamentary constituency boundaries brought about by the Boundaries Commission in readiness for the next general election. 2007-01-10T08:55+00:00 http://basildonlibdems.org.uk/news/000010/planning_committee_resignation.html Cllr Geoff Williams who was appointed to Basildon Council's Development Control and Traffic Management Committee in May this year has resigned from the committee after rulings that he had a "prejudicial interest" in the George Hurd Centre redevelopment plans and the associated relocation of the centre to a site in Audley Way. Speaking at the interest declaration stage of the committee meeting on 11th October, Geoff said: "The current legislation inhibits campaigning councillors from speaking out for their constituents. There will be a number of applications for Nethermayne Ward over the next few months some of them on items which I have actively campaigned against. In oder that I can continue to represent my constituents' views and campaign on their behalf, I feel that I have no alternative but to resign from the committee" 2005-10-13T14:57+01:00