Full Council 10 Dec 2008

On Wednesday evening I attended the full Council meeting (Council meeting papers can be found here.) The meeting included a lively question & answer session (where councillors can pose a question to the relevant councillor, e.g. cabinet member). As for the debates, three motions had been tabled. The motions in relation to graffiti removal and the out of hours Enviromental Health Service (specifically smells) were referred to the relevant Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The remaining motion proposed that the Council support the Local Government Association campaign for Gurkha ex-servicemen to have equal citizenship and pension rights. There was a debate on this motion but only in name as all speakers were in support - some councillors recalled their service alongside the Gurkhas while others spoke of other links or knowledge that they had. The motion was carried 49-0 (with no abstentions).

Audit Committee

On Tuesday night I attended Audit Committee. In particular we had an update on the Icelandic banks situation - the Council has already published some useful background on the issue. Other topics included the regular updates from the Audit Commission and internal audit, and the annual review of risk management arrangements (this is where the Council looks at the risks it faces, weighs them for impact and likelihood, and considers how it can reduce the relevant risk). The papers for the meeting are available here. Again no press or public at our meeting - although (like most committee meetings) they are welcome to attend.

Rainham Village Fayre

• After our land clean-up in Elm Park on Saturday, some of the group popped down to the Rainham Village Fayre. The event really highlights the old world charm that Rainham village still has (aided by Rainham Hall - a National Trust property). Long may it continue.

The Fayre itself was bustling, and complete with Angels and Wise Men looking for the baby Jesus. Lunch for us was in The Ship Cafe in the centre of Rainham - and of course, after our work on the Elm Park land in the morning, it was only right that I treat myself to a large lunch....

Land clean-up

Real progress has now been made on the long-running problem of a piece of land just off Elm Park Broadway. No-one knows who owns this land - the most likely theory is that it was owned by a company that was dissolved years ago. It has for a long time been an eyesore, and getting it cleaned up (weeds, refuse) has been frustrating - especially as the Council weren't able to identify the owner. We thought our battles were over when someone did a clean-up earlier this year - but the mysterious benefactor has never owned up (if it was you - thanks!).

Well, a community team has finally been able to move things on, and Stage 1 of a project took place earlier today. We cleared the rubbish, and then laid a membrane (to fight back the weeds) before putting down a surface of gravel (both from B&Q who were helpful to the project). This should help stop the area from becoming an overgrown rubbish tip. A new lock was fitted by Around the Clock Locksmiths. Stage 2 of the project is still evolving but the aim is to have something that takes Elm Park forward.

Thanks to everyone involved with the project, including the Elm Park Regeneration Partnership and the Conservative Future Social Action Network (both of whose help included financial support), Mike Chard (in a co-ordination role), Simon Jones (pictured above) and all those who gave up their time to help either on the day or behind the scenes. Thanks also to Network Rail, TFL and all the Council departments for their attempts to get the facts about this piece of land - although just who owns/owned it remains a mystery!