A backward looking Parish Council meeting, with a sting in the tail

An interesting meeting last night with the council rejecting two proposals as well as giving a response to the District Council over the housing for Hullbridge.

• The vacancy for a Parish Councillor was filled by Ian Kenlin following a ballot of existing councillors as two residents had put themselves forward.
• The Council then rejected by a majority vote a new logo which a resident had freely designed for the Parish Council and instead voted to spend money on redrawing the existing logo.
• A vote was also taken on whether to accept the Housing Needs Survey from Rochford Housing Association.  This was a report recognising that some affordable housing (rented/shared ownership) was needed for Hullbridge.  The document proposed very small development of 1-2 houses (maybe up to 10) by in filling or using pre developed areas within the current village, not by building on Greenbelt land.  The council voted against accepting this document, again by a small majority.
• A very strange decision, taken by the Village Fair Committee, to exclude the 1st Hullbridge Scouts (who sell burgers & coffee) from the event were overturned by the Council on a vote, with Cllr Michael Hoy, speaking strongly in favour of the Scouts, getting an agreement from the meeting that no voluntary organisation should be excluded from taking part in the Fair.

The most important matter, the housing allocation for the 500 houses to the West of Hullbridge, was also discussed.  The Parish Council is a consultee on the proposals and responded with the following points, stating the policy;

• conflicted with community cohesion
• lacked infrastructure planning, re water, sewage & transport
• lacked integrated transport planning
• was confusing over whether 2015 start or 2021 start (it is very clear that all the documents state a 2015 start so we are not sure why there is any confusion)

The surprise was the Portfolio Holder in charge of the Allocations proposals, Cllr Keith Hudson, suggesting a new access road to the Beeches Road/Watery Lane junction from Malyons Lane.  To us this would put Hullbridge right in the middle of a rat run with the traffic now using Watery Lane (plus additional traffic attracted by the better road) using the route through Hullbridge increasing the traffic flow along Ferry Road 10 fold and that along Malyons Lane 100 fold.  A mad idea.