Cllr Jump speaking on the outcome of the final report said.

The outcome of this second and final report has not come as a complete surprise to most of us, bearing in mind the earlier failure of the IRP to acknowledge the unusual problems facing the East Riding with the delivery of maternity services. There will be many disillusioned NHS employees and patients who will now fear for the future of Bridlington Hospital. Due to staff shortages, brought about partly by these uncertainties, and ward closures, the town is overdue for some positive news. Now is the time to draw a line in the sand and look to the future. I know that my colleagues on the East Riding Council will work very closely with all the Primary Care Trusts to ensure that the remaining services at Bridlington Hospital are safeguarded, and that new services are commissioned and up and running as quickly as possible. The key to all this is funding and I hope the Strategic Health Authority will enthusiastically back the findings from the strategic review, that is currently being undertaken. I will also press for the matter of the £20m debt, currently ‘parked’ to be finally resolved because until this happens we will all find it hard to believe in the sincerity of any future plans. I am working very closely will Greg Knight MP, and other key members of the Bridlington community, to ensure that all the recommendations in the report are implemented as soon as possible.

Cllr Geoff Pickering

It looks like the Parking Review Panel is about to grasp the nettle and finally sort out parking charges. It’s about time!

The various charges set by the old Borough Councils have never been set to rights and made fair across the East Riding.

Brid has highest charge in the County. On top of this, controlled parking zones and limited waiting times have been added over the years without really looking at what happens when they are all put together.

Brid Members have raised the town’s parking issues time after time. It has been frustrating that we have had to wait for this much delayed review to hopefully bring about some much needed changes.

We want a fair charging across the County so that Brid residents, workers and visitors do not feel ripped off and a rate which does not damage the economy.

We want to put residents first with a workable and affordable residents’ permit or discount scheme.

We want to see waiting restrictions sensibly applied across the town not everywhere being on a one hour time limit.

We want to make sure that encouraging the use of the new park and ride does not disadvantage those who live and work in the town.

We want to end excessive parking charges which amount to a tax on working in Bridlington

If drivers cannot park for a long enough period or are charged too much, it undermines the work being done to regenerate the town. People will simply go where it is cheaper and more convenient. You can also forget the ‘green’ blether about discouraging cars. All inappropriate restrictions and charges are doing is forcing people to drive round and round looking for a better park!

As much as we would like to, we cannot simply do away with charges. Residents and businesses are asked to think about the hard decisions on charges at the Budget Conferences each year. They all agree that with reduced resources from Government, Councils have to raise money where they can though charges, and not just on parking. Nonetheless any charges have to be reasonable. I cannot say they are at the moment, I will be pressing hard for a common sense and fair play for Bridlington.

Cllr Geoff Pickering

After a marathon nine hour judging session the competition for the four million pound Spa environs competition remains deadlocked.

The judging resulted in a dead heat between proposals 2 and 3. The panel have asked for more information on some aspects of the schemes and will reconvene at the Spa next Thursday. 21^st August.

Cllr Geoff Pickering, who is the Council's Design and Heritage Champion as well as representing the Bridlington South Ward (which includes the Spa) was one of the six judges.

The proposals are simply concepts at the moment, they all have some daft ideas but they will be worked up to get all aspects of the design right. Residents will have the opportunity to help shape the final design.

This competition is about selecting the designers with the right approach rather than selecting which of the designs is to be built.

This is a case of selecting better from best. I am delighted with the overall standard, and the innovative thinking shown. The two top schemes have very strong concepts, but both had good and bad parts.
After the grilling we gave each the entrants, I am certain that that either one of the leading consultants would work well with Brid residents and the Council to create some fantastic new spaces around the Spa.

What has emerged from the consultation and the judging interviews is strong support for a pedestrian priority plaza between the Spa and Pembroke Terrace along South Marine Drive.

Other issues which will be taken on board in the final design include retaining the views from Pembroke Terrace. and South Marine Drive.
There will be new access points and planting along the South Marine Drive terraces linking with the award winning scheme for the South Promenade.

Sculptural shelters and concrete curtain walls got the thumbs down. These were much criticised at the public consultation and were not supported by the panel.

It is unlikely that there will be much change to the Boating pool or Kiddies Corner at the moment. but the idea for an outdoor event space was well received.

The judges liked the idea of a big screen to project what’s on in the Spa. They also commended proposals for fun filled water gardens and pool which can be rapidly drained to accommodate a variety of uses and events. These ideas may well be considered in the future.

Cllr Geoff Pickering

The judging panel included:

Rob Tranmer, Urban Renaissance Manager Yorkshire Forward

Simon Harrison, Urban Renaissance Team, Yorkshire Forward

Andrew Hewitt, Bridlington Renascence Co-ordinator

Cllr Geoff Pickering, East Riding Yorkshire Council Design and Heritage Champion

Cyril Oliver, Bridlington Town team and Bridlington and District Civic Society

Karen Durham, Yorkshire and Humber Arts Council

The proposal to move the gypsy and traveller site from Woldgate to Grindale Road seems to have little support. Not even from the people who are supposed to benefit from the new site.

I am not surprised, anyone looking at the location and the design would be appalled. This is not so much a site for a gypsy camp as a remote concentration camp!

See details of the full apllication at

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/PublicAccess731c/tDC/DCApplication/index.asp?FOLDER1_REF=08/03889/STPLF


Cllr Geoff Pickering

A crackdown on mindless damage, focusing on Carlton Street and St Johns Avenue starts this week.

In recent months the areas have become ‘hot spots’ for rowdy behaviour and vandalism to vehicles. Doors and wing panels are being regularly scratched, wing mirrors kicked off and aerials broken.

Residents contacted Councillors to seek help. Cllr. Geoff Pickering mobilised the Neighbourhood Action Team, which brings together local people and community groups to directly assist the police to deal with crime, disorder and includes representatives from the Council and other agencies.

To boost vigilance, vehicle crime leaflets giving response contact details are being delivered to households in the area. Brid Watch will put out information to the network. The eyes on the street will combine with increased Police, PSCOs and Community Warden presence. Mobile CCTV vans may also be brought into the area.

With increased awareness and vigilance it will be possible to identify and deal with the perpetrators.

Anyone who thinks it is alright to damage property should think again. They should know they are being closely watched.

The message is clear. If you want to cause damage, expect to be caught!

Cllr Geoff Pickering

Brid Councillors have gained the unanimous support of the East Riding Council in their fight to save Brid Tax Office. The Council will now officially oppose the withdrawal of service.

We asked Portfolio holder Cllr Jane Evison to put her name to the council motion condemning the cuts and asking revenue and Customs to think again. This is not just a local issue - it affects a wide area of the County.

The motion was seconded by Cllr Chris Matthews and supported by Cllr Richard Harrap and Cllr Geoff Pickering.

Greg Knight MP is working closely with us on this issue and is currently seeking an urgent meeting with Revenue and Customs.


Transcript of Cllr Pickering's speach to Fill Council 23,07,08

I am pleased that Cllr Evison has put her name to this motion.

This is not just a parochial Bridlington issue, of concern only to Bridlington Members. The Portfolio holder’s support is extremely welcome, as is that of Greg Knight MP who is working closely with the Ward Members on this issue.

It seems to me that fighting the loss of local services particularly those in Bridlington is becoming something of a pastime for this Council! The hospital, the post office and now the tax office. This along with the loss of 42 jobs.

While we pull out the stops to bring about regeneration of the town, it seems like the Government is bent on closing it down.

I am sure the Yorkshire & The Humber “cluster” and “individual” location accommodation review as it is known makes sense on some spread sheet, or to some bureaucrat with a ‘tick box’ mentality, but exactly how when Revenue and Customs still have to pay for and maintain the building it is hard to see. It doesn’t make any sense when you bring the customer into the equation.

Brid tax office provides a vital local service, not only for businesses, but individuals for whom travelling is not an option, for elderly people and young families reliant on tax credits.

The local tax office understands the good and bad seasons of Brid's economy, they understand that fishermen don’t have a great catch every day and that weather can make all the difference to a tourism based economy. They can see through ruses but helps when it is needed.

Local people, local knowledge and local service.

Revenue and Customs do not seem very forthcoming with the evidence base for they’re pending decision so making a relevant case is not easy.

I have gleaned a few clues from the sparse information available from the HMRC website:

“The need for this reorganisation of accommodation arises, in part, from the integration of the former Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise, which has resulted in the new department having more office space than it needs.”

Is the motivation to axe rural offices to fill desk space at the larger offices?

“This process aims to ensure that the needs of all customers are met whilst continuing to deliver value for money to the taxpayer."

"There are offices in a number of 'individual locations' – towns that are more than 15-16 miles from other tax offices. Some of these have been identified as being strategic because they provide a geographically based presence to service customers”

Bridlington is an individual location; its closure would not deliver value for money and would not provide a suitable geographically based presence.

It seems odd to me that a government. spending millions on strategic regional regeneration should allow its departments to undermine that investment, removing jobs to fill large offices without looking at downsizing or sharing their present accommodation.

As the motion suggests, there is a strong case for retention, perhaps an even stronger one for moving jobs to Bridlington- not away from it.

I support this motion andt urge all Members to do likewise.

There has been an overwhelming response to the Council Tax issue which was reported in the Free Press on July 17^th.
(See Blog entry 25.06.08 Enough to Tax Anyone)

Today I was able to meet with the Head of Finance to try to stop what I feel to be an unfair treatment of our residents.

Armed with the evidence, I managed to find out that the system never envisaged that people who pay their bills could be technically in arrears. As a result, they are being treated in the same way as those who won’t pay!

I am pleased to say that Mr Button immediately took this onboard and has agreed to look to make voluntary arrangements with those with good payment records and without taking court action.

Any one in this position should now be able to sort out the matter with officers. If this does not happen, please let me know and I will find out why not.

However, the concession cannot be applied to those with poor payment records.

I am assured in these circumstance, officers will still seek a liability order but will work with residents to put a reasonable payment plan in place.

A simple, decent, commonsense solution. This should remove the threat of court action for all those I have spoken to, but in all honesty, they should never have been treated like this in the first place.

Thank you to all those who contacted me and Cllr. Matthews on this issue.
Cllr Geoff Pickering

After a year of intense fact finding and thousands of hours work, the East Riding Flood Review Panel reported its findings to the Full Council meeting held at the Spa Bridlington on 25th June - the first anniversary of the floods.

                         

The Panel’s report was universally endorsed and every one of over 60 recommendations was accepted by the Council. Members also voted to make an additional £500,000 available for small local projects unable to meet the criteria for national funding

The Environment Agency’s proposals are so worrying, I abandoned what I was to say about our forward thinking recommendations and the tremendous strides we have made in making the County safer. Instead, I felt I had alert the Council to the potential dangers of what Government and it’s quangos propose for East Yorkshire.

I was delighted to get confirmation that the East Riding Council will oppose any move by the Environment Agency or Government Departments which will be detrimental to the East Riding.’

Cllr Geoff Pickering - Member of the Flood Review Panel

Transcript of speech to Full Council 25^th June 2008

On this, the first anniversary, our thoughts are with those who suffered from the flooding and continue to struggle with the aftermath.

Many people hope that if we implement the recommendations of the Flood Review Panel, it we will put an end to flooding.

Our report sets up structures and partnerships to progress this aim, but we need to be vigilant to new, unexpected threats.

The Environment Agency is preparing five specific Catchment Flood Management Plans covering each of the rivers in the East Riding. Their proposals may direct excess water from other areas into the East Riding. Not once in the process have they considered the cumulative effect of these plans, even though they could increase frequency and intensity of flooding in our County.

At the same time they are proposing abandoning our defences to the sea and River Humber

We have a Regional Spatial Strategy which directs more development to the west of Hull, than the infrastructures may have capacity to cope with. All in the name of so called sustainability, but regardless of the consequences and quality of life.

We have National Planning Policy Statement on flooding which seeks to move all development away from the areas at risk. A laudable approach, except that here in the East Riding, those same areas hold the majority of economic development. They are where much of the major infrastructure is. Virtually all that is left is the high Wolds, an area we can not develop because it is deemed unsustainable.

Resilience has to be the key to our future - not prohibiting all development.

Land prices are going through the roof as the need for bio-fuels and food production outstrips capacity. Yet the East Riding is to be forced into sacrificing our farmland to store flood water and allowing the sea to take back land we reclaimed in the past.

We have to ensure unsuitable flood policy is not imposed on this Council and the people of the East Riding by unaccountable quangos and unelected regional government.

No Mr Chairman - we wont be able to prevent floods in the future

We can solve many of the causes of last year’s tragic events but now, flood risk not only comes from the sea, the rivers and the sky, it comes from the disjointed and inappropriate policies of present Government.

Read the Flood Review Panel’s report

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/