This meeting is open to anyone and we would invite our local residents to join us.

The project aims to launch smaller satellite volunteer centres across Thurrock in order to encourage more local people and organisations to access volunteering opportunities within the local area.

VCLocal was launched at the new South Ockendon Centre in Derry Avenue, and will offer a drop in service every Tuesday morning between 10am and 1pm.

“We want to encourage local people to pop in and talk to us about volunteering opportunities, as volunteering can help people in so many ways including building confidence, gaining new skills, meeting new people, improving employment prospects and much more. We hope to see more people using the VC local drop in service and are keen to talk about ideas for local volunteering projects”.

“We would like to hear from more local organisations, who can let us know about any opportunities they may have to use volunteers, and also local businesses who may want to support local projects in the area”.

ngage are currently registering volunteers to help out at some of the community events this year, including T Fest which takes place on the 27th and 28th July which is a great weekend event, and volunteers can get involved in a variety of roles.

For more information about volunteering or to register for the one of events call Laura on 01375 389853 or email volunteer@ngagethurrock.org.uk

Of course, we did not expect Elvis to be singing out on the high street in Aveley.

Reem Tanning raised £1035.40 in total.

And for your information, more details on Elvis can be found at www.garyking.biz

At last night’s meeting, councillors backed detailed planning proposals by developers Persimmon, despite residents’ protests – some of which were aired by local indepent campaigner Alan Field.

However, Tory councillor Maureen Pearce (pictured) wasn’t permitted to speak but today lambasted her Labour rival, Terry Hipsey.

She says: “Cllr Hipsey refused to allow me to speak as a member for Aveley & Uplands on this application because I was late in notifying him of my intention to speak. Unlike the former chair of planning, he decided to be inflexible despite the fact I informed him that I was ill for the last 10 days. I had also cancelled birthday celebrations yesterday so that I could make a few comments on behalf of residents on this.

“As he unreasonably stopped me from commenting I am sending the press some of my points.

“Residents and Aveley councillors opposed the development of the by-pass from the beginning. Sadly the former Secretary of State, John Denham’s decision not to call-in the approval to build by the Development Corporation effectively rubber-stamped the development.

“As much as I would like Thurrock Council to challenge the permission this would not stand up in a court of law and not without huge legal costs having to be borne by the Thurrock tax-payer. I will not encourage false hopes in my community that this development will be stopped.

“However, it is important that Thurrock Council ensure developers discharge their obligations set out in the reserved matters properly. I’ve looked at the reserved matters and my main concern is the remediation of the contaminated land. The history of the site as a gravel pit turned into a landfill dump is a story that Aveley knows well and which should have made the by-pass an unsuitable site for development however, I do not see attached any of the comprehensive analysis of the contaminants of the site or the Remediation Method Statement mentioned in the report. Planning councillors should be given this if they are to decide that this major issue is dealt with carefully and appropriately.

“For the peace of mind of Aveley residents it is imperative that Thurrock Council commissions a more thorough and transparent survey of contamination and give particular note of the area of the former pit where levels of contamination exceed the Generic Assessment Criteria stated in the report. I also think that as this is such a sensitive site Thurrock Council and developers should thoroughly brief residents affected by the development on those levels and the remediation plan. This is an essential matter of courtesy.

“It concerns me that officers of the council have spoken to a number of developers with designs on Aveley about section 106 money without being very clear about what exactly is needed and without any consultation with local councillors. I can see the same problem with this report. Education money is not deedicated to Aveley schools despite them being seriously oversubscribed and developers are being told to invest millions in building an unidentified community centre in the village without any one thinking about the revenue costs, staffing, repairs and running costs in the future – costs the council or other bodies will have to finance. It also ignores the fact that we have an under used community hall at Aveley Library and a run-down community band hall in Purfleet Road.

“Despite my campaigns in the chamber and in the community the blight of HGVs is also ignored. Stifford Road, Stanford Gardens and the High Street suffer most from mis-directed lorries thundering through Aveley and residents want better signage around this very development site and a possible turning table in Ship Lane to deal with this problem. In November 2011 I asked Cllr Smith for some section 106 monies from Aveley developments to be invested in tackling this very problem. This is ignored in the report.

“Sadly Cllr Hipsey has prevented me from explaining these issues to members but I want Aveley to know I am aware of their concerns and I will raise them elsewhere, even if I was barred from doing it in the very chamber in which I was elected to do it.”

Over 200 residents packed into the main hall of the Aveley primary school to discuss the large number of applications that could change the way their village looks forever.

Chair of the Aveley Community Forum, Rev Alan Field began the meeting by delivering an overview of the plans around Aveley that prides itself on being called a village.

Mr Hatter stressed the importance of residents taking part in a consultation that ends on March 1st.

He also made it clear as to what developments/applications the council supported and which ones they did not.

Mr Hatter said: “The only development that the council supports is that of the football club (Aveley) to a possible sports hub at Belhus.

“We do not support the proposals for the housing at the former firemens’ club (Purfleet Road) or the wash-house.”

It was at this point that the meeting was thrown out to the audience.

Among the concerns raised were:

1. Resident after resident pointed to the traffic problems that “blight” their daily lives from lorries on Aveley High Street to parking at the weekend.

2. Sewage.  Despite a number of concerns expressed, Mr Hatter said he had received assurances from Anglian Water that they could cope.

3. Schools. One resident pointed out that the meeting was taking place at Aveley primary that had received a poor Ofsted report whilst Ormiston Park Academy always appeared close to the bottom of the exam table in Thurrock.

4. Hospitals. Residents pointed to the ongoing problems with Basildon and Thurrock hospital and asked: “We have one dysfunctional hospital and a dearth of surgeries in the west of Thurrock.

5. For many people, there concerns were that they moved to Aveley because it was a village. One irate resident shouted out: “You want to turn it from a village to a town. It was a done deal five years ago.”

It was at this point that Mick Woodward, owner of Essex Sports Village, (who have a planning application for homes in Purfleet Road) spoke.

Mr Woodward said: “This borough needs investment and it needs it now. This is a great opportunity that can breathe life into Thurrock.

“And it isn’t just Thurrock. We are offering to build sports facilities at Treetops School in Grays.”

Mr Woodward’s olive branch received a hostile response from Aveley councillor, Robert Ray (UKIP) who made a stinging attack on government plans.

Cllr Ray said: “There is no money for infrastructure so you can forget it. The government want to kick start the economy by house building and so councils will get money for every unit. It is as simple as that.

Cllr Maureen Pearce (Cons) suggested at the end of the meeting that the next one had more council officers who would be able to answer questions on infrastructure, environment, health and housing.

The money has enabled a host of services to be provided. But most of all one of them is fun.

Here is a recent video they re put together to promote the centre.

Top of the agenda will be representatives of Thurrock Council’s planning department who will be talking about possible developments in housing and other building in and around Aveley and the new Local Development Framework.

The meeting will be held at Aveley Primary School instead of the Aveley Youth & Community Centre to allow more people to attend.

For years, the campaigning community leaders, residents and councillors have tried to control, petition and negotiate over the possible changes to the area.

For some it is a futile, King Canute type exercise. For others it is a vital attempt to prevent a small community, a village in many ways from being engulfed by the town called London which it borders.

Perhaps, significantly, three planning applications were submitted to Thurrock Council in the dying days of 2012, that may change things for ever.

1. London Fire Brigade Sports And Social Club Purfleet Road Aveley.

Outline Planning Permission (with some matters reserved) for the demolition of existing buildings and comprehensive redevelopment comprising 501 residential dwellings, 985sqm of commercial / community / health floorspace, with associated infrastructure including new vehicular access onto London Road, public open spaces, replacement bowling green and local community facilities.

2. Aveley Village Extension South Of Aveley Bypass, Aveley

Submission of reserved matters pursuant to outline planning permission 09/00091/TTGOUT for the creation of 340 no. one, two, three and four bedroom houses and apartments, plus associated roads, paths, drives, car parking, ancillary structures and landscaping (amendment to reserved matters approved under reference 10/50216/TTGREM on 09 December 2010).

3. The Old Washmill Site, Purfleet Road, Aveley

The proposed development is residential (social) of 36 units consisting of 17 flat units and 19 house units on the site of a former cements works and disused quarry.

We will follow the all with great interest.

The fun starts at 11am and goes on to 3pm. The High Street will be closed to traffic to create a safe environment for all (diversions will be signposted).

We still have some spaces for more stalls with pitches starting at £20, so please get in touch if you are interested.

Aveley’s Christmas Market is part of the Altogether Aveley events run by Aveley Village Community Forum with funding from Awards For All, the Co-operative Membership Fund and Thurrock’s CVS Community Fund plus its own funds.

The event is fully manned by Forum Volunteers.

For more information contact Ray on 01708 862001 or ray@aveleycf.org.uk

Cllr Ray has questioned the plans by Thurrock Council to spend nearly £150,000 on further youth provision when some of the facilities have been wrecked.

Cllr Ray pointed out the youth shelter and so we let our camera pan across the structure. It is full of glass, graffiti and is burnt beyond recognition in one corner.

One of the arguments is that a shelter gives youths somewhere to go. Not any more unless you quite like sitting in a ruined, burnt out hole.

Some say you can only have such a provision, if it is “policed” effectively. Otherwise, what message, does it send out to taxpayers?

For your information, on a beautiful sunny afternoon, the park was deserted.

Funnily, enough, someone recently posted a photo on facebook which some residents protesting re lorries on Aveley High Street, in 1978!

Here is the request and here is the answer.

Questions

1. How many personal injury road traffic accidents recorded for Stifford Rd, Aveley/High St, Aveley/Ship Lane, Aveley between 01/01/02 and 01/01/12.
2. How many fatal road traffic accidents recorded within same period, and same locations.
3. What the rationale was in imposing the 20mph speed limit in those locations.
4. Why the particular style of road humps were installed as they are presently in those locations.

The numbers of accidents that have occurred on High Street, Aveley; Stifford Road, Aveley; and Ship Lane can be summarised as follows: -

High Street, Aveley – 16 accidents resulting in 20 casualties. Three accidents resulted in serious injuries and one accident resulted in a fatality.

Stifford Road, Aveley – 4 accidents resulting in 5 casualties. One accident resulted in serious injuries.

Ship Lane, Aveley – No recorded accidents within 103m of the High Street junction.

The underpinning idea behind 20mph zones is that the speed limit – if adhered to – should represent a decent chance of survival and also a low risk of severe injury if an accident occurs between a vehicle and child pedestrian. In built up residential areas where there are likely to be young children, and there is a risk of pedestrian and vehicle injuries, 20mph represents the best compromise between mobility and risk.

20mph zones significantly decrease the risk of being injured in a collision and their greater use, especially in residential areas, would help to reduce the number of traffic injuries in the borough and indeed, the UK.

Thurrock Borough Council is responsible for determining where 20mph zones are implemented, and in this instance The High Street and Stifford Road were investigated for a 20mph zone as a result of Aveley Primary School including this on their School Travel Plan and as such, the scheme was put forward for prioritisation under the Safer Routes to School category.

Following initial site investigations, the commissioning of traffic speed and volume surveys and accident history analysis, the scheme successfully made the 2011/12 Integrated transport Programme and the scheme was installed to improve road safety for pedestrians along The High Street and Stifford Road to encourage parents and pupils to walk and cycle to school, rather than rely on the private car.

20mph zones use traffic calming measures to reduce the adverse impact of motor vehicles on built up areas. The principle is that the traffic calming slows vehicles down to speeds below the limit, and in this way the zone becomes self-enforcing. Speed humps, chicanes, road narrowing, planting and other measures can be introduced to both physically and visually reinforce the nature of the road.

There are four main techniques to traffic calming programmes: -

Vertical deflections
Horizontal deflections
Road narrowing
Central islands

Vertical deflections in the carriageway are the most effective and reliable of the speed reduction measures currently available and it is for this reason that speed cushions were specified for the 20mph scheme. There are several different techniques available to achieve this:

Road hump
Plateau (speed table)
Cushion

Buses and larger vehicles regularly use The High Street and Stifford Road and as such full width road humps and speed tables are not generally accepted by bus companies and emergency services because of passenger discomfort and the increased response times these features can cause. It was for this reason that only one road hump was provided along the route. Speed cushions were provided elsewhere throughout the route as large vehicles are able to straddle cushions without discomfort and noise levels are considerably less.

Horizontal deflections in the carriageway are less effective than vertical ones in achieving reductions in speed.

Road narrowing was not an option for The High Street and Stifford Road due to the regular bus services and nature of vehicles servicing the shops within the High Street.

Central islands have only a limited effect on reducing speeds unless combined with another measure such as a chicane or speed cushions. They do, however, provide useful pedestrian refuges.

The 20mph speed limit was formally advertised under the statutory 21-day consultation process on 29th July 2011. The speed cushions and road hump were advertised on 22nd July 2011. No objections were received to the speed limit, speed cushions or road humps during this time.

The fire occurred at 7pm on Tuesday evening at Martin Road, Aveley.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used two hose reels to tackle the blaze involving a row of garages.

Crews arriving at the scene reported that 20 per cent of the block, measuring 25m x 5m, was well alight.

The incident was dealt with by 20:28 hrs.

A fire investigation will be carried out to establish the cause.

The AGM will be held at Aveley Primary School on the High Street. 7.30pm start.

The aim for the day was to provide an opportunity for children and parents to learn and play together with plenty of entertainment and activities to keep them busy, from Zumba dancing, football, arts and crafts, water play, a “sensory room” for babies and the famous bouncy castle. The local fire brigade also attended along with Family Information Service and the NHS to promote health and vitality.

Cllr Yash Gupta MBE, Mayor of Thurrock opened the event and said “I am very appreciative and impressed by the hard work and commitment the staff and volunteers have put into making this such a great day for everyone as well as the help and support that was available to improve health and wellbeing”

The event received very positive feedback from the evaluations and a second event will be taking place in West Thurrock (including Purfleet) Children’s Centre on 17 August 11am-3pm.