Dear Editor,

Residents and shopkeepers alike will be only too aware that I disagree with the current proposals to build a new supermarket; more flats (with no parking spaces) and a multi-storey car park on the existing Sand Pits car park site.

Our ambitions in Stanford must mean more than more flats and another supermarket like what we already have. We need something which will enhance the village, not be of detriment to it. This will damage parking provision, potentially affect the trade of local shopkeepers and will be a bad legacy for our local village centre.

I have been advised this week that my request to further scrutinise the decision to sell the Sand Pits car park has been ‘called-in’ successfully. This means that the sale of the land is halted temporarily while councillors and officers investigate the proposals under the spotlight in more detail. This is part of the council’s accepted scrutiny process.

The scrutiny meeting will be held mid-May, with a recommendation coming out from that meeting shortly after. You know what side of this argument I am on – and I will report back duly.

Best wishes, Shane Hebb. Councillor for Stanford West (Conservative).

I am writing to you reguarding letters sent out from THURROCK COUNCIL re missing council tax payments.

I paid our council tax on 28-3-13 at my bank in Grays by cheque which cleared off our account on the
03-04-13.

This was well before the due date 10-4-13 for £122.48

I got a nasty letter from the councils debt manager dated 15-4-13 where in the letter I quote: “Your council tax is showing to be in arrears.

“To correct this and avoid further recovery action we must recieve £122.48 by close of business 21-4-13. If we do not receive this amount, that is inclusive of any additional instalments that may fail to be paid by the 21-4-13 , recovery action will proceed and you will be required to pay all the council tax as a lump sum”

Now if I had been elderly what would this have done to me? It’s written in such a threatening way.

I went to the council with proof of payment dated 28-3-13 with a copy of the cheque and told them the bank has put a trace on the payment.

Well today the bank called and said the cheque was processed but not the credit as it got separated in the
course of clearing and the funds will be the council by Friday.

The whole situation of debt collecting within the council is disgusting.

Whilst I was at the offices on Friday at least five other people were talking about this. T

here is obviously a problem with the council tax payment this year, when I spoke to their officers on the
desk they simply say a generic letter is automated after non payment.

Well maybe they should investigate non payments first before sending threatening letters.

I wonder how many other people have had the same bad experience? Is this something worth investigating?

Name and address withheld.

Mrs Thatcher’s funeral, was it an OTT (over the top) spectacle?

With inevitable predictability Mrs Thatcher’s “military” funeral divides the Nation. Is it appropriate for a person with no military connections to be accorded a funeral with “Full Military Honours” and is the expense justified? In my opinion the answer is no on both counts. To those who say it is an opportunity for “ordinary” people to take part in the ceremony by lining the streets, I say such participation bears no comparison to that accorded to the so called “great and the good” who paraded in St Paul’s Cathedral. The comparison that occurred to me had more to do with “the rich man in his castle, the poor man at the gates”.

It is argued that Mrs Thatcher earned the right to such a ceremony on the grounds that she had devoted her life to the service of the Country. That said, it could be reasonably argued that members of the armed services who pay the ultimate price by giving their lives in service to the Country are equally entitled, more so in my opinion, to a funeral with full military honours.

There are those who further justify Mrs Thatcher’s entitlement to a “military” funeral on the grounds that she won the Falklands war and liberated the Falkland islanders. I do not recall Mrs Thatcher being on the “Sir Galahad” or “yomping” across the island fighting her way to Port Stanley nor do I recall her being directly involved in any of the hostilities and attendant dangers. I do recall her riding triumphantly in a tank like Queen Boadicea in her chariot.

State funerals should be reserved for Kings and Queens and funerals with full military honours should be reserved for persons who have given their lives in combat or served with distinction and bravery such as holders of the “Victoria Cross”.

Funerals for Prime Ministers or past Prime Ministers should be a family affair and private. If it is considered that a public ceremony is appropriate it should be a Memorial Service without the pomp of a State/Military funeral.

“Margaret Thatcher, her death regrettable her political life unforgettable?”

WHENEVER I saw Margaret Thatcher in full flow at the “dispatch box” during “Questions to the Prime Minister” I was always reminded of a painting by John Opie titled “Boadicia Haranguing the Britons” which portrays a redoubtable woman in a man’s world. The imperious image of Queen Boadicia looking down upon her all male audience conjures up, for me, an impression of what it must have been like for members of her all male cabinet. The comparison to Boadicia is reinforced by the sobriquet “The Iron Lady” and the belligerency portrayed in the statue of Mrs Thatcher in the House of Commons i.e. the stabbing pointing finger. It is said by some of her colleagues that “she loved a fight”, but there are times when aggression is counter-productive and divisive, maybe it was her penchant to pick a fight that spawned her divisive political instincts and gave rise to her being perceived by many as the epitome of the “divide and rule” ethos which she ruthlessly practiced..

I do not intend on this blog to comment in detail on Mrs Thatcher’s policies, about which a lot has already been said, suffice to say there were some good, some bad and some vindictive. However, I do think it appropriate to mention her attitude to the people made redundant as a consequence of her policy to close coalmines and other manufacturing industries.

One can agree or disagree about the justification of the decision for closure but one cannot forget or forgive her lack of compassion and sympathy for the hardships and suffering caused to the thousands of workers and their families thrown onto the “scrapheap” of unemployment with no thought or effort made by her government to the creation of alternative industries and training as a means of providing paid work. She callously abandoned those people and then cynically went on a publicity seeking solo “walkabout” in a derelict area talking about re-generation with no plans and little enthusiasm as to how to achieve it. It was this lack of compassion or sympathy that exposed the cynicism and hypocrisy of her quoting St Francis of Assisi on the steps of No 10 “Where there is discord may there be harmony” when she and her government thrived, encouraged and prospered on discord.

Mrs Thatcher was an ambiguous personality, she was, without equivocation, either loved or hated. However, it does not excuse the behaviour of those celebrating her death in the unseemly manner witnessed on our television screens. You do not have to eulogize her, admire her or even like her, but I believe she is entitled to respect and magnanimity at this time and the feelings of her family should also be respected. That said, the criticism of the celebrations by the likes of the Prime Minister, David Cameron, is devalued when one recalls he travelled to Libya to celebrate the overthrow and death of Colonel Ghadaffi.

There is a saying that “It is harder for a rich person to pass through the gates of Heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle”. I hope that Mrs Thatcher, when she arrives at those gates, will be judged accordingly and God will be compassionate in his judgement.

For more information on all matters relating to social media, go to: www.salesscene.co.uk

“Social media is a fantastic platform to engage and communicate socially and for business purposes. However, being a public domain, the way that you conduct yourselves and the things that you say and do online will live with you forever.

Digital footprints are the trails we leave behind on the digital environment. In simple terms anything that you say or do on Facebook for example will be caught up in that big World Wide Web forever! Something a young girl learnt and regretted very recently.

Paris Brown fell victim to her own misfortunes when the Daily Mail reported that Britain’s first youth commissioner had previously posted shocking comments on Twitter, when she was 15. Latching on to Tweets that contained materials of a sexual, violent and homophobic nature, the Daily Mail posted an article online asking whether the “foul mouthed twitter teen” should be placed in role such as hers. The now 17-year-old, publicly apologised stating that she was “naive and stupid” and was “just showing off”. Paris Brown has since stepped down, meaning that she has lost a great opportunity for her digital actions in the past.

Understanding and managing your digital footprints can sometimes be a problematic process, even for those of us who have been using it since its invention many moons ago. Almost everyone at some point has been guilty of sharing information, posting comments or pictures that we later regret. Just to make it even more difficult, it’s not just your own online activity that you have to worry about. With most social media platform allowing you to tag and post, what other people do also contributes to your digital footprints.

It is now common knowledge that businesses screen potential employees when recruiting for new roles. This is because they want the best. Having an insight into the way your potential employee conducts themselves using Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for example, can reveal what they get up to outside of work. Not only this but more and more companies are also using social media to aid them in terminating contracts because of the way certain employees have acted, breaching business policy.

So what can you do to manage your social media footprints?

Well firstly you would want to start by checking your trail and cleaning it up. Use search engines using your name to see what appears. Anything that maybe negative delete.

Limit your profile searchability; most social media networks have setting controls that allow you to disable the ability for anyone to publicly search for you.

Go through your privacy settings to control who and what is being posted on your network feeds, remove your post from public view and filter your friends.

Keep your profile pictures and any images that you post appropriate. Even if you change your privacy setting to just being viewable by your friends, your profile picture is still viewable.

Finally be smart and think before you post online. As we’ve discussed the internet has a very long memory, once it’s out there the last thing you want is for it to come back and haunt you when you least expect it.

Learn from Paris Brown’s mistakes, don’t let inappropriate behaviour stop you from getting that dream job. It just shows that as easy as it is to post, A split second decision can have unexpected results for you in the future.

“WE hear in the news that Greater Manchester Police will now recognise attacks on Goths, Emo, Metallers and people of sub or alternative cultures as a hate crime. This news is much welcomed across both the alternative and hopefully much wider community.

Any violence aimed at any person or particular group is terrible but to target individuals because of religion, race, sexual orientation or because the way they look is abhorrent and to have this recognised officially as a hate crime is a positive step forward.

Today’s decision has to be accredited in some way to the ‘SOPHIE Lancaster Foundation’

https://www.facebook.com/thesophielancasterfoundation/info

Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend were both brutally beaten by a gang of thugs in Lancashire in 2007, Sophie died later in hospital as a result of her injuries, reason for the attack was attributed to nothing more than her and her partner ‘Rob’ dressing in a ‘gothic’ style.

These tragic events inspired Sophie’s mother Sylvia to set up The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, today we see some of the results of the foundations work in Manchester.

This decision by the Greater Manchester Police now needs to be rolled out by Police constabularies countrywide as this particular crime is not limited to just Manchester.

Indeed some areas have a greater alternative community/culture than others and although not it is not huge in Thurrock it certainly is ever present as it is in Stanford Le Hope albeit it in a very small way.

We are a borough of many cultures, religions & different lifestyles and if today’s news brings us one step forward to living in a more cohesive and accepting society it is good news indeed.

Stamp Out Prejudice Hatred & Intolerance Everywhere.

Why are Stanford and Corringham residents paying Council Tax?

No police station, very low police patrols, hundreds of potholes on all roads, hit and miss bin collections, poor street lighting, ineffective road gritting and a recently closed local area council office!

When you recieve your new Council Tax demand; take at look at what your money is being spent on. If you live in Stanford and Corringham you might wonder if your money is even being used.

A year ago Stanford and Corringham lost its Police station and it seem that Police patrols in the area are very low. This has lead to some residents of the area setting up their own patrols and a Neighbourhood watch.

Recently there has been a spate of break ins and motorbike thefts in the area. When reported to the Police, we are told they will make extra patrols in this area, but they are never seen.

Maybe the Police don’t wish to risk damaging their patrol cars because of the areas hundreds of potholes! Southend Road is particularly bad right now, I understand that the whole road it set to be redone, this is of no help to the drivers that are hitting the holes on a daily bases though and you wonder how long it will be before a motercyclist has a serious accident due to the one.

Their chances of seeing them are also being reduced by the poor street lighting. This year the time to repair a faulty street light seems to be getting longer and longer, this also increases the risk of tripping over one of the many cracked footpaths or in more recent weeks walking into a wheelie bin thats been left out in the road or blocking a path, this may be rare as it seems bin collections in the area have become a bit of a lottery.

Residents talk on Facebook and bet on if all their bins will be emptied that week and celebrate if two out of three are done.

In the recent cold weather it might be a case that the refuse collectors do not wish to come into the area due to the pooly gritted roads. A few weeks ago the roads in the area were gritted at 5pm but by 9pm the roads were sheet ice and this seems to have lead to cars sliding down Church Hill and Abbots Drive in Stanford.

We cannot even report our problem to our local office as they have now closed it. Recently, I reported flytipping outside my back gate and I was told to contact my local office to see when it would be collected, I pointed out this was not now possible but they told me that they can email them for me.

It took 5 weeks for the flytipping to be collected.

I am at a loss as to why we are paying Council Tax!

I went to a Meeting at Thurrock Council Planning Chambers on 14th March 2013.

I need to express my surprise at the way Planning Permission was granted for a market to OMG.

I was present at the last meeting when it was unamiously agreed to turn down permission, three months later granted. The only difference being a reduction in stalls ie from 24 to 16.

I am baffled on the about turn in the Chambers.

Whilst the residents and Traders Association applied for Planning Permissioin for possible charity events, childrens activities, Christmas Market, Farmers Market which would have no impact on the Residents and Traders of Corringham Town Centre.

I was surprised that with the level of intelligence within the Chambers that 75% of the voting committee could not see this. The members of the Residents and Traders Association will organise all the events in their own time.

This is not a commercial business, just a group of everyday people that want to enhance the Community with special family events.

Where is the problem with this. Its not a MARKET. Corringham did not want a commercial Market.

As a layman I could understand what was going and once again I say why couldnt the Chambers.

As a resident of Corringham I feel totally let down and appalled in the handling of the granting permission to OMG. No one listened to the residents.

Lets hope that Thurrock Council do not rue the day they allowed a Market to ruin an already successful safe clean part of the Corringham and Stanford Community.

Kind regards

Pat Smith

“As part of my volunteering role I was involved in a team of 5 to arrange a Global Citizenship Day (GCD), our topic was Gender Equality. We held our GCD today, with particular reference to the date being International Women’s Day. We held an educational morning for the other VSOs in our team discussing Gender Issues globally, and then bringing it down to the area of Ethiopia we are in. For the latter part of the event we had segregated male and female coffee ceremonies to enable confidential discussion on topics affected by gender equality.

I have been prompted me to write this blog post by something I came across whilst doing my research for the GCD, it is a global issue but some of the things I will mention are specific to Ethiopia. I knew about it vaguely, but was unaware of the realities of it and how globally spread it was. Particularly that is happens ‘under the radar’ in the UK.

Female Genital Mutilation or FGM for short is one of the main Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP) in Ethiopia. It is now illegal, but of course is still present due to ‘tradition’ – when I asked if anyone knew why it had been started, and thus become a tradition, no one could answer me. It is just ‘the done thing’ for many communities.

So, what is FGM? Well as the name suggests, mutilation means to ‘cut off’ or ‘amputate’ parts of the body. There are four types of FGM, although many of the practitioners do not differentiate between them and just do whatever is customary for their area.

Circumcision, is the cutting of the hood of the clitoris, it is also referred to as ‘Sunna’ in Muslim countries. I will note here that generally the men of Ethiopia are circumcised, as dictated in the Bible, within 7 days of birth.

Clitoridectomy, is the removal of the clitoris, scientifically known to be the most sensitive part of the female body. It is also responsible for the pleasure sensation felt during intercourse – something they will never experience.

Excision, involved the cutting of the clitoris and all or part of the labia minora.

Infibulation, is the most severe form of FGM. It involves the cutting of the clitoris, labia minora and the whole of the labia majora. The two sides of the remaining skin of the vulva are then pinned together by thorns and thread, thus sealing the vaginal opening except for a very small hole. The small hole is to allow for the passage of urine and menstrual blood. The girls’ legs are then bound from hip to ankle and she will be kept immobile for weeks to ensure the formation of scar tissue.

All of the above ‘procedures’ are often performed by medically incompetent people, without the use of anaesthetic or pain relief – if they are lucky they will get to sit on a stone for a little while beforehand to ‘numb’ the area. It is said that the ‘cutting’ is usually done by a broken piece of glass, a razor blade or a thorn. There is no sterilisation of any of the items used or the area in which it is done.

Not only is this practice excruciatingly painful for the victim, it brings about many other health issues; bleeding (which is often fatal), shock, infection, urine retention (the burning sensation felt when urinating after the procedure often leads to this), tetanus, laceration, HIV/AIDS, urinary tract infection and pelvic infection (as a result of retention of urine, menstrual blood and vaginal secretion) – to name a few.

Girls are generally under the age of 16 when this is done to them; usually they have not had their first period when they are cut. I have read accounts of girls being subjected to this as young as 3 years old – an age where they are too young to understand.

The act itself is painful enough, but it has repercussions in the future too. It is considered that a woman should be a virgin when she marries (this is often why marriages are made so young, to ensure their virginity). For a woman who has been cut in the most brutal way, her first sexual experience will bring no pleasure, only pain from her partner tearing open her scarred tissue (if she is lucky, he may cut it for her rather than just forcing his way in). Child birth is another future issue, with fistula being prevalent for cut women, and many other complications which are a direct result of their mutilation.

Often a ceremony takes place, with music, dancing and singing to celebrate the girl reaching her cutting age. One account I have read mentions that the singing takes lace to cover up the screams of agony coming from the girls. The mothers of the girls are not allowed to be present, because they have experienced the pain of child birth and this makes them weak to seeing their own flesh and blood being subjected to such trauma. To me this is an indication that they know it is wrong, because they know the mothers would show compassion.

So, why is this still practiced when all of the above information is available? Well, it seems that tradition prevails, and of course the risks and moral issues have not reached all the communities. Even those that are educated about the outcome of FGM often disregard it for fear of being stigmatised. So much so that young girls plead with their family to be cut so that they are not outcast from the community, of course not knowing that they will regret it before it is finished being done – peer pressure is just as direct as the pressure from the girls’ parents to be ‘accepted’. An uncut girl is considered to be unclean, and ‘free’ which is why she will remain unmarried in a community with the cutting culture.

There are many campaigns in place, not only in Africa but all over the world to stop this act; from educational information being shared, to young men campaigning that they want to marry uncut girls. Opinion is slowly being changed, I have been reading FGM Network Update and have read a few articles about the women who would carry out the procedure being turned from the profession and now educate people of the risks of the very thing they used to make money from. Of course, they still have people trying to bribe them to do it for them in secret, but the reiterate the fine and prosecution they will face if they are found out.

The catch twenty two of FGM being formally recognised as illegal is that people turn to ‘back street’ options to fulfil their intentions, often causing more complications than necessary. If a girl then begins to bleed profusely or suffer they will take her to hospital. To any medical professional it is obvious what has been done to the girl, but they cannot go to the police or any authority because once word gets out that the hospital are whistleblowing people will stop taking the girls there when they need it – essentially increasing the mortality rate.

The main reason for this coming up in our gender equality discussions is that it is often the fathers that make the choice for their daughters to be cut, even if it is against the wishes of their mother. These young girls are not getting to choose what happens to their own bodies, they are made to be submissive to men. It is said that they do this to girls when they are young to stop them behaving inappropriately by playing or behaving in a free and happy way. They suffer this pain to be reminded who is boss, and will have this reminder regularly throughout their married life. It is supposed to make them strong, and prepare them for the struggle they face in their life, but essentially it is they struggle they face in life.

“WE’RE ALL in this together.” – David Cameron

“I would disagree with the Tory mantra, dragged out at every opportunity, and coined by PM David Cameron, as the so-called ‘bedroom tax’ so clearly demonstrates. I am, however, getting a little ahead of myself as first we need to look at the specific facts about what the ‘bedroom tax’ is and who it will affect but as we look at the facts, I would like you to keep in mind that overly-used mantra.

The Facts About The ‘Bedroom Tax’

The truth is that it is not a tax at all but a surcharge on any ‘spare’ bedrooms you may happen to have.

It is not a tax because it does not apply to everyone.

The people affected by the ‘bedroom tax’ are those who claim Housing Benefit and who live in social housing and housing association accommodation and are of working age.

Typical claimants receive between £50 and £100 a week in Housing Benefit.

It does not affect those who rent private sector tenants.
From April 1st, local authorities will look at families to assess their ‘living space’ needs based on the Government’s ‘size criteria’.

Government estimates are that 660,000 households will suffer a cut in their benefit. According to the Government’s own Impact Assessment almost two thirds of the tenants affected are from households that contain someone who is disabled, a total of 420,000 households.

The calculation around how much the cut in Housing Benefit will be – for one ‘spare’ room, the amount of rent eligible for assistance will be reduced by 15%; for two ‘spare’ rooms, the amount is reduced by 25%.

The average reduction in benefit will be £14 a week for council tenants and £16 a week for housing association tenants. DWP figures project that about 7 per cent of Housing Benefit claimants will face a cut of £31.

The ‘living space’ criteria is one room per adult or couple, same gender children under 16 will have to share a room and under-10s will have to share a room regardless of gender. Disabled tenants will be allowed a ‘spare’ room for full-time carers.

The number of bedrooms is not determined by the Government but by the tenancy agreement drawn up by landlords.
Parents who are separated may not keep a ‘spare’ room for a child to visit and foster children are not classed as permanent members of a family.

Families with students who live away from home will be exempted from the ‘bedroom tax’ as long as the student stays at home for at least two weeks a year. However, when Universal Credit is introduced, the student must live at home for six months in the year to avoid the benefit cut.

If claimants have a paying lodger, they will be allowed to keep the first £20 of rent income but then the benefit they receive will be cut pound-for-pound. However, upon the introduction of Universal Credit, Housing Benefit will be cut entirely but the rental income can be kept (with the first £4,250 being exempt from Income Tax).

From April, only one person in a couple needs to be of pensionable age to gain an exemption from ‘bedroom tax’; however, under Universal Credit, both will need to be of pensionable age or one must be in receipt of pension credit to gain the maximum benefit.

If tenants do not wish to lose benefit, the Government is expecting them to move to smaller accommodation.

What People Are Saying About The ‘Bedroom Tax’ And Its Potential Effects

Iain Duncan Smith insisted that there was no ‘bedroom tax’ on The Andrew Marr Show, explaining that: “This is about under-occupancy, let’s be very clear about what this is about. We have in social sector housing, a very large number of people in houses where they have many more bedrooms than they actually need.

“Something like a million spare bedrooms are sitting around. Meanwhile, there are a quarter of a million people in overcrowding and a million people on the waiting list trying to get into housing.”

“What we’re saying to them is you can stay where you are, but if you do you’ll have to pay more.”

(You can read the full story at http://www.itv.com/news/topic/bedroom-tax/.)

David Cameron stated during Prime Minister’s Questions on Feb 6th that: “Let me make clear this in not a tax – this is a benefit… All the time Labour was in Government if you were in a private sector rented home and in receipt of housing benefit you did not get any benefit for empty rooms.

So it is only fair we treat people in social housing the same way. And, if anyone is away from home then obviously their earnings aren’t counted so therefore the benefits of that person are likely to go up.”

(You can read the full story at http://www.itv.com/news/topic/bedroom-tax/.)

David Cameron also objected to the term ‘bedroom tax’ arguing that: “It’s not a tax unless you’ve earned the money first.”

Ed Miliband said: “The policy isn’t just unfair, it’s not going to work either. In Hull for example 4,700 people are going to be hit by the bedroom tax, and there are just 73 council properties for them to move to.”

(You can read the full story at http://www.itv.com/news/topic/bedroom-tax/.)

Stephen Timms said that the plans for the ‘bedroom tax’ were “perverse” and “not been thought out properly” adding: “Take the example of Hull, which as Grant Shapps knows is not untypical.

“4,700 tenants are going to be affected by this penalty, but they’ve only got 73 one- or two-bed properties available. It is impossible for people to move within the social sector to smaller accommodation.

“We’ve argued for the last two years that it would be fine to apply the penalty where people have refused to take smaller accommodation, but to penalise people when there’s nowhere smaller to move to is perverse.”

Grant Shapps said: “Labour have very cleverly deemed this to be a tax; of course it’s exactly the opposite to a tax.

“It’s a spare-rooms subsidy, that’s being paid through the benefits system, on a million empty bedrooms in this country, which makes no sense.”

(You can read the full story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21490546.)

Liam Byrne, shadow work and pensions secretary, said: “David Cameron promised to stand up for parents, but his bedroom tax is a £100m tax bombshell for single mums and dads.

“The bedroom tax has now been exposed as a chaotic disaster, but it’s not too late for the prime minister to do the decent thing, admit he has got this wrong and think again.”

(You can read the full story at http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/mar/04/benefits-housing.)

In response to a letter sent out by One Vision Housing, a housing association in Liverpool, blogger SPeye (Joe Halewood), wrote: “The letter is appalling and it is offensive and it is just plain wrong.

“The letter starts with a very legalistic heading ‘Under Occupation Disclaimer’ and the word ‘disclaimer’ will be perceived as legalese and a legal requirement by the tenant and something they have to sign, which they do not. But of course OVH don’t say this!

“The legal position has always been that a tenant is responsible for ensuring the rent is paid and in full – even if HB pay the rent in full and direct to the landlord as they sign the tenancy agreement to that effect! So, firstly there is no legal need for this letter yet OVH gives to the tenant the precise opposite perception that the letter is legally needed and tenants need and have to sign it.”

(You can read the full story at http://www.24dash.com/news/housing/2013-03-08-One-Visions-bedroom-tax-warning-letter-slammed-by-critics.)

Although there is to be a discretionary fund to help foster carers, not all areas will be covered by the scheme as Vicky Swain of The Foster Network explains:

“We’ve had foster carers who have received letters from their housing departments telling them they will not have access to discretionary fund, and worse still, that they may have to downsize.”

“The money available is discretionary, it is up to individual local authorities how they spent that money and on whom. Foster carers are already being told, in some parts of the country, they will not have access to this money, and they will be using it for other, more needy groups of people.”

Harvey Gallagher, chief executive of the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers, said: “Children who come into care need their own bedroom, equally, some fosters carers need a spare bedroom with nobody in it, as some children come into care in emergency situations, we need to find homes for them at the last minute.”

Tashii from Norfolk tweeted: “@itvnews I’ve been told I will have to pay council tax also so somehow have to magic £80+ a month! I was PUT in this house WITHOUT CHOICE!”

Heather Simpson tweeted: “@itvnews i have find a extra £100 a month im disabled put in my house only adapted place without no choice might go on rent strike”

@AmyJoanna tweeted: “Disgusted at govs new bedroom tax after seeing how it will effect disabled people with low income. @itvnews story just made me cry “

@WythenshaweBi tweeted: “@itvnews b/room tax targets most vulnerable in society unfairly. Housing lists will go crazy – several house moves necessary in family life”

A family are being denied a room for their severely disabled daughter. Dianne and Tony stated that the changes will mean they will be put under “unbearable” financial pressure.

(You can read the full story at http://www.itv.com/news/story/2013-02-01/bedroom-tax-victims-speak-out/.)

Mencap, in an open letter stated that: “This policy will have a hugely detrimental impact on disabled people and their families. For example, family carers who care full-time, or who juggle work and care, may need to sleep in another room just to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.”
(You can read the full story at http://www.itv.com/news/topic/bedroom-tax/.)

Lisa Munden, a disabled woman, wrote an open letter to Iain Duncan Smith stating that: “Due to the nature of my disability I am in constant pain and my legs have a lot of spasms. In order for my partner to get some quality sleep in between getting up to help me and so he can care for me the next day, he sleeps in our second bedroom.

The change could end up costing the local authorities a lot more money than the rent on a second bedroom if they have to provide the overnight care that the people like my partner do out of love.

We would also like to invite you to come and meet us to see first-hand how the ‘bedroom tax’ is going to affect us and many others in similar situations.”
(You can read the full letter at http://www.papworth.org.uk/news-detail.php?aid=385.)

Grand Union Housing Group conducted a case study on Ann, a disabled resident of South Northants Homes. She stated that, although she may be awarded a discretionary fund pay-out: “I have been told this might be a small payment which won’t go anywhere. But I consider myself luckier than some. What about disabled people who are living in three or four bedroomed family homes? They might have lived there for years.

“I would love to work. I worked before in various jobs, but always sitting. I worked for the Nationwide for five years. Then I moved to a smaller place. But my health suffered. Then I got made redundant. I really hope to be able to work again. It’s just really hard with my disabilities.”

(You can read the full story at http://old.24dash.com/news/housing/2013-02-28-Case-study-considers-effect-of-bedroom-tax-on-disabled-tenants.)

Channel 4’s FactCheck Blog put straight some errors in David Cameron’s statements about the ‘bedroom tax’, or ‘spare room subsidy’ as he likes to call it, during Prime Minister’s Questions on March 6th. Cameron stated that people with severely disabled children were exempt from the penalty. FactCheck disagreed: “No.

There’s no automatic exemption for disabled children.

“In fact, not only is the government not making this blanket exception, it is actually fighting a legal challenge on the point from 10 disabled children who argue that the rule changes amount to discrimination.

“Under the new rules, the full benefit will only be paid if under-16s of the same sex share a room, and under-10s will have to share regardless of gender. And the expectation is that this will apply to disabled youngsters too.”

FactCheck mentioned the discretionary fund being set up by the Government but concluded that: “So there is some money available and councils are expected to use some discretion, perhaps mitigating the impact for the most severely disabled, but there is no “exemption” for disabled children overall.”

Cameron stated that people who needed round-the-clock care are exempt as well. FactCheck again disagreed, stating that: “DWP has said that an extra bedroom is allowed if a disabled person has a live-in or overnight carer. But that doesn’t apply if the carer is also your partner or spouse.

“If you are disabled and your wife is also your full-time carer, but needs to sleep in a different room, you will still face a benefit cut.

“Again, you could be eligible for money from the hardship fund, but that doesn’t amount to an exemption to everyone who needs 24-hour care.”

(You can read the full FactCheck blog at http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-cameron-slips-up-on-bedroom-tax/12962.)

Dr Éoin Clarke (PhD) believes that the ‘bedroom tax’ will cost the Coalition seats at the next election. 19 Government held seats, including Thurrock, have sitting MPs with smaller majorities than the number of households in their constituency affected by the Bedroom Tax. He continued: “In 2010, 6 of these MPs, above, would not have won their seats were it not for voters who are now victims of the Bedroom Tax. None of them would have won their seats were it not for the votes of Social Renters in general.

This data means that even if we exclude the political fall out of Bedroom Tax protests, that up to 19 of the MPs above are on the brink of losing their seats in 2015, even if we only consider social renters alone. When we consider just victims of the Bedroom Tax, then 6 MPs are on the verge of losing their seats specifically due to this policy. The truth is that the real picture is much worse than that again, especially when we factor in the wider politics of the Bedroom Tax.”

(You can read the full blog here: http://www.greenbenchesuk.com/2013/03/19-government-mps-have-smaller.html.)

Legal Challenges Against The ‘Bedroom Tax’

The spirit of defiance has not completely been knocked out of the people most at risk of the ‘bedroom tax’ as a disabled couple have taken the Government to the High Court over what they say is a discriminatory policy. You can view the news report here: http://www.itv.com/news/story/2013-03-01/bedroom-tax-legal-challenge-uk-government/.

Ten disabled and vulnerable children have also lodged legal challenges in the High Court, claiming that the new legislation does not take into account the needs of vulnerable children and are therefore discriminatory. The children who are taking the legal action have all been assessed as needing their own rooms but under the new rules are going to be forced to share with their siblings.

Rebekah Carrier, the solicitor acting on behalf of the children stated that: “These changes will have a catastrophic impact on our clients and many thousands more vulnerable children and adults. Experts have assessed my clients as being unable to share a room with their siblings.

“The government is advising these families to consider taking in a lodger to make up the financial shortfall, but this is a ludicrous suggestion. None of these families have a spare room available because the rooms are already being used It is also very surprising that the government is advising families with disabled children, and children suffering trauma following serious abuse, to invite a stranger into their home.”

(You can read the full story at http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/children-launch-legal-challenge-to-%e2%80%98bedroom-tax%e2%80%99/6525992.article.)

Now It Is My Turn…

I deliberately started out this article with the famous Cameron quote because it demonstrates just how deluded our infamous leader truly is. If we really are in it together, why are most of his Cabinet’s policies biased against the poor, the sick and disabled?

As has been ably shown by the comments above, Cameron shows complete disdain for the people unfortunate enough to have to live in social housing and who have to claim Housing Benefit. Saying that the changes are “not a tax unless you’ve earned the money first” are completely uncalled for considering that many people on Housing Benefit are low-paid workers – low-paid, I may add, because the UK may have a Minimum Wage but it is not, especially in the current climate where the cost of living outstrips the increase in wages, a Living Wage.

And for those who are not in work, the ‘bedroom tax’ is basically saying that the poor have no right to a bit of extra living space. I have to mention here that most people on benefits are claiming them quite legally and necessarily with less than 1% of claims being fraudulent according to the DWP’s own statistics.
Cameron and his cronies would trot out the argument that renters in the private sector have had restrictions imposed upon the amount of living space they are allowed for years. I would counter that argument with the argument that rents in the private sector are much higher than in social housing run by the council or housing associations and are therefore a greater drain on the public purse than the social housing/housing association tenants who are being targeted by this appalling policy.

I have no doubt that there is a lack of social housing but part of that problem can be traced to Thatcher’s Tory Government and their selling off of huge swathes of social housing. It was a great idea as it allowed people to become homeowners, however, it also meant that the housing market boomed and prices sky-rocketed, meaning that first-time buyers coming along afterwards would find it harder to get onto the property ladder. Neither Thatcher’s nor any other successive administration took this into account and failed spectacularly in replacing the sold off properties with new social housing. I would add at this point that most people in social housing would rather not be there but have no choice.

I am not personally going to suffer at the hands of this ‘bedroom tax’ as I was turned down for Housing Benefit despite being within the threshold for eligibility. If I were to be a victim, I would be a victim of circumstance because my wife and I were assigned a two-bedroom flat as we were a couple and that was the proper assignment for couples. How many others are in a position that they were assigned a property that they will now find themselves penalised for?

What really annoys me is that the Government seems to think that they are doing nothing wrong with this legislation and that they are not targeting the poor and most disadvantaged. However, how can they say that with a straight face when the ‘bedroom tax’ is not being applied equally to people rattling around huge homes that they may own but take up much more space than they are allowing the poor and disadvantaged?

If we are truly “all in this together”, everyone should be taxed on the amount of spare rooms they have. Council Tax should be amended to add a surcharge for every spare room a person has in their property.

The ‘bedroom tax’ has been dubbed ‘Cameron’s Poll Tax’ but that is not the case because the ‘bedroom tax’ does not apply to everyone. However, with the amount of ill-feeling and protests it is generating, perhaps it will have the same effect on Cameron as the Poll Tax did on Thatcher. The Poll Tax buried her and, with any luck, the ‘bedroom tax’ will bury Cameron.

Councillors and Council Officers have been guilty of a cavalier attitude regarding asbestos and the potential risk to the health and safety of the public.

There is a” mountain” of law and Health and Safety regulations regarding the presence of asbestos in the workplace, such as factories, shops, schools and other public buildings. However, there is no enforceable law and very little, if any, enforceable Health and Safety regulations governing the presence of asbestos materials in Council or private rented housing.

There are only guidelines which most landlords, including Councils, choose to ignore mostly on the grounds that the level of risk to health is deemed to be low and is only triggered if the asbestos material is disturbed or damaged, therefore the cost of removing or complying with safety guidelines cannot be justified.

Most of the current stock of Council rented dwellings has some asbestos or materials containing asbestos.

I find it incomprehensible that asbestos in the work place is categorised as a serious hazard to health meriting laws and enforceable regulations to protect the worker but asbestos in your home only merits unenforceable guidelines.

The Health and Safety Executive [HSE], the Government and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System [HHSRS] agree that asbestos is potentially a serious risk to health and when damaged, disturbed or otherwise interfered with becomes a category 1 hazard.

The HHSRS Guidance Notes recommends that asbestos in dwellings should be managed as follows:

Section 4.17
Asbestos should not be present in dwellings. However, where it is, as removal is likely to result in an increase of airborne fibre levels, existing asbestos should be managed in situ, if it is:
1. in good condition;
2. not likely to be damaged; and/or
3. not likely to be worked on or disturbed.
Section 4.18

Management of asbestos materials involves:
1. identifying the location and condition of asbestos;
2, ensuring that it is effectively sealed;
3. making it inaccessible to prevent occupiers from damaging the sealing surface;
4. labelling;
5. keeping a record of the location of asbestos in the building.

Where existing asbestos is damaged or likely to be damaged or disturbed, an assessment needs to be made and action taken to repair, seal, enclose or remove it.”

Since 2010 I have been urging the Council to be more robust in their management of asbestos in Council dwellings and, without equivocation, to implement the HHSRS Guidance Notes, Sections 4.17 and 4.18 and as a first step to label asbestos materials with a warning so occupants are aware of the location and the risks involved should they disturb, damage or interfere with it when, for example, doing DIY improvements, repairs and decorating. I have recently received a letter from the Council stating the HHSRS is not itself a standard, implying the Council does not consider the HHSRS Guidance Notes as a standard to which it should aspire and is under no obligation to comply with any of the HHSRS recommendations. As a result of their complacency the people of Thurrock have had to fork out the sum of £50,326 in fines and court costs, if the Councillors and Council Officers were required to pay this money from their own pockets then, perhaps, they will be more careful and conscientious in future.

In conclusion I quote the Health and Safety Executive:

“Not for nothing is asbestos called the hidden killer – large amounts of it were once used in new and refurbished buildings and often in places where you can’t easily see it. A lot of premises still contain some form of asbestos and the danger is still there if you are unprepared – especially if you are in construction, maintenance, refurbishment and similar work. When asbestos materials are damaged or disturbed they can release dangerous fibres which can cause serious illness if breathed in.”

“Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that disturbs a person’s memory, thinking and conduct. Signs of Alzheimer’s can be minimal at first and progress over time until it disrupts a person’s normal behavior. It is the most common form of dementia and accounts for up to 80 percent of dementia conditions. It has little to do with aging although the majority of people affected by Alzheimer’s are of senior age. It is not uncommon though for some people in their 40s and 50s to have an early onset of the disease. No matter the age, finding Alzheimer’s support for those that are in a caregiving role is essential.

Alzheimer’s Support and Memory Loss

Since it is a progressive disease, Alzheimer’s does get more serious over time. At its start, the condition may cause some mild memory loss which gradually leads to total confusion for the person affected. The person may actually not remember what they did just a few moments or days ago, yet may be able to remember a certain incident from years gone by in detail. Although they may know their name and age as well as past friends and family, a person with Alzheimer’s may not be aware of the current year. Learn more about Alzheimer’s warning signs.

Alzheimer’s can totally change the affected persons behavior and attitude – a normally loving person can easily turn rude and rowdy. After all, the confusion they are experiencing is affected by memory loss, which can be very frustrating for that person. It is not only confusing and complicating for the person with the disease; loved ones have a difficult time knowing how to be as loving and caring as necessary.

Sometimes the family, friends and loved ones of a person with Alzheimer’s can feel angry – angry that this happened to someone they love; frustrated and depressed because they don’t know what to expect or how to help. They feel as though they have already lost their loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s because of the confusion and memory loss. They are no longer the same person they knew and loved. Communicating with them can be almost impossible and very challenging since they cannot recall simple family events. Yet they want to help. This can lead to feelings of hopelessness.

Caring for your loved one with Alzheimer’s can be very stressful and overwhelming. Besides feeling frustrated, you may also feel mad, disheartened and almost isolated from everyone. Someone with Alzheimer’s is hard to care for and control – they do not know what they are doing or why…

Alzheimer’s Support through Power of Attorney

As a caregiver in this situation you need to think about all the financial and medical decisions and responsibilities that come with Alzheimer’s care. As things start to progress, you may have to legally obtain a power of attorney so that you are capable of taking on all personal affairs, financially and medically as the Alzheimer’s sufferer will no longer be able to do so. If things have progressed too quickly and this paper work is not in place, you may have to look at legal guardianship through the court system.

Often those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can feel alone, and sometimes families do not come together. Maybe it is distance or just busy lives that cause more tension as to who should take responsibility for an incapable individual they love. However, the responsibility of your loved one is best when it is shared among family and closest of friends. No one person should go at it alone. This is when getting Alzheimer’s support can make all the difference.

Alzheimer’s Support Options

Although you are a caregiver, you too may need help and coping skills to get you through the hardest of times. You are often juggling your own responsibilities while caring for someone who needs you. Remember to take care of yourself, get extra support and share in the care taking. This effort, although given from your heart, can be both emotionally and physically taxing. Online help and support groups through the medical offices, churches, Geriatric Care Managers and the like can help pull you through your most difficult of moments.

Welcome to Will Doyle. One of our growing army of bloggers/columnists. Will will be blogging on film and media issues. This is an introductory piece

“I’m Will Doyle and I’m currently at South Essex Uni studying Media. My interest in the media came about when I realized it was a way to have a voice on certain topics and news stories of which I have strong feelings about.

There have been many stories recently such as the Gary McKinnon case that have made me want to write. As I have Asperger’s. I often see things differently to other people which in some ways is great as it allows for me to have a unique input on certain topics.

I am a huge fan of film and the arts and enjoy writing about these topics; I’m very happy that Purfleet has embraced the arts with the new production park and opera house which I have been to visit. It is a very nice and will offer many opportunities for me in the future in terms of giving me some much needed experience in covering the development of the building and the many entertainment events that are planned to happen there in the future.

My uni group are currently preparing to film a TV show over there in the next few months for a TV Production module which is all very exciting and will allow me to look at how the backstage side of the events will run.

I enjoy writing about the arts and film which is why I have decided to write these blogs as I would like to share my opinion with others who may also have similar interests. In future blog entries I will write about the latest entertainment events happening in Thurrock and hopefully giving a first-hand account from them.

I also hope to write some film reviews as I go to the cinema around three times a week to catch the latest film. I would love to someday be a professional film reviewer; I also hope to write about the Thurrock Film Festival which is now on its second year due to the overwhelming success of its first which I am incredibly happy about as film is my main interest and there may be some way I can get involved in the film festival be it reporting on it for this blog or maybe filming some interviews with nominated film makers.

Next week’s blog I may focus more on the Purfleet production park and share some pictures I took during my tour of the place when I went with my Uni group, I also would like to talk about what opportunity’s there may be for me there in the future once I have finished university and what my plans are long term in trying to find a job somewhere in the media.

I hope to write these blogs weekly as they provide some great relief from my Uni work and with so much focus on Film and the Arts in Thurrock recently and not so many updates on it seems as though I may be the person to report on it all.

Will

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But we are happy to make an exception for one of our favourite residents, Mr Peter Perrin.

To those of you who do not know Mr Perrin, he appears at council meetings, every month and asks a pertinent question.

Some might say, a pedantic question to which we say: “Just be grateful that the other 160k residents don’t take up their democratic right to ask a pertinent/pedantic question!”

And we all hope that we have the enthusiasm, interest and clarity of mind that Mr Perrin possesses when this reporter gets to 80!

For us, there are some people, who sum up what we are trying to achieve at YT. Mr Perrin is one of them.

Many happy returns Peter.