Billericay Society Newsletter No. 172. June 2009

Annual General Meeting

The 74th AGM of the Society, and my 6'h as Chairman, was held on 44 March 2009. On behalf of the committee I thank all those who made the extra effort to attend the early start for the AGM at this Wednesday meeting.
I started the meeting by giving my sincere thanks to the serving committee members for all their support and help during the last year and to those members who regularly attend the Wednesday social meetings. Your numbers are growing.
A resolution that there should be three newsletters a year: to be published in February, June and October was passed at the meeting. Due to an oversight by me, for which I apologise, this resolution was not itemised in the agenda. I did remind you that I was an engineer not a bureaucrat. Naturally, if any important matter arises concerning the Society or Billericay I shall of course mention it at the Wednesday meeting.
I put this proposal to the meeting primarily due to the effort and costs involved in writing, collating and distributing the newsletters. Some of these costs and claims for expenses the members of your committee do not usually present to the treasurer, unlike our erstwhile `leaders' who have become very skilled at creative accounting. The main costs in Society terms is in personal time and effort that has to be expended by a very few conscientious members in preparing, collating and distributing the Newsletter. A few stalwart members who do the distribution, and often have to collect your subscriptions, carry out the delivery of the Newsletter to your door. To whom I extend my sincere thanks.
The general lack of any response from members to items or issues raised in the Newsletter is another reason to reduce the annual output.
The AGM also approved the election of our past Chairman Roy Mizen to Vice-President of the Society. Our congratulations and thanks go to Roy for his continued architectural and planning support to the Society.
Our other Vice-President, Ales McGregor, from Insch, Aberdeenshire continues to keep a weather eye on the Society and me with a wee missive or two a year. He also sends his regards to all the members who remember him.
The Society thanks and wishes continuing good health to Kate and Tony Gilbert for five efficient, competent years as Membership Secretaries.
The existing committee, as recorded in the last Newsletter, were re-elected at the AGM, with the addition of Doug Smith, as fire marshal, and new Membership Secretaries: Lesley and John Humphries, who were warmly welcomed.
Once again there were no volunteers to be vicechairman. In my absence at any Wednesday, social meeting Marion Thilo takes the meeting in addition to arranging excellent speakers and organising the refreshments with Ivy. Have you the members no compassion?

NHS consultation

I have mentioned the Primary Care Trust public consultation questionnaire several times at our Wednesday meetings. I want to remind you to be sure to add a caveat when replying to the cunningly worded questions in the `Health and Well-being in Billericay - Choices for the future' section. You should state that it is difficult to agree to four new premises for GPs' if we do not know where they are to be located'. Of course we want good surgeries but not at inaccessible locations.
We need to know the proposed locations for these surgeries and if they can be reached by bus. How else can patients keep appointments? Especially since public transport is nothing to do with the NHS. Mayflower Hospital in Blunts Wall Road is for older people and those with complex long-term physical conditions. It must be accessible and provided with good public transport. Why is there no address given for Mayflower Hospital?
In the present government financial crisis what is their budget allocation for this exercise? What are the cost benefits to Billericay? What is the planned phasing of the closures and the timing for the opening of the new surgeries over the next 10 years? These fundamental questions need answering, and the logic understood.
These aspects may be obvious and self evident to us. However, unless you mention such points; then there is no onus on the assessors of the questionnaire to consider them. As a former engineering project manager, I know how bureaucrats can manipulate specifications to suit their requirements. If you give them an unqualified mandate, the surgeries could be located in Basildon, Brentwood, Chelmsford or Wickford! Stranger things are happening by remote bureaucrats.
As you will have noticed from the numerous entries in the newspapers, John Baron MP is anxious that we give our views on this matter. He asked the Society to support his campaign and photo-shoots to highlight the need for proper consideration of these proposals by the residents of Billericay.

Sun Corner

A number of our members have responded to the Town Council's questionnaires in support of the request to have Sun Corner designated as `Common Land'. I have been co-opted to the Town Councils working group so my thanks for your support. The Council is now awaiting the possible summons to the formal enquiry meeting, required if Basildon does not withdraw their objection. Those members who have offered to be witnesses in support of our request - gird your loins! The Town Council will make copies of the questionnaire, their replies and a map available to those concerned with the enquiry.

Town Trail / Heritage Walks

Building on the success of the Billericay Society's five walks in 2008 the Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce want to organise twelve walks in 2009. They will start at Billericay railway station at 1:30pm on the following dates: Sunday June 7th; Saturday June 13th; Sunday 21st June; Saturday 27th June; Sunday 5th July; Saturday 11th July; Sunday 19th July; Saturday 25th July; Sunday 6th September; Saturday 12th September; Sunday 20th September and Saturday 26th September.
This heritage trail is a gentle walk lasting about 2 hours. The stroll includes the geology and development of the station area; history and architecture of the Union Work House area, now Grey Lady's Place. The history of Norsey Wood is mentioned, before visiting Norsey Bridge gun site and Festival Gardens. Then we walk along the High Street to hear about the architecture and stories of the heritage buildings in our High Street. The Society had the High Street made into a`Conservation Area' in the 1980s. Refreshments and a sit down will be available during the midpoint break at St Mary Magdalen's church.
If you are interested in Billericay history and would like to lead one of these walks please contact the Town Clerk (01277) 625 732. To date, four people from the Council have volunteered to help lead walks. We need another volunteer to lead a walk.
We also need to encourage people to come to Billericay so that we can support its variety of good shops. It might even force the council to improve our parking facilities. Free parking at weekends is a good start.

The Cater Museum

On the 24th April Christine Brewster, Curator of the Cater Museum, organized presentation by the Friends of the Museum in the Reading Rooms. It was of Views of Historic Billericay copied from a new selection of the Museum's negatives. They were scanned and restored for projection by Ray Donovan. If you missed this interesting show, keep an eye out for another showing. Photographs from the restored photographic plates and other restored photographs of Billericay can be seen in the Museum along with many other interesting artefacts. Its recent extensive refurbishment makes it well worth a visit. Its opening times are Monday to Friday 2.00 to 5.OOpm. Your Society subscription can also be left at the Museum.

Getting Posted

Once some 400 copies of this newsletter have been printed they have to be collated stapled and distributed before you receive them. However, now that ever more houses are connected to the intemet a newsletter could be sent direct your home computer. If you would like to receive it direct in this way please advise the Membership Secretaries of your e-mail address.
Contact Lesley & John Humphries:
Tel: 01277 656527
email: lesley@tennisgirls.co.uk.

Walks Programme

All walks start at 10:00am. Suitable attire is advised depending on the weather, no dogs please. If you have doubts about finding the start please call David (01277) 626674, but not on the morning of the walk.
Note: this list covers five months, so do not misplace this page! We hope to keep the website up to date.
The Tiptree Park walk originally arranged for the 7`" July has been postponed. It Is now schedu/ed for 1" September.
9th June Blackmore, meet outside the church in Church Lane GR 603017 lunch at the Bull.
23rd June Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea. GR 738865. Norman leads walk around the park to see the recent improvements.
7th'July Nounsley, Hatfield Peverel, Sportsman's Arms GR 797105 let us hope electricity is on this time. David leads walk to Ulting, Hoe Mill Lock and Chelmer Navigation.
21st July Thomdon Approach GR 626914, for Norman's Thorndon Park walk to Visitor Centre for the annual art exhibition.
4th August Fox Hatch, The Shepherd GR 574984 for Norman's new 3.5 mile walk. From Brentwood take the Ongar Road. Just before Kelvedon Hatch turn right into Blackmore Road. Pub is on right after 400 yards.
18th August Fuller Street, Square and Compass GR 749161. David leads a walk to Terling for ice creams if hot. Take the A130 north from Chelmsford to A131. At Great Leighs round about take old road and turn right at St Anne's Castle after 2 miles follow sign for Fuller Street. Or from A12, and 81137 Hatfield Peverel follow sign to Terling then on to Fuller Street.
1st September Tiptres, park at The Ship, on the Maldon Road, B1022, junction with West End Road, Tiptree. Doreen leads her first walk via Tiptree Heath to the Jam Museum.
15th September Runwell, Wickford, Quart Pot on the A132 GR 757945 for another new walk from Norman.
29th September Great Waltham, Rose and Crown on right on road to Great Waltham at Minnow End GR 701131. David leads walk to Walthambury and Langley.
13th October Margaretting Tye, White Hart, Swan Lane, Stock GR 684012. Peter Grisdale leads walk.

75th year of service to the community

The committee would like to receive your suggestions on how we celebrate 75 years of service to the community in July 2010. Can you also please encourage those 50 year olds facing a mid-life crisis to devote their energy to taking an active interest in our town.

David Bremner
Chairman

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT