Hawkwell Residents Association

If you have any items of interest that you think would be suitable to be included in next newsletter please let us know via the website Contact Us , phone 01702 207297 or drop in to 2 Englefield Close. Only electronic documents please and if we believe they are appropriate we will include them.

For an original copy of our last newsletter, if you have not received one from our delivery team, please contact us as above. To print these pages it is best use landscape.

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Our Autumn 2010 Community Voice Content

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Hawkwell Residents Association Established 1994, Covering - Hawkwell, Ashingdon and Rochford

National Health PCT

We have received an update from the NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) about the New Hockley Dental Practice offering NHS dental treatment. South East Essex PCT confirms that work has started on converting the premises acquired by Dr Harunani and Dr Kanani in Southend Road Hockley for the provision of NHS dental services. A banner is soon to be displayed at the front of the premises with a telephone number for patients to call if they wish to become a patient. The practice is scheduled to open in September 2010.Southend Hospital has now confirmed the closure of two wards as part of a £10 million cost-cutting drive. The Princess Anne Ward, a general medical ward, has already shut. The Bedwell Ward, used by patients in need of palliative care for long-term progressive illnesses and older residents, will be closed. Two other wards are being converted into convalescent wards for the elderly and those who are almost ready to leave hospital. It has not been decided which wards these will be. The hospital says no jobs have been lost as a result of the closures.

Rochford’s Core Strategy

We are still awaiting the final outcome of the Public Inquiry into Rochford District Council’s proposed Core Strategy. It was suggested that following a change of government the house building figures would be drastically reduced but from recent statements it seems there will be little change from the original numbers including building on green belt. The appeal by David Wilson Homes for 330 homes on the Christmas Tree Farm area in Rectory Road has been rejected. We hope that Rochford District Council will take residents’ concerns into consideration and not permit the building of homes on this area of green belt land.

Airport Update

We have now received an update from the management on the changes at Southend Airport. The airport rail station should be completed in September including lifts and is due to open later this year. The control tower should be completed in August and be fully operational by February 2011. Terminal and runway work should commence later this year and be completed by the winter of 2011. Planning permission has recently been submitted for the on-site hotel, which if granted should be completed by early 2012. We have now also heard that visitor coach trips round the airport are planned for later this year.

It has now been reported that a High Court objection to the runway extension has been submitted and this could delay the project by many months. The Hawkwell Residents Association have had reservations about the airport extension from the start, mainly on objections to night flights, loss of green belt, engine testing noise and additional congestion on our local roads. As the airport now has all the necessary approvals we hope that all our concerns will be taken into consideration.

Thanks Steve Joynes

On the 15 August Steve Joynes left the Hockley Neighbourhood Policing Team and became Acting Sergeant covering the Rochford District. Steve was replaced by PC Gary Tween, PCSO Laura Merrell and PCSO Kelly Bowen. Steve made a considerable contribution to policing in the Hockley area especially with the younger residents. We are sure you would like to join us in saying a big thanks to Steve for his work over the past four years and wish him well in his new position.

Cabinet System?

The government gave councils the opportunity to change back from the cabinet system to the committee system. Rochford Council has voted by large majority to keep the cabinet system brought in by the last Labour Government. We believe this to be a bad decision as the cabinet system can be used as an undemocratic tool to steam roller through unpopular policies.

Hockley Plan

Rochford District Council has now found a new consultant to carry out the Hockley Area Action Plan (HAAP) work and they held a drop-in meeting at Kilnfield House on the 02/08/10 to find out again people’s opinions for the new plan. We do not understand why they need to go through all this again. It just gives residents survey fatigue.

RDC Central Area Committee

Over the last few years Rochford District Council (RDC) has removed two seats from Clements Hall grounds and left the concrete bases. Two replacement seats were requested at a RDC Central Area Committee (CAC) meeting. One seat has now been replaced and RDC stated at a CAC meeting they had voted to only replace one. We will be requesting that the second seat be installed. The next meetings will be on 2 Sep, 9 Nov 2010 and 13 Jan, 15 Mar 2011. We have asked many questions on behalf of our members but seldom receive a satisfactory reply. This may be the reason that so few of the members of the public attend these meetings as quite often there are as many as four councillors present for every visitor.

Hawkwell Parish Plan Group

HPPG are a non-political and non-profit-making committee of residents of Hawkwell. Their principal task is to produce the Hawkwell Parish Plan which will detail the needs and wants of the residents of Hawkwell. HPPG have now received a grant from the Big Lottery Fund and will soon be getting on with plans to hold three workshops throughout Hawkwell parish to produce a questionnaire due to be out later this year. They also plan to have a website. You may contact HPPG by email to libarratt@yahoo.co.uk or write to The Chairman, Byeways, Ironwell Lane, Hawkwell SS5 4JY.

Coach trips with pickup points in Hawkwell

Hockley Residents Association has coach trips for 2010 with pickup points in Hawkwell:

Sunday 19th September – Chatham Dock Yard.

Sunday 31st October – Penshurst Place & Hever Castle.

Saturday 20th Nov - ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ at the Cliffs Pavilion.

Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th December – Weekend Break.

For further details please visit Local News on our website at hawkwell.org orphone Brian O’Shea (highly commended in RDC citizen of the year awards 2010) on 01702 204334.

Thank you to our Newsletter Volunteers

We would like to thank our folders, distributors and deliverers that make our Newsletter possible and affordable. We are always looking for volunteers to deliver to every home in our area. In order for this service to continue we need more help. If you are not already a deliverer and can spare an hour every 6 months we would be very grateful.

Street Lighting Issues

The majority of street lights along adopted highways are Essex County Council's responsibility on 01268 297500. Street lights along unadopted roads are either the responsibility of the Parish or District Council and some are still with the developer of the road. Street lights around RDC owned buildings, leisure centres etc. are RDC’s responsibility on 01702 318123. If you report a problem with street lighting with RDC and they are not responsible for that particular street light, they will pass this on to who is.

The Hawkwell Fayre

Hawkwell Parish Council Summer Fayre on the 3 July was visited by hundreds of people. Entertainment was provided by Greensward Academy who offered a full orchestra, Ska Band and numerous soloists. There were around fifty stalls, steam engines and vintage tractors displayed and fairground rides. Visitors were treated to a display of judo skills, dog agility and belly dancers. The Rochford Hundred Rugby Club, who hosted the event, supplied refreshments and a ball handling display by members of their mini rugby club. We hope this will now turn into an annual event.

Subscriptions Now Due

If you have not already paid your subscriptions for this year, please send it to the addresses below. We know that finances are tight at the moment but please remember that even though our subs are low, without these funds we cannot help you the residents of Hawkwell.

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If you have not already paid your subscriptions for this year, please send it to: Hawkwell Residents Association at 2 Englefield Close, Hawkwell, SS5 4LE or 25B Belchamps Way, Hawkwell, SS5 4NT.

No cash by post please – however 1st and 2nd class stamps only, postal orders or cheques payable to Hawkwell Residents Association are fine.

I enclose £……………. being my / our subscription for this year (50 pence per person per calendar year) together with any additional voluntary donation. In order to reduce costs a receipt will not be issued unless a stamped addressed envelope is enclosed. Hawkwell Residents Association has donation and subscription information held on a computer system. If you would rather your information be held as a paper record please contact the Association at the above address.

If you are not already a deliverer, would you deliver the Hawkwell Residents Association Newsletter in your road or another road? (please circle) YES / NO

Is there an issue in Hawkwell that you would like us to address or help you with?

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I am Interested in joining the committee (please circle) YES / NO

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Address………………………………..................................................................................................................................……………

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Our Spring 2010 Community Voice Content

(or click on the pdf version: Hawkwell Residents Association Spring 2010 Community Voice Newsletter )

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Hawkwell Residents Association Established 1994, Covering - Hawkwell, Ashingdon and Rochford

NHS PCT News

We are informed from our regular meetings with Andrew Pike and his colleagues at the NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) that cut backs in funding due to the financial climate mean that their 5 year plans will be severely affected. One of the main points for Hawkwell is that we will not be getting a new clinic in our area for a while although some improvements to the existing clinic in Hockley have not been ruled out.

The good news is that the contract has now been placed with the two surgeries in our area. The new group is called ‘The Practice’, which took over Dr Sen’s surgeries in Hawkwell and Rochford. Their website is: www.thepracticeplc.com .

The PCT placed additional NHS dental cover with the White Hart Lane surgery on a temporary basis while they went out to tender for permanent cover. This cover will run out in April 2010 but the permanent cover with a new practice may possibly not start until as late as September 2010. Unfortunately for existing patients that took up the temporary service at the White Hart Lane surgery this may require them to attend a practice in Rayleigh or Rochford on a temporary basis. We have now heard that the new permanent practice will be run by Harunani & Co Group and will be located at Montrose House in Southend Road, Hockley. The White Hart Lane surgery will still see NHS patients that joined them before the temporary cover was added. The Hawkwell Residents Association were not happy with the way the PCT organised this contract and we did all we could with the Hockley Residents Association to keep the temporary cover with the White Hart Lane surgery until the permanent practice was opened but unfortunately we were unsuccessful.

Rochford Expansion Update

The Public Inquiry into Rochford District Council’s (RDC) proposed Core Strategy to build 175 new homes in Hawkwell is due to start on 10 May. We will be working with other local groups to try and ensure that the views of residents are fully heard.

The David Willson Homes planning application to build 300 plus homes on the Christmas Tree Farm area, which was turned down by RDC, is now awaiting a government appeal.

Southend Airport runway extension, which now has been given government approval, is bound to increase the traffic running through our area on the B1013.

A new plan for Hockley village centre is due out in May with apparently lessons learned from the Rayleigh plan. Hockley Residents Association, Hockley Under Threat and Hockley Parish Plan Group together carried out a short survey on changes residents would like for the centre of Hockley. As Hockley is for many residents in Hawkwell their nearest shopping centre, we asked Hawkwell residents to take the survey to also get their preferences for the area. The results of the survey were basically as little change as possible please. The results may be found on our website.

Hawkwell Parade Shopping Area

After complaints from our members two years ago about the poor state of Hawkwell Parade car park and walkways, we have written twice to the owners but have not receive a reply. Still no repairs have been done and the situation is getting worse. We have now asked Rochford District Council through the Central Area Committee if there is anything they can do, as there are a number of public safety issues.

Recycling

Rochford District Council gave Hawkwell Parish Council a presentation on recycling in our area. They have now agreed to repeat this for the public at the Hockley Residents Association meeting at 19.30 on the 8 June 2010 at Kilnfield House next to Hockley Station.

Police News

We attend the monthly Neighbourhood Action Panel (NAP) police meetings to receive the latest crime and traffic information and to put the concerns of our members to the police. At the moment the police are aiming to stop vehicles parking on pavements and verges by imposing a £30 fine.

A police office is now open at Wells Legal Homes 42B Spa Road, Hockley. It will be a base for the police in our area but will not be manned continuously.

Crossing in Main Road

We are very pleased that the new crossing has been started on Main Road but disappointed that it has not been located in the requested area for children walking to school between Thorpe Road and Tudor Way. Instead it has been located south of Thorpe Road which would require school users walking further. This distance may only be an additional 20 metres or so in each direction but people do not like to walk further than they have to and may decide not to use it.

7 & 8 Bus Services

We have been informed that the 7 and 8 bus services will be returning to two per hour in May 2010. We have not seen timetables yet but this is good news and follows continued pressure from us and other local organisations. We are also pleased to see that timetables have been installed at all bus stops in our area. Unfortunately there will be no return of the number 8 evening service but we will keep pushing for it.

Coach trips with pickup points in Hawkwell

Hockley Residents Association has coach trips for 2010 with pickup points in Hawkwell:

Saturday 15th May – ‘The Producers’ at the Cliffs Pavilion.

Sunday 23rd May – Beaulieu.

Saturday 26th June – Hemingford Abbots.

Sunday 4th to Thursday 8th July – North Yorkshire Dales & Northumberland.

Friday 13th August – Otley Hall & Boat Trip.

Sunday 19th September – Chatham Dock Yard.

Sunday 31st October – Penshurst Place & Hever Castle.

Saturday 20th Nov - ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ at the Cliffs Pavilion.

Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th December – Weekend Break.

For further details please visit Local News on our website at hawkwell.org or contact Brian O’shea. Phone: 01702 204334. We would like to congratulate Brian O’shea who has now been given a Highly Commended in the Rochford District Council's Citizen of the Year Awards for 2010.

Thank you to our Newsletter Volunteers

We would like to thank our folders, distributors and deliverers that make our newsletter possible and affordable. We are always looking for volunteers to deliver to every home in our area. In order for this service to continue we need more help. If you are not already a deliverer and can spare an hour every 6 months we would be very grateful.

RDC Central Area Committee

We now attend the Rochford District Council (RDC) Central Area Committee meetings on a regular basis to put questions that we get from our members. Unfortunately most of the answers we get are not very helpful, claiming most items we ask are not their responsibility and they seem to be unwilling to take up the causes. The meetings are open to the general public and questions can be put before the meetings using the RDC website: www.rochford.gov.uk .

Local Farmers Markets

We now have Farmers Markets in Rochford and Hockley.

Rochford Farmers Market is celebrating its tenth year! The organisation, which is run by volunteers aims to provide a choice of fresh food and attract people to visit and shop in Rochford. The market starts at 9.30am on the first Saturday of each month until November at the WI Hall, West Street and closes at approximately 12.30pm.

Hockley monthly farmers market was started up in October 2009 and they are held on the second Saturday of each month at the Old Fire Station.

The Hawkwell Fayre

Hawkwell Village Summer Fayre will be held at Rochford Hundred Rugby Club on Saturday 3rd July 2010. Enjoy music, competitions, country crafts and more.

Subscriptions Now Due

Please see our details below.

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I am Interested in joining the committee (please circle) YES / NO

Name…………………...................……..................………..……................................Telephone……...................................................

Address………………………………..................................................................................................................................……………