Outlook Issue 21 Winter 2011

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YOUR OFFICIAL SOUTHEND-ON-SEA BOROUGH COUNCIL MAGAZINE

Outlook www.southend.gov.uk

ISSUE 21 Winter 2011

Thousands of jobs to be created as new departures are launched from London Southend Airport to nine top Euro destinations PAGE FIVE

Christmas and New Year Waste and Recycling Collection Dates PAGE 16

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Don’t miss your chance to start the new year, with a new hobby. We’ve got a range of courses to help you keep those new year’s resolutions. With art, fitness, ICT, language and personal development courses we’ll get you feeling great this new year...

Course Title

Course Code

■ Art Appreciation Art Appreciation Gallery Exploration Book Appreciation London Film Appreciation Ealing Comedy Film Appreciation London The Silver Screen Film Appreciation Woody Allen ■ Art & Craft Acrylic & Oil Development Ceramics Jewellery And Silver Clay Craft Card Making Further Exploration Drawing & Painting On Location Drawing & Painting Workshop Drawing & Watercolour Plants Drawing & Watercolour Beginners & Next Step Drawing & Watercolour Birds Drawing Beginners, Developed & Advanced Drawing From Nature Coloured Pencils Life Drawing & Portraits Colour Life Drawing Explored Life Drawing Intro Life Drawing Style Of Degas Life Drawing Style Of Henry Moore Life Drawing Style Of Picasso Mixed Media Mixed Media Sunrise & Sunset Oil Painting Painting Egg Tempera Landscapes Painting Impressionism Painting Life Painting Watercolour All Levels Sketchbook Ramblers ■ Beading & Embroidery Beading Herringbone Beading Square Stitch Embroidery Celtic Embroidery Ephemera ■ Cake Decorating Cake Decorating Sugarcraft Modelling More ■ Ceramics Ceramics Clay Texture Surface Mixed Media Ceramics Pottery Handbuilding & Throwing All Levels Ceramics Raku & Sawdust Finishes Ceramics Sculpture Inspiration Intermediate Ceramics Studio Techniques Workshop Ceramics Working With Clay & Glazes ■ Creative Writing Creative Writing All Levels ■ Crochet & Knitting Crochet Knitting Next Steps ■ Fitness Chi Ball Colour Therapy Beginners Chi Ball Colour Therapy Next Chi Kung Beginners Dance Exercise Pilates Salsacise Tai Chi Wheelchair Users Dance Exercise Beginners Yoga a Gentle Approach Yoga Zumba ■ Floristry & Horticulture Floristry Bridal Flowers Floristry Flower Arranging Move Forward Floristry Sympathy Flowers Horticulture Garden Plan Planting Scheme Horticulture Garden Techniques Spring Summer Horticulture Grow Your Own Garden Horticulture The Cutting Garden

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Start Date 16 Jun 2012 16 Jun 2012 17 Mar 2012 5 May 2012 19 May 2012

Multiple Start Dates Multiple Start Dates W124Y11 26 Mar 2012 T351Y11 1 Feb 2012 KB136Y11 30 Jan 2012 B251Y11 31 Jan 2012 B554Y11 3 Feb 2012 KB150Y11 30 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates B306Y11 1 Feb 2012 B156Y11 30 Jan 2012 E417Y11 2 Feb 2012 Multiple Start Dates A622Y11 3 Mar 2012 A621Y11 2 Jun 2012 A620Y11 4 Feb 2012 A519Y11 3 Feb 2012 KB263Y11 17 Apr 2012 A470Y11 2 Feb 2012 B353Y11 1 Feb 2012 B382Y11 1 Feb 2012 W218Y11 31 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates A618Y11 5 May 2012 W302Y11 W303Y11 A353Y11 A352Y11

11 Jan 2012 28 Mar 2012 28 Mar 2012 11 Jan 2012

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30 Jan 2012

A253Y11 31 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates A120Y11 26 Mar 2012 Multiple Start Dates T202Y11 31 Jan 2012 A214Y11 31 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates A203Y11 31 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates B331Y11 1 Feb 2012 B308Y11 1 Feb 2012 B242Y11 31 Jan 2012 A122Y11 30 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates Multiple Start Dates A341Y11 1 Feb 2012 A310Y11 2 Feb 2012 Multiple Start Dates Multiple Start Dates Multiple Start Dates Multiple Start Dates B211Y11 31 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates A453Y11 29 Mar 2012 A406Y11 2 Feb 2012 A247Y11 7 Feb 2012 A248Y11 17 Apr 2012

■ Glass Decorative Glass Beginners Stained Glass Beginners Warm Glass ■ Health Counselling AQA Introduction ■ History History Ancient Civilisations History Archaeology Of Saxon Essex History Early Stuart Worlds History Southend Then And Now History Of Art Keyworks 2 History Of Art More Artist Lives History Of Music More ■ Computers Blogging Skills Next Step Computing Levels 1, 2 & 3 Computing Technology Dreamweaver CS5 Web Page Design Beginners Facebook Internet Email and eBay Microsoft Office 2010 Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Publisher iTunes Music Downloads Photoshop Beginners & Intermediates ■ Languages French Beginners to Advanced German Intermediate 2 Italian Beginners to Advanced Makaton Beginners 1 & 2 Makaton Beginners 3 & 4 Sign Language BSL Introduction Spanish Beginners to Advanced ■ Mosaics Mosaics Next Step Mosaics Workshop ■ Performing Arts Dance Argentine Tango Dance Ballroom Absolute Beginners Dance Freestyle Disco Continuing Dance Jive Developer Dance Whatever Together Street Dance Keyboard Beginners Keyboard Improvers Keyboard & Piano Next Level Piano For All Piano For Pleasure More Grades Piano Improve Your Skills Piano Progression Singing Develop Your Voice Singing For Fun More Singing Jazz Blues Pop Soul Workshop ■ Personal Development Personal Development Communication Skills Manage Yourself/Recognise Stress ■ Photography Digital Photography Advanced Digital Photography Landscapes Digital Photography Macro Digital Photography Natural Light Portrait Digital Photography Workshop ■ Teaching Prepare To Teach PTLLS Certificate In Teaching CTLLS ■ Textiles Textiles Clothesmaking Basic Textiles Clothesmaking Textiles Pattern Cutting Beginners Textiles T-Shirt Transformer

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7 Dec 2011 18 Apr 2012 31 Jan 2012

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16 May 2012 18 Jan 2012

T507Y11 W324Y11 W326Y11 W246Y11 KB239Y11 B408Y11 B457Y11 T308Y11 A506Y11 B109Y11 A118Y11 A221Y11 A565Y11 W221Y11 W228Y11

3 Feb 2012 1 Feb 2012 1 Feb 2012 31 Jan 2012 10 Jan 2012 2 Feb 2012 2 Feb 2012 1 Feb 2012 3 Feb 2012 30 Jan 2012 30 Jan 2012 31 Jan 2012 3 Feb 2012 31 Jan 2012 31/01/2012

A161Y11 WIZ23831

30 Jan 2012 TBA

Multiple Start Dates A458Y11 19 Apr 2012 A468Y11 17 May 2012 A457Y11 23 Feb 2012 A261Y11 31 Jan 2012 Multiple Start Dates Multiple Start Dates A262Y11 A136Y11 KB314Y11 A204Y11

31 Jan 2012 30 Jan 2012 25 Jan 2012 31 Jan 2012

For more information on any of the above courses, please contact us on:

01702 445700 www.southend-adult.ac.uk

Southend Adult Community College Ambleside Drive, Southend on Sea, Essex SS1 2UP Email: info@southend-adult.ac.uk

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By Council Leader Councillor NIGEL HOLDCROFT

Winter 2011 N E W S & F E AT U R E S Restyled City Beach delivers the wow factor . . . . . . . . . 4

BEING home to London’s fourth airport is opening a world of new opportunities for Southend and the exciting news that easyJet will be starting flights from Southend Airport from the spring is evidence of the much needed jobs and investment which expanding the airport will bring to the Borough.

The Council played an important role both in attracting and securing the required investment and negotiating the tough new environmental controls (see page five).

It shows how, at a time when the Government is cutting back on council spending, we in Southend are working hard to attract investment from the private sector to support the ongoing transformation of the Borough.

Over the next few years we have many difficult decisions to make, and on page nine our Chief Executive paints a picture of just how huge the challenge will be.

Anyone who has used our online budget simulator to achieve reductions of 10 per cent will realise just how big an impact these cuts will have.

It will be a massive test of our ability to listen to the people’s views and ideas and consider their needs in planning for the future. But it also gives us an opportunity to introduce new ways of working which not only save money, but also improve the services we offer.

The self-serve area at the Civic Centre gives residents the opportunity to use computer terminals to access a host of Council services at the click of a mouse. While the pioneering Tell Us Once initiative, which is now being rolled out all over the UK, helps anyone trying to record a birth or death by passing on the information to other Council departments and government agencies (see page 17).

In spite of the cuts, many things in the Borough will continue to improve over the coming years.

This magazine can be provided in alternative formats such as Braille, audio-tape or in large print. For a copy of this magazine in another format, or to order more copies, please call 01702 215000 ext 5020 or email youroutlook@southend.gov.uk.

Self-serve computer hub for council customers . . . . . . . 6 Life-changing work of drug treatment service . . . . . . . 7 Motorists benefit from reduced journey times . . . . . . . 8 Accolades for building design excellence . . . . . . . . . . . 10 School is among UK’s most eco-friendly . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Pier to have new £3m attraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/13 School meals are healthier than ever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Specialist help to put pupils on the right track . . . . . 15 Councillor’s Question Time event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

CONTENTS

Airport expansion offers a world of new opportunities

DO IT ONLINE! Smartphone users – scan the QR code below with a barcode scanner app to access our website

Registering birth and death made easier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Council staff scoop more national awards . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 A perfect place to tie the knot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 What’s On Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20/21 Know your councillors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22/23

Outlook is written, designed and produced by Smith Davis Press in partnership with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. The information contained in this publication has been accepted from the contributors in good faith, and whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of going to press, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council cannot accept responsibility for any errors, misrepresentations or subsequent changes. Whilst all possible care is taken in the preparation of this publication, no responsibility for loss occasioned by any person acting as a result of the material contained herein can be accepted by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, the authors or the publisher. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council does not endorse any of the products or services advertised within this publication. Printed by PCP.

Say it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

for Southend Outlook is printed on recycled paper. When you have finished with this publication please help the environment by passing it on to a friend or recycling it.

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The WOW factor

Thousands of people converged on City Beach during the glorious weather of Britain’s Indian summer.

Photos by Nicky Hayes.

Restyled City Beach is attracting more visitors to the resort

P

HEW! Life really was a beach for these sun seekers who flocked to Southend’s revamped seafront to cool off during the late season Indian summer scorcher.

However it wasn’t just the freak heatwave at the beginning of

October that attracted visitors to the regenerated City Beach – one of the four projects undertaken as part of the massive £25 million Better Southend investment package.

Throughout the spring and summer the new family-friendly

pedestrianised seafront area at Mariners Square attracted a growing number of visitors and residents with its exciting features such as six 100ft state-of-the-art lighting columns, walk-through fountains, landscaping, new footpaths, easy access to the beach and new cycling and toilet facilities.

And as the days have got shorter, the new lighting is proving a hit with an increasing number of people who are now enjoying the transformed Marine Parade area in the evening.

Scott Dolling, Southend’s Group

Manager for Enterprise and Tourism, said: “City Beach has been wowing the visitors this year, and feedback has been very positive.

“Children love to play in the fountain area and parents love the space and safety for pedestrians, while traders have welcomed the extra business opportunities generated by the redevelopment.

“In addition the new lighting means that City Beach can be enjoyed all the year round with attractions like the firework display, so it’s not just a facility for the summer season.”

STAYING COOL: youngsters enjoy the fountains on Marine Parade.

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Air Traffic Controller Mark Attrill in the new control tower.

The new airport railway station which is less than 100 paces from the new passenger terminal currently being constructed.

Regional gateway will be

economic boost L

ONDON Southend Airport is preparing for take-off as a regenerated air hub that will be a major boost for the local economy, creating thousands of new jobs.

The Council has worked closely with airport operator Stobart Air to improve the little-used facility into a major regional gateway rivalling the likes of London City and Southampton Airport, whilst maintaining the benefits of being a smaller airport – not more than one-tenth of the size of Stansted.

An extensive programme of redevelopment and expansion is well underway and will be completed by Spring 2012 – in time to take advantage of the millions of people who will pour into the south-east for the 2012 London Olympics.

The runway is currently being extended to accommodate the new generation of medium capacity, high-efficiency jets and a new £16 million integral railway station and new control tower are up and running. In addition, a new passenger terminal and a striking 131-room four star hotel are under construction.

New destinations With easyJet launching 70 departures each week to nine destinations from April 2012, London Southend will soon be handling two million passengers a year. The new routes will include favourites like Amsterdam, Alicante, Barcelona, Belfast, Malaga, Faro, Ibiza, Jersey and Mallorca and will swell existing services such as Aer Arann’s daily

easyJet will launch 70 departures a week to nine destinations from next April.

Pay it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

return flights to Waterford.

Passengers using the airport railway station, less than 100 paces from the new terminal, are whisked to the centre of London in just 53 minutes – and to Stratford, venue for the Olympics, in 44 minutes.

On top of this, the regenerated airport will create as many as 7,000 new jobs locally within six years – at the airport itself and on the Rochford Business Park that will spring up on its perimeter.

Andrew Meddle, the Borough Council’s Head of Planning and Transport, said: “This has been very much a partnership project that will bring tremendous benefits to Southend in terms of attracting business investment and more visitors to the area.

“Foreign tourists using London Southend Airport may well want to spend time in the area and discover what we have to offer.

“People who live in the area will find the airport more convenient than other London airports, while the fast rail link to London will make our airport an attractive option for visitors flying into the UK.” Although the airport freehold is owned by the Borough Council, much of it is located in neighbouring Rochford. The two authorities have co-operated on a strategic development plan which has included issues like the

environmental impact of airport expansion on the area.

Residents living close to the airport can be reassured that the Council has taken every possible measure to safeguard their local environment.

“The Council has worked very hard to negotiate what we believe are the toughest set of environmental controls on any airport in the UK,” added Andrew.

“Prior to the new lease agreement there was no ceiling on the number of night time flights – but now there is a set limit.

Sustainable “Although the airport is being allowed to develop, creating new jobs for the town and boosting travel opportunities, it will be developing responsibly and in a sustainable way.”

In addition, the Council worked with Stobart Air in making necessary changes to the lease of the land, co-ordinated the diversion of Eastwoodbury Lane to ensure work could start on schedule to extend the runway by 300 metres, made funding available for the new control tower and accessed European funding for advanced passenger travel systems.

“The Council will explore other options for European funding as the airport facility continues to grow,” said Andrew.

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Southenders

Resident Jay Sheppard receives advice from the Council’s Web Services Manager Debbie Kennett in the new self serve computer area at the Customer Service Centre.

Mayor David Norman in his civic regalia.

Self serve hub for customers

Shiver me timbers... it be the council pirate!

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C

Photograph courtesy of Steve Berry

MAYOR David Norman, with his distinguished grey beard and upright bearing, looks the very epitome of dignity in the ceremonial regalia of his office.

He always draws admiring looks when he’s out and about on special occasions in his three-quarter length red robe with faux-fur trim, a white ruffle-fronted collar, an ornate chain and splendid bi-corn hat worn front to back.

But a little lad attending Southend Carnival with his mum wasn’t as impressed as he should have been when they bumped into the First Citizen and posed together for a photograph.

Just as the camera was about to click, the youngster burst into tears... terrified that Councillor Norman was a pirate just like those seen in the popular Pirates of the Caribbean films.

The Mayor said:“His mum approached asking for a picture but the little boy who must have been about three started crying because he thought I was a pirate. We soon calmed him down and they did get their photograph.

Captain Jack Sparrow from the film Pirates of the Caribbean.

“The funny thing is my three granddaughters aged seven, three and 18-months were with me at the time and they thought the way their granddad was dressed up was great. They loved every moment.

“It’s always nice as Mayor to have your picture taken with people so this hasn’t put me off at all. I do have to say though that Captain Jack Sparrow has a lot to answer for!”

USTOMER service has been taken to a whole new level now a “self serve” computer area is up and running at the Civic Centre.

Twelve PCs have been installed in the Customer Service Centre reception area so people can more easily access Council services on-line. Each computer has a telephone and a further three stand-alone phones are also available.

Managed by staff, the workstations mean people can make automated payments and browse the Council’s website.

Approved Internet connections also enable customers to contact organisations like South Essex Homes, Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Credit Service.

Council Web Services Manager Debbie Kennett said: “As an alternative to seeing one of the Council’s Customer Service Officers, this is a great way of carrying out any Council business you have.

“Our site is easy to navigate and

staff are on hand to help if needed.

We want to encourage more people on-line and cut waiting times and the early feedback we’re getting is that this service is an improvement. It’s worth saying that both the computers and phones are for Council business only – this is not a free Internet café so you can’t browse sites like Facebook or phone a friend.”

A scanning and planning area has also been created nearby with two PCs and two scanners available so customers can copy documents and view planning applications. Assistance is also on offer for this service.

The Customer Service Centre no longer operates a drop-in service so appointments now need to be made in advance and can be booked on-line at www.southend.gov.uk/ appointments. Special arrangements will be made for vulnerable customers.

To access Council services simply go to www.southend. gov.uk/doitonline.

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MICHAEL FITCH, aged 32, was a sports-mad teenager destined for a career in football – until drugs sent him into a spiral of self-destruction. Here, he tells Outlook how he found a new lease of life after being referred to the Crime Reduction Initiative (CRI) Gateway drug treatment service in Southend.

How a referral turned

my life around

‘‘

I

used to be a talented footballer with the prospect of turning professional. As a schoolboy I played for Essex County and I went on to the books at Leyton Orient.

A career as a full-time player was on the horizon – but then drugs came on the scene. Aged 13, I had started hanging around the parks drinking and smoking cannabis with friends.

After I left school I was taking LSD, speed and ecstasy in the pubs and clubs, and I lost interest in sport. My life became chaotic, using cocaine and dealing, and when I was 18 I got into a fight in a pub where people were high on drugs. I did 18 months in prison for GBH. Some time later my ex-partner introduced me to crack cocaine and heroin. Everything in my life fell apart. I lost my family, my friends. I was taken to court for shoplifting, and I lost contact with my son.

I had become a recluse, only leaving my flat to earn more money by dealing. Then I was referred by a social worker to CRI Gateway. I can truthfully say that they helped me turn my life around.

I was allocated a key worker and with a counsellor’s encouragement I set myself goals. I won’t pretend the drug treatment was easy, and I went missing a few

The CRI Gateway drug treatment service offices in Southend. times at the beginning. But the door was always open.

I’ve been clean for two years and I am now working as a peer mentor two days a week for CRI Gateway.

My life is peaceful and I have taken up sport again in the form of kick boxing. My son is back living with me. If it hadn’t been for CRI Gateway I would still be in prison.

TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES: a scene from the hard-hitting documentary Shed Your Tears and Walk Away, which tells the story of drug and alcohol use in the Yorkshire town of Hebden Bridge. A screening of the film was used to launch Southend's Drug Related Deaths Action Plan.

Report it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

’’

Action to tackle drugs deaths problem AN action plan has been drawn up to tackle the problem of drugs-related deaths in Southend.

The initiative has been launched by the local Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) which is hosted by the Council.

The team already commissions a series of vital services in the town including two centres run by CRI Gateway, the drug treatment service.

Now DAAT has compiled an evidence based annual review, the first of its kind in the UK, which identifies good practice and things that might have been done differently while proposing a case management model to improve clinical practice and patient safety.

“We have a relatively high rate of substance-related deaths in Southend, the second highest in Eastern England, according to official statistics,” said Glyn Halksworth, DAAT Strategy Manager.

“We concluded in our report that people need to work together more effectively to assess and develop care, and share information.

“The action plan includes an overall review of the treatment system and care pathways together with suggestions for implementing a cross-agency risk assessment and providing nandrolone for drug users who have overdosed.”

The annual review was launched at a showing to an invited audience of a hard-hitting film entitled Shed Your Tears and Walk Away directed by Jez Lewis, at Southend’s Palace Theatre.

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New computerised signals are relieving traffic congestion at Cuckoo Corner.

Improvements have cut traffic queues at the A127 Progress Road gateway.

Highway projects cut

JOURNEY TIMES T

HE flow of traffic in Southend has shifted up a gear thanks to the package of highway projects carried out under the £25 million Better Southend regeneration programme.

Now motorists are keeping on the move at locations once notorious as peak hour bottlenecks, with residents and visitors delighted at the way the major road improvements have cut travelling times.

As a result of the Cuckoo Corner makeover peak hour jams at Priory Crescent are all but

8 Outlook WINTER 2011

a thing of the past, saving between five and 10 minutes on journey times, with the new computerised signals working hard to adjust rapidly to the traffic flows on the approaches.

Increasing the A127 Progress Road gateway junction to three lanes into the Borough with new traffic lights has cut traffic queues by up to 80 per cent and travel time by 15 minutes.

In addition the fine tuning of signals at the Victoria Gateway, where a new public space links the railway station with the junction, has also resulted in an efficient traffic flow,

whilst the new City Beach scheme has smoothed traffic flows and reduced speeds to under 20 mph.

Paul Mathieson, Group Manager – Strategic Transport and Planning, said: “These improvements have achieved what they set out to do in reducing congestion and regenerating public spaces. The response from businesses and the travelling public has been very positive, which is essential in giving the town a valuable economic boost in these difficult times.”

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BETTER WAYS OF WORKING: Rather than being stuck in an office, Street Scene Officer Jaki Wilson logs a call into the mobile system while her colleague Rob Gregory reports a graffiti issue so a team can be despatched to clean it up.

Pressure is on to

deliver savings B

UDGET cuts of a further £28 million over the next three years will put even more pressure on the Council to achieve financial savings across its facilities and services.

The Council planned ahead and introduced efficiency measures and new ways of working to save £16million last year. But the Council’s Chief Executive has warned that, as the financial hurdles the authority has to jump get higher and higher, it will become more and more difficult to protect all services, year in, year out.

Consultation is underway to find the public’s views for 2012-13, during which the Council will have to reduce spending by another £12 million, or 10 per cent of its total budget.

Tougher decisions In the following two years savings of another £6 million and £10 million will need to be made. It all adds up to a 22 per cent cut in the Council’s spending over the next three financial years.

Chief Executive Rob Tinlin said it will be extremely difficult to reduce spending on such a scale without it affecting the services people receive. He said: “Decisions we face are going to be

tougher for the next two years than they have been previously. Imagine having to take 10 per cent out of a family’s domestic budget, then making further cuts amounting to 22 per cent out of a household’s spending. Pretty soon your Christmas, summer holiday and Sunday roast have gone, and for the next round of cuts you are left with even tougher decisions to make – do the children play sport or go to their scout group?”

Qualitative feedback Rob said the public had been able to see the scale of the challenge facing the Borough by completing the interactive budget simulator that ran on the Council’s website this autumn.

The programme asked the public to choose which areas of spending they would cut or increase and gave an indication of what that change in spending would mean. He said: “The responses through the website have provided us with real qualitative feedback which will be considered as part of the decision making process.”

The budget planning process will be carried out by councillors over the next few months and decisions will be announced in the new year.

Apply for it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

Good advice on choosing right child car seat WITH more than 1,200 children killed or seriously injured in the UK each year while travelling in cars, the Council’s Road Safety Team provides drop-in advice centres to help motorists choose the right type of child’s car seat and fit it properly.

The sessions are held on the first Tuesday of every month at Blenheim Children’s Centre, Blenheim Chase, Leigh-on-Sea, from 9.15am until 10.30am and at Hamstel Children’s Centre, Hamstel Road, Southend from 1pm until 3pm.

Alternatively, advice is available without an appointment every Friday between 9.30am and 2.30pm at the In Car Safety Centre, Lubbards Farm, Hulbridge Road, Rayleigh, SS6 9QG. For further impartial advice contact the Road Safety Team on 01702 215000 or email roadsafety@southend.gov.uk.

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Awards recognise design excellence N

The North Road Chapel at Prittlewell Cemetery – which has been converted into a Community Resource Centre – won the Conservation and Sustainability award.

the University of Essex, while the £7.6 EW landmark buildings and million City Beach seafront regeneration conservation schemes across the project earned a Public Space Borough have been honoured in commendation for designers Gromtmij the keenly contested 2011 Southend (formerly Whitelaw Turkington).

Design Awards.

Councillor Jonathan Garston, the The awards, organised annually by the Borough Council’s Executive Councillor Council since 1994, recognise and for Planning who also chaired the judging encourage excellence in local panel, said: “This competition is an development, and this year the judges excellent opportunity to celebrate the awarded an unprecedented seven prizes architectural ideas and innovations across due to the impressive quality of this year’s the town. entries.

“This year the panel has chosen some Futures College at Southchurch extremely varied and distinguished Boulevard in Southend, which underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment, was winners. These buildings and projects are a credit to Southend and help us to Outright Winner and architects Fraser develop our current and future heritage.”

Brown MacKenna also collected the New Build Award.

Other winners included the £1 million-plus project that has converted the disused North Road Chapel at Prittlewell Cemetery into a Community Resource Centre. It won the Conservation and Sustainability Award for architects Urbanology.

Stephen Marshall Architects received a commendation in the New Build category for the FUTURES COLLEGE vibrant University Square the Outright Winner of the Southend Design Awards. student accommodation for

Students urged to take up Six Book Challenge SOUTHEND Libraries are teaming up with Southend Adult Community College (SACC) to encourage more students to take part in this year’s Six Book Challenge.

This free scheme invites less confident readers to read any six books of their own choice and then record their views in a reading diary provided by libraries.

Students are supported with incentives and presented with a certificate at an awards ceremony after completing the challenge. The reading initiative (see details at www.sixbookchallenge.org.uk) was successfully launched in 2008 and forms part of the Vital Link programme for libraries and literacy.

Run by the national charity The Reading Agency with the aim of helping people get into reading – in many cases for the first time – the scheme has proved highly effective.

Simon Wallace, Community and Diversity Manager at Southend Libraries, said: “The

10 Outlook WINTER 2011

Simon Wallace, Community and Diversity Manager for Southend Libraries, with a selection of six short reads on offer. challenge is a real hit at SACC because of the way it improves students’ confidence, increases their motivation and helps to develop the reading habit together with a love of books.”

Southend Libraries also stock Quick Reads (www.quickreads. org.uk), a series of exciting, dramatic and funny stories ideal for adults who have stopped reading or who simply want a short enjoyable read.

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ECO PACESETTERS School set to be a UK leader in energy efficiency

A

school in Southend is on course to becoming one of the most eco-friendly in the UK as a result of a multimillion pound refurbishment which is transforming its Edwardian buildings.

Westborough Primary Academy at Westcliff-on-Sea has had a raft of energy efficient improvements over the past year as part of a £1.2 million first phase of the green makeover.

Classrooms have benefitted from wall insulation, double glazing and acoustic lining which have made them fitter for purpose. Lighting and heating is making the school energy efficient and solar panels are powering the school.

In fact, the 100 sq metres of photovoltaic solar panels are generating both electricity and income for the school – as surplus electricity is sold to the national grid.

Rainwater is harvested and stored in underground tanks to provide water for toilet flushing and a carbon neutral, woodburning biomass boiler meets heating needs.

UNDERNEATH THE ARCHES: Pupils Tanatswa Ohumbura, left, and Ben Davies, both aged 10, pictured below some of the solar panels at Westborough Primary School.

Now phase two of refurbishment work – also costing £1.2 million – is about to begin and will take the energy efficiency improvements throughout the whole school by next May. Head Teacher Jenny Davies said the vision for the building was to be “zero carbon” – which they aim to achieve next year to coincide with the school’s centenary celebrations.

“The improvements made so far have created a much better learning environment for the children,” said Mrs Davies. “For example, the acoustic upgrade of classrooms means that teachers no

Pupil Leomar Ailpato, aged 10, checks a panel which monitors the electricity generated by the school’s solar panels.

longer have to shout to make themselves heard.

“The school was opened in 1912 and the building had become old fashioned but this refurbishment has given us modern facilities and standards in an Edwardian building of character. Everyone at the school is proud of our eco-friendly credentials and we intend to continue to build on this.”

The first phase of the work – jointly funded by the Council and Department for Education – has already won two national accolades.

The project has been shortlisted

Ten-year-old pupil Tiana Dawson by one of the plants trained to climb up the arches which support the school’s solar panels.

Find it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

for The Architects Journal prestigious 3R award (Refurb, Rethink, Retrofit) and it has helped architects Cottrell and Vermeulen to be shortlisted for Education Architect of the Year.

The school, which educates more than 530 pupils between the ages of five and 11, is now an independent academy funded directly by the Government.

FREE PARKING on run-up to Christmas SOUTHEND-ON-SEA Borough Council is offering free town centre parking on Thursday evenings and Sundays. It means residents and visitors will be able to shop for festive treats without having to worry about a parking fine. The concession will encourage people to stay longer and shop on their doorstep, supporting local traders.

Free parking will be available after 4pm on Thursday 1, 8, 15 and 22 December and all day on Sunday 4, 11 and 18 December. The offer applies to all Southend town centre car parks and Elm Road, North Street, Leigh, Ceylon Road and Thorpe Bay Broadway.

WINTER 2011 Outlook

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Scheme helps with funding of private care home THE prospect of being unable to afford their place in a private care home haunts many people of advancing age.

But help is at hand for those who want to avoid running out of money, thanks to a new Southend-on-Sea Borough Council scheme.

Specialist financial support is being offered to older people who are “self-funders” because they do not qualify for state support.

Anyone with assets of more than £23,250 needs to self-fund his or her long-term care in a care home or nursing home.

Care fees planning advice is now being offered via the Council by specialist care fees planning advisers accredited by the Society of Later Life Advisers.

The initiative offers help to make people’s money go further, saving them from having to fall back on local authority funding if the cash runs out and even enabling them to leave a legacy for their family.

Councillor Derek Jarvis, Executive Councillor for Culture and Tourism, pictured on the pier with the pier train to his left.

Pier and Foreshore Assistant John Payne with the “Roll of Honour” board showing the names of people who have paid £50 to adopt a plank on the pier.

12 Outlook WINTER 2011

New £3m cultural centre to be

end of pier star show I

Third party help “Unfortunately if somebody paying £1,000 a week in a private care home has to turn to the Council, they will find less than half that money is available unless a member of the family can top up,” said Mike Boyle, the Council’s Head of Adult Commissioning.

“If there is no third party help they may have to move from the care home of their choice.

“Very few people will have been given specialist financial advice before they reach this point. The Council scheme is offering them help when they are about to go into care, or just having gone into care.

“The advisers will set out a range of funding choices and talk them through income from pensions, benefits entitlements and care fees annuities while examining options such as equity release or renting out an existing property to fund the care costs.”

Currently 12 self-funders apply to the Council every year because they need help, at a additional annual cost to the local authority of £300,000.

Extra care facilities will support individual lifestyles

Pier busker Lewis Floyd Henry took part in a fun-packed weekend busking festival.

Picture by Echo Newspapers

A bird’s eye view of the world’s longest pier.

T’S the longest pier in Europe and it’s the pride of Southend – but for the last six years it has lacked a “main event” at its seaward end.

A fire in 2005 destroyed the old-fashioned pub and some other facilities at the furthermost tip of Southend Pier, presenting town planners with an opportunity to devise a high-profile replacement.

They have seized the chance to bring back an “end of the pier show” with a modern slant, in the form of a stunning new visitor facility.

Preparation is underway for the construction of a £3 million cultural centre which will showcase music, arts and culture while also providing a space for conferences, weddings and entertainment fairs.

Due to open next spring, the innovative structure with a wave-inspired roof will be craned on site from a barge after being pre-fabricated in Holland.

“This is an exciting milestone in the life of Southend Pier,” said Councillor Derek Jarvis, Executive Councillor for Culture and Tourism.

“The Pier is a listed building, really important to the local community and the visiting public.

“We have a responsibility to look after it for future generations and we

A computer-generated impression showing how the new end-of-pier cultural centre will look.

have researched what people wanted to see and hear.”

The design of the cultural centre is based on the winning submission in an international competition launched by the Council and coordinated by the Landscape Institute two years ago.

“It’s the next stage in the visitor experience and it will be the latest offering in our reinvention of the traditional seaside offer which includes the City Beach, for example,” said Scott Dolling, Group Manager for Enterprise and Tourism

at the Council. The new building is set to consolidate the pier’s much-heralded contribution to the overall appeal of Southend.

Fun weekend The pier has recently been granted a National Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme award for the second year running.

Following its recent re-opening after repairs to damage caused by a barge in bad weather, a fun-packed weekend was launched featuring a two-day busking festival.

View it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

Meanwhile an “Adopt A Plank” scheme at £50 a time has proved so successful that the names of more than 1,000 people sponsoring an integral part of the pier structure have been recorded on a roll of honour board at the shore end of the pier.

Councillor Jarvis added: “The pier is an invaluable asset to Southend.

The new pavilion will present an ideal opportunity for both the local community and visitors to enjoy a varied programme and even get involved themselves.”

PEOPLE with additional support needs will be able to stay independent for longer thanks to an initiative from the Council. Work is underway to convert two former sheltered housing schemes into extra care developments with facilities which support individual lifestyles and needs.

Under the £1.5million project, studio flats at Westwood, Leigh, and Longmans, Shoeburyness, are being converted into fully-adapted one bedroom properties with on-site support from a care provider.

The works will include making the bedrooms larger to enable carers to provide additional support or the fitting of hoists to help people get in and out of bed.

The new-style schemes will also include a larger kitchen and communal lounge with on site dining facilities and a laundry room with a sluice facility.

At both locations, which are at opposite ends of the Borough, the existing 29 units are being converted to create 15 refurbished properties.

“The adaptations mean that people who are in unsuitable accommodation currently, and who are thinking they might have to go into residential schemes, will be able to make a choice of remaining independent for longer,” said Traci Dixon, Group Manager for Housing Services at South Essex Homes, the arms length management company responsible for managing the properties on behalf of the Council.

A number of former residents of the sheltered housing schemes will return when the refurbishment is completed in summer 2012.

The social care and adaptations teams at the Council will be working with South Essex Homes to offer the other places to people who meet the criteria for extra care housing and this could include people with physical or learning disabilities.

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Gritting teams are prepared for the worst of winter THE Council’s fleet of gritters is ready to face whatever the winter brings and keep major roads, bus routes and other busy thoroughfares clear of ice and snow.

In view of the severe winters of the last two years, stocks of salt grit have been increased to 2,000 tonnes. Grit bins are located across the Borough so residents can spread it on footpaths.

For clearance of private property, salt grit can also be purchased from Cory Environmental in Eastern Avenue and it is sold by a number of major stores during the winter period.

Doctors’ surgeries have been provided with a free quantity of grit and all businesses are encouraged to support local communities by clearing their car parks and footpaths for customers and employees.

In snow conditions, street cleansing staff are diverted to gritting and snow clearance from designated footpaths, pedestrian crossings, main shopping areas and other key locations.

Karon Grant, Environmental Care Team Leader, said:“We would encourage everyone to help keep the town moving and clear outside their properties and also to provide assistance to vulnerable and elderly neighbours during times of severe weather.”

■ To find out more about where grit bins are located, routes that are gritted and self help advice, visit www.southend. gov.uk/wintergritting

Do it Online 14 Outlook WINTER 2011

Pupils Jessica Brown, aged eight, and nine-year-old Nathan Brooks tuck in to a healthy school meal at Temple Sutton Primary.

Families urged to sign up to

healthy school meals M

ORE families across Southend are being encouraged to sign up for healthy school meals now a study has shown the way forward for all 37 primary schools.

Children and parents at five junior and infants took part in a summer term survey commissioned by the Council and NHS South East Essex. The idea was to understand attitudes and identify improvements.

Feedback was mainly positive with a range of comments from children who liked their school dinners while some wanted more choice and others did not like long queues or vegetables.

All schools now have a specially produced 10-point action plan which takes into account any issues for caterers who face the challenge of producing appealing food to a high nutritional standard despite rising costs.

The plan gives schools a range of choices and solutions and covers everything from new recipes and health promotion to ideas on cutting waiting times by

better organising dining rooms. Margaret Gray, Head of Public Health at NHS South East Essex, said: “This has been an excellent partnership project to understand the attitudes of parents and children to school food and to provide practical ways in which schools can encourage increased uptake.

“Parents should be encouraged that our schools are working so hard to provide healthier options that their children want to eat. Schools meals not only provide nutritious food but are an opportunity for children to learn wider skills like making healthier choices, understanding portion size, trying new foods and enjoying the social skills of eating together – things that lay the foundations for future good health.”

Meals at secondary schools across the Borough are set to be come under the spotlight next.

Don’t forget you can check your eligibility for free school meals and apply online at www.southend.gov.uk/schoolservices.

Children surveyed at the five schools including Temple Sutton Primary and Hinguar Community Primary had many positive things to say about school dinners:

“They fill me up when I am hungry”

“I really like them, they are so yummy”

“I think they d are healthy anxt ne want to sit s” to my friend

“Packed lunches are not always healthy”

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EXPERT SUPPORT puts special needs pupil on right track

Better times ahead for nine-year-old Rocky Whiting and his dad Paul pictured outside The St Christopher’s School.

R

OCKY Whiting is looking forward to Christmas Day more than most young lads of his age – because it’s also his l1th birthday. This year, however, his dad Paul has another special reason to celebrate.

The 53-year-old single parent from Leigh-on-Sea has seen a marked improvement in his son whose severe behavioural problems have had a devastating effect on the family.

The involvement of the Council’s Child and Family Early Intervention Team is helping to turn Paul and Rocky’s lives around with support from professionals who try to resolve problems that can lead to persistent school non-attendance and other issues.

Rocky’s problems started to manifest themselves with bouts of uncontrollable rage soon after he started at Heycroft Junior School.

His parents had separated and Rocky was living with his mum who found it increasingly difficult to cope. As a result he missed out on a lot of his schooling.

Paul then became fully responsible for Rocky, juggling his responsibilities with a demanding

16-hour day construction site managerial job in London, so the little boy, then aged seven, was cared for by a child minder.

Rocky’s problems have never been labelled but they are similar to the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism. Rocky’s difficulty in maintaining concentration levels at school caused him to be frustrated and this in turn makes him angry.

Special needs Three years ago Rocky was placed in The St Christopher’s Foundation School.

Paul then had to decide between his career and being a father – and, of course, Rocky was more important so Paul took redundancy and soon noticed that he needed more help to manage Rocky’s behaviour at home.

The Christopher School identified Rocky’s problems and arranged a programme tailored to his needs, while Paul went on a Positive Parenting Course at the school which really helped his relationship with Rocky. He also works closely as a team with the school staff and continues what

Say it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

they do when he’s at home with Rocky.

Four years on and life is now improving for father and son.

Rocky finds it easier to manage his anger, his school attendance has shot up from 37 per cent to 97 per cent and Paul has started a course to qualify him to teach secondary aged students.

Paul said: “Rocky would go into rages and literally kick out at teachers, other children and anyone else near him. He still has his moments but they are not as frequent.

Trusting relationship “I was very fortunate to get support from the Early Intervention Team – who are still there giving us support – and an excellent school. They put me on the right path.

“Without them I would not have had a clue about what to do with Rocky.”

Annette Duncombe, Manager of the Child and Family Early Intervention Team, said: “As our title suggests, we try to get involved at an early stage before problems escalate and support families with whatever issues are

hindering their children from accessing education.

“Our aim is to build a trusting relationship. Team members all have specialisms and if they cannot help directly they will signpost a family to an appropriate service. We don’t just recommend a service but accompany the family to the GP, children’s centre or whoever we have signposted them to.”

Recycling of rigid plastics RIGID plastics like toys, garden furniture, plant pots and CD cases can now be recycled in Southend – thanks to a new scheme suggested by residents in a survey. The Council together with its recycling and waste contractor Cory Environmental has launched the additional service at Stock Road and Leigh Marshes Household Waste Recycling Centres.

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Q

Festival celebrates CULTURAL DIVERSITY HUNDREDS of people across Southend have enjoyed the month-long Out of the Box multi-cultural festival.

The event, incorporating Black History Month, featured a variety of arts activities, workshops and exhibitions including a celebration of Bollywood films at the Central Library, produced by the Essex Cultural Diversity Project.

The national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago was showcased when The Sunshine Band took to the High Street and gave passers-by the chance to play the steel pans.

Dance taster workshops were staged during the Big Dance Day at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre with experts on hand in everything from Zumba to African Dance and Salsa to Flamenco.

Southend’s Black and Minority Ethnic group organised a drop-in event at the Civic Centre while Storyrhymes sessions for families with children under five took place at libraries across the Borough.

Questions asked ...and answered

Sixteen-year-old Luke Williams, a student at South Essex College, gets his chance to put his question to the panel at the Councillor’s Question Time event.

Y

OUNG people were able to pose questions about all aspects of life in the Borough to a panel of senior councillors and leading figures from Southend.

The Councillor’s Question Time Event, held at South Essex College, was arranged to coincide with European Local Democracy Week and was open to everyone from primary school age through to college students.

The panel, which included Council Leader Nigel Holdcroft, Executive Councillors, the group leaders of other political parties and a senior Essex Police officer, fielded questions from the 150-strong audience on subjects such as: What are your future plans for Southend? How is Southend coping with reductions in funding from Central Government? Does the Borough have a community spirit?

They were also asked about police presence outside schools, university tuition fees and facilities and services for young people during the lively debating

Revised Christmas and New Year 2011/12 2010/11

Collection Dates For more information call 01702 215006 or visit the recycling, rubbish and waste section of the Council’s website – www.southend.gov.uk 16 Outlook WINTER 2011

session. The main aim of the event was to encourage young people to get involved in politics and local democracy.

Southend already has a vibrant Youth Council scene, which is open to all 13 to 19-year-olds.

Effective Youth Council-led campaigns have included working with bus operators to lower fares for under 16s and an ongoing initiative to make Citizens Cards available to all schoolchildren free of charge.

Jenni Naish, Children’s Services Partnership Manager for the Borough Council, said: “This is the second Councillor’s Question Time event we have held – it is all about engaging young people in local democracy and having their voices heard.

“The questions posed were far-reaching and in-depth and any that could not be dealt with thoroughly at the event have been answered in full on our website.”

For more details about getting involved in the Youth Council, or to view the answers to the questions posed, log onto www.southendchildren.org

Normal collection day

Revised collection day

Days late

Monday 26th December

Wednesday 28th December

2 days late

Tuesday 27th December

Thursday 29th December

2 days late

Wednesday 28th December

Friday 30th December

2 days late

Thursday 29th December

Saturday 31st December

2 days late

Friday 30th December

Tuesday 3rd January

4 days late

Monday 2nd January

Wednesday 4th January

2 days late

Tuesday 3rd January

Thursday 5th January

2 days late

Wednesday 4th January

Friday 6th January

2 days late

Thursday 5th January

Saturday 7th January

2 days late

Friday 6th January

Monday 9th January

3 days late

Monday 9th January

Tuesday 10th January

1 day late

Tuesday 10th January

Wednesday 11th January

1 day late

Wednesday 11th January

Thursday 12th January

1 day late

Thursday 12th January

Friday 13th January

1 day late

Friday 13th January

Saturday 14th January

1 day late

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Improved Dial-A-Ride scheme has over 200 new users THE new improved Dial-A-Ride service has already attracted more than 200 new users since it first took to the road in July.

The service, for people who struggle to use public transport because of disability or health problems, is now operated by local company Access Anyone Ltd in conjunction with the Council.

The wheelchair accessible Dial-A-Ride vehicles run between 8am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturday. A new feature is day trips to places of interest on a quarterly basis. The first was to Morley’s Garden Centre and if the outings prove popular they may be more frequent.

Another improvement is the facility for members to book regular journeys six months in advance – and even those who call at short notice can be sure that everything possible will be done to help them.

Karen Wright, Group Manager Facilities, Transport and Registration Services said:“The new Dial-A-Ride service has got off to a very promising start and now has more than 300 members. The feedback from users has been very positive.”

To use the service, people must meet the eligibility criteria covering a range of registered, permanent and short-term disabilities which prevent them from using mainstream transport.

For more information on the Dial-A-Ride service and eligibility criteria go to www.southend.gov.uk/ dialaride or contact Access Anyone on 01702 527992 or take a look at their website www.accessanyone.co.uk.

Council Registration Assistant Cindy Chantry, left, pictured with Carly and Terry Newman when they registered the birth of their baby Harry.

BIRTHS AND DEATHS:

just Tell Us Once C

OPING with life changing moments like births and deaths is being made much easier now the Council’s free Tell Us Once service has been expanded.

From 4 October, the Council’s Registration Service joined forces with the Department of Work and Pensions and can now notify up to 30 organisations and departments about bereavement or a new arrival in a family.

The Council’s been running its own local service since February where registration officers collect relevant details from people registering a birth or death, before passing them on.

This now includes organisations like the DVLA, tax and passport

Pay it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

offices, pension and children’s care services as well as council departments dealing with council tax or housing benefits.

Easier to cope Diane Baker, the Council’s Registration Manager, said: “We know how hard it can be dealing with the loss of a loved one and how confusing, distressing and time consuming it can be making arrangements and notifying everyone.

“Our service, where you give us permission to act on your behalf, can make it all so much easier to cope with. You just tell us once and we pass the information on so you don’t have to contact a large number of organisations.

“Joining up with the DWP means that from November the 15th when Essex County Council come on board, we can also offer the service to people from outside Southend whose relatives die at the Southend University Hospital.

“In the past this would not have been possible and they would have had to inform individual departments and government offices.

“For happier times, we also provide information on child-care services, benefits and other support networks when you come in to register a birth.”

For more information on how we can help call 01702 215009 or go to www.southend.gov.uk/ registrationservice.

WINTER 2011 Outlook

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Initiatives and services win national accolades M

ORE awards have come the Council’s way as its initiatives and services win further national recognition.

Pioneering work to cut carbon emissions scooped the Green Apple Award from the Green Organisation – an independent group, which recognises and promotes environmental best practice.

The Borough-wide ‘Looking for Carbon’ project, designed to improve energy efficiency and tackle climate change, is already paying dividends and saving thousands of pounds.

Details are being published in an international reference book to help others follow the Council’s example.

Revenue and Benefits staff struck gold when

the team was judged best for ‘Excellence in Customer Service’ in a national awards scheme run by the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation.

Face-to-face advice The Judges were impressed with the team’s Mobile Working Service, which offers face-to-face benefits advice at libraries across the Borough, and highlighted positive customer feedback.

Southend Swimming and Diving Centre has been short listed in the ‘Best Technical Innovation’ category at the National Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Awards.

Judges, who put the centre through to the final, said: “Constructed on a restricted complex, this building had to overcome significant site, budget and operational constraints to achieve a first-class diving facility.”

The Council is now among the top performing in the country for Health and Safety according to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

ROSPA awards range from zero to five and it carried out an audit before confirming the Council was operating at Level 4 – a rise of three levels since the last audit two years ago.

Record 500 nominations for annual awards UNSUNG heroes have been recognised at the annual STARS awards ceremony – designed to honour Council employees who go that extra mile to serve the Borough.

The public, partners, Councillors and colleagues submitted a record-breaking 500 nominations, with 14 winners picking up their awards during a sponsored event at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre.

Carol Compton, who heads up the Council’s Youth Offending Service, scooped the prestigious Mayor’s STAR Award, sponsored

by Adventure Island. She was described as transformational as a leader.

In the past year Carol has juggled financial constraints while introducing the novel Triage system of dealing with first-time youth offenders, which has cut cases from more than 200 a year to 15.

The Council’s Environmental Care Team won the Clean Award, sponsored by Environmental Application Ltd, for its work combating graffiti across the Borough. One resident, who reported graffiti when she bumped into a member of the team, said:“It was quickly removed and I consider that excellent customer service.”

Council Chief Executive Rob Tinlin said: “As we continue to work through tough times, making difficult decisions about how we best use our increasingly scarce resources, it is more important than ever that we recognise the hard work and achievements of our staff.

“Despite the challenges the

18 Outlook ■ WINTER 2011

Council has been faced with, our staff continue to go above and beyond their line of duty to provide excellent services.

“Their commitment and determination has driven major improvements across the Council and it is vital that we acknowledge their accomplishments.”

To see the full list of winners including Employee and Team of the Year, go to www.southend.gov.uk

Winner of the Mayor’s Star Award, Carol Compton, receives her trophy and certificate from Mayor David Norman and sponsor Marc Miller, Managing Director of The Stockvale Group, owners of Southend theme park Adventure Island.

Members of the Environmental Care Team, who won the Clean Award, pictured at the presentation evening with sponsor John Grummitt of Environmental Applications, third from the left. They are, left to right, Environmental Care Officer Rob Gregory, Team Leader Business Support Environment Liz Pearman, Team Leader Environmental Care Karon Grant, and Environmental Care Officers Paul Waller and Mick Sharpe.

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Simple ways to cut fire risks at Christmas and celebrate in safety

The impressive frontage of Porters.

AS well as being the season of goodwill, Christmas can also increase the risk of fire in the home – so celebrate in safety by following these simple precautions:

Historic house makes a

top wedding venue C

OUPLES planning their wedding in Southend have been finding out what Porters – the Mayor’s official residence – has to offer as a venue.

The Council’s Registration Service staged a wedding open day at the historic 16th Century house so visitors could tour the beautiful gardens and sample the oak panelled drawing room.

They were able to discuss arrangements for their big day and find out how the Council can help by providing wedding stationery, flowers from the Council’s Parks Department and catering courtesy of Edwards and Ward, who run the Civic Centre restaurant. Other independent exhibitors offering a range of services for the special day also took part.

Andrew Moring, Executive Councillor for Corporate Support Services, said: “Porters is a fantastic venue for a wedding. The Council

An eye-catching wedding photograph taken at Porters.

● Indoor artificial trees should be fire retardant – make sure the tree is set firmly in a suitable stand/container so it won’t tip over and don’t place the tree where it will obstruct an escape route. ● Make sure you use proper lighting.

Indoor lights should not be used outdoors because they lack proper weatherproof connections, while some outside lights burn too hot indoors. ● Ensure Christmas tree lights carry the British Safety Standard mark, never use lit candles to decorate a Christmas tree and always turn off tree lights and pull out the plug at night or when the room is not going to be occupied. ● Take care with decorations – particularly paper ones or any other type that easily catch fire.

recently spent more than a quarter of a million pounds refurbishing this historic building, which really is a jewel in the Borough’s crown. The gardens at Porters are beautiful and together with the historic building provide the most splendid backdrop for any wedding.”

Weddings at Porters are subject to availability. For more information contact the Council’s Registration Service on 01702 215009 or go to southend.gov.uk. For details of catering offers, contact the Edwards and Ward Catering Manager on 01702 347942.

New location trial for day support services A pilot service is being established for adult learning disability day opportunities in Southend following a comprehensive review of the current provision.

The highly-regarded programme is provided from the Council-run Avro Viking Day Centre and Community Resource in the north of the Borough. However, the proposal is to run a series of day support from a more geographically-central location. It will determine whether this is better for user’s needs and gives them more choice and control over their lives.

A council building on Alexandra Street has been

identified as the probable site for the pilot, which will run for 12 months. Throughout this period the existing Avro Viking Centre programmes will not be affected and the two venues will run in tandem.

More than 170 people attend the Avro Viking Community Resource which is open for five days a week. The pilot is set to start in March 2012.

Another review recommendation was to expand the employment service which provides paid and voluntary work for service users. It is intended to transfer this initiative to the new hub when the pilot begins.

Report it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

● Never overload plug sockets. ● Make sure open fires are well guarded and that wrapping paper, greetings cards and so on, are kept well away. ● Display candles in holders of the correct size on a stable surface well away from draughts, curtains, children and pets. ● Aerosol cans of decorative paint, artificial snowflakes, foam or glitter use flammable gases so do not use near a naked flame. ● Ensure smoke alarms are working properly and remember to test them regularly.

WINTER 2011 Outlook

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What’s On Sea A GUIDE TO KEY WINTER EVENTS IN SOUTHEND

CHRISTMAS FARMERS AND CRAFTS MARKET Southend High Street,Town Centre, Southend-on-Sea. 8.30am – 5.30pm The ever popular Christmas Farmers & Crafts Market will be on the High Street this festive season bringing a taste of the countryside to you. Seasonal delicacies such as organic Christmas cakes, delicious honeys, jams and chutneys as well as special Christmas treats will be just some of the many products on offer.

There will also be a Christmas Craft Market supplying a fantastic and unique range of gifts ideas.The stalls will be selling personalised gifts, wooden crafts, jewellery and much, much more.

01277 362414

A Tudor feast laid out at Southchurch Hall where there will be a Tudor Christmas theme on Saturday 26 Nov.

Sat 26 Nov TUDOR CHRISTMAS AT SOUTHCHURCH HALL Southchurch Hall Close, Southend-on-Sea, 10am – 3pm The historic hall will be dressed in the Tudor tradition of holly and singers will perform Tudor carols. At midday local school children will sing well known carols. Guests can browse the stalls offering home-made crafts including jewellery, cards, preserves and a variety of cakes including festive cupcakes. If there is a winter chill in the air, visitors can partake of mulled wine or enjoy a freshly-ground cup of coffee at the new refreshment area. Admission is free but donations are always welcome. 01702 215011

Sat 26 Nov, Sat 3 and 10 Dec KAI ALTHOFF EXHIBITION CHILDRENS ART CLUB Focal Point Gallery, Southend Central Library, 2nd Floor,Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea 10.30am – 12.30pm. Ages eight to 13 years Do you have a child interested in art? Focal Point Gallery Children’s Art Club forms an introduction to the artists and exhibitions in the gallery’s rolling programme, and helps children engage in practical workshops within the exhibition space.

In these events, children try out new skills, explore materials, and develop their critical abilities in an encouraging and open atmosphere. Cost: £7 per session.

Advantage card holders: £5 per session. 01702 215011

Sat 26 and Sun 27 Nov, Sat 3, Sun 4, Sat 10, Sun 11, Sat 17 and Sun 18 Dec SANTA ON THE PIER Southend Pier, Southend-on-Sea 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm Children can visit Santa in his grotto on the Pier and every child will receive a gift.Tickets £5 per child and include a free ride on the Pier train with an accompanying adult. Normal Pier admissions apply. Pre-booking is essential.

01702 618747.

DECEMBER Sat 3 Dec FESTIVE FUN DAY

Every Friday Southend Market at York Road YORK ROAD MARKET, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA 9am – 4pm. Southend Market hosts stalls selling a variety of goods and produce every Friday between 9am and 4pm. 0151 233 216

Until Sat 14 Jan KAI ALTHOFF ‘KAIKI’ Focal Point Gallery, Southend Central Library, 2nd Floor,Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. 01702 215011

Every second and fourth Saturday of the month including 24 Dec

NOVEMBER

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA FARMERS MARKET

LEIGH-ON-SEA CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON

Southend High Street,Town Centre, Southend-on-Sea. 9am – 4pm The ever popular Farmers Market takes place on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month in Southend High Street and boasts an excellent range of products, including rustic breads, succulent sausages, free range eggs, delicious jams and chutneys and much more.

01277 362414

Until Sun 8 Jan DESIGNED FOR LIVING – EKCO 1922 – 1970 Central Museum and Planetarium,Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. Revisiting the World-famous company through the collections of Southend Museums.

01702 215011

20 Outlook WINTER 2011

Southend Town Centre, Southend-on-Sea 11am – 5pm Join BBC Essex live at the Victoria Circus for tons of festive fun and entertainment as they bring Christmas Spirit to Southend-on-Sea. Also join in on our big Christmas Pudding Hunt organised by the Rotary Club Thorpe Bay. Simply pick up your entry form from the Royals Shopping Centre or the Victoria Centre and hunt out the 12 clues in High Street stores.

Look out for roaming performers who will be entertaining shoppers during the day! This year Children in Needs’Pudsey will even be joining in the fun so why not come along and have your photo taken with everyone’s favourite bear. 01702 618747

Fri 25 Nov The Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea 6.30pm A Christmas celebration with a procession, fairground, stalls and entertainers.The famous Leigh Triangle – The Broadway, Broadway West and Rectory Grove will echo to the sound of music and carols. 01702 716288

Fri 25 Nov VIOLIN AND PIANO DUO The Plaza Centre, Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea. 8pm.

01702 215011 Ext 5624

Sat 26 Nov and Sat 3, Sat 10, Sat 17 and Fri 23 Dec

Fri 9 Dec Gymnastic performers are part of the entertainment at the Chinese New Year celebrations in the town centre.

SOUTHEND BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CHOIRS – CEREMONY OF CAROLS Holy Trinity Church, Southchurch Boulevard, Southend-on-Sea, 8pm. 01702 215011

Sat 10 Dec CAROLS ON STRAND WHARF Leigh-on-Sea Town Centre, Leigh-on-Sea. 6pm – 7pm Carol singing by the community, accompanied by Belfairs School.

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Classical violist Rosalind Ventris will be performing a lunchtime recital at Southend Civic Centre on 18 January.

Sat 28 Jan CHINESE NEW YEAR Southend Town Centre, Southend-on-Sea. 11am – 4pm.

Join us in Southend Town Centre for a glittering celebration marking the start of the Chinese Year of the Dragon. Don’t miss spectacular performances throughout the day with a variety of Chinese entertainment.

01702 618747

Christmas carol services are a popular tradition in Southend-on-Sea. A wonderful evening for all ages.

01702 716288

Sun 11 Dec CHRISTMAS COMES TO TOWN – SOUTHEND GIRLS’ CHOIR WITH SOUTHEND VOX Palace Theatre,Westcliff-on-Sea, 7pm.

01702 215011

Sun 11Dec PIER PRESSURE Southend Pier, Southend-on-Sea, Noon.

Pier Pressure is a mixture of timed and team bike sprints. Bicycles hill climb up Pier Hill against the historic backdrop of Southend’s world famous Pier, Pier Pressure is going to be something never seen anywhere else before!

This race is all about getting involved and having a bit of fun – it’s not all about being the fastest.Why not ride on a silly bike or take part in fancy dress? With categories for all ages and abilities, there’ll be plenty of winners and some ace prizes worth pedalling for.

If you are interested please contact cyclesouthend@ southend.gov.uk.

01702 215003 Ext 5338

Sat 17 Dec CAROLS FOR CHRISTMAS Southend Town Centre. Join Southend Radio for some festive cheer as the High Street

comes to life with the sound of Christmas!

This year we will be joined by the Salvation Army, Funky Voices, Southend Boys & Girls Choir, South Essex College, Southend Youth Arts, Southend VOX, Christian Centre Choir, Roydon Academy and Leigh Youth Theatre plus many more! Stop, listen and join in as your favourite Christmas songs and carols are performed throughout the day at various locations in the Town Centre. 01702 618747

Sun 18 Dec SOUTHEND BAND CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT Southend Bandstand, Priory Park, Southend-on-Sea. 2pm – 3pm.

Free admission. 01702 215011 Ext 5624

FEBRUARY Sun 12 Feb THE WEDDING FAIR Southend Civic Centre,Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. 11am – 4pm.

Meet a wide range of wedding professionals dedicated to making your dream day come true. All brides receive a goodie bag and a show programme. Great on the day offers available long with competitions run through the show. 01474 815463

Wed 22 Feb CLARE FOSTER – LUNCHTIME RECITAL Southend Civic Centre,Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. 12.15pm.

01702 215011 Ext 5624

JANUARY

Fri 24 Feb

Wed 18 Jan

PIANO DUET RECITAL

ROSALIND VENTRIS LUNCHTIME RECITAL Southend Civic Centre,Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea.12.15pm.

01702 215011 Ext 5624

Fri 20 Jan SOLO PIANO RECITAL – JAMES LISNEY The Plaza Centre, Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea. 8pm.

01702 215011 Ext 5624

The Plaza Centre, Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea. 8pm.

01702 215011 Ext 5624

For more details on up and coming events and ones that did not make this listing log onto the Council’s events website at www.visitsouthend.co.uk.

Santa Claus to set up grotto at end of pier SANTA is making his annual Yuletide appearances on Southend Pier from the end of November.

He will be in his beautifully decked out grotto for the weekend of 26 and 27 November and then each weekend throughout December up to and including Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 December. Opening times are 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

Tickets for Santa on the Pier cost £5 per child and include a gift and a ride on the Pier’s train with an accompanying adult.

Lynn Jones, the Council’s Resort Services Manager, said:“Each year many of the hundreds of children who visit Santa post a letter to him in his special post box outside the grotto. Santa will be replying personally to all these letters again this year”.

Pre booking is essential with tickets now on sale – so for more information please call the Southend Visitor Information Centre on 01702 618747.

COUNCIL DIARY ■ Council: Thurs 15 Dec, 6.30pm.

■ Cabinet: Tues 10 Jan, 2pm.

■ Cabinet: Tues 21 Feb, 2pm.

■ Council: Thurs 1 March, 6.30pm.

■ Cabinet: Tues 13 March, 2pm.

All meetings are held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. Details of all Council meetings are available at www.southend.gov.uk/ councilmeetings.

Youth Council meetings take place on the first Wednesday of every month in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre, 5pm-7pm.

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To find out which Ward you are in please visit www.southend.gov.uk/whereilive

The Council normally has 51 Councillors elected to represent you. There are 17 wards, each with three elected members.

See the map to find out which councillors represent you.

Your Councillors BELFAIRS WARD

BLENHEIM PARK

Cllr Stephen Aylen (Con)

Cllr Fay Evans (Con)

Cllr Lesley Salter (Con)

Cllr James Courtenay (Con) Cllr Graham Longley (LD)

Cllr Duncan Russell (LD)

16 Woodside, Belfairs, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 4QU Tel: 01702 527747 cllraylen@southend.gov.uk

192 Highlands Boulevard, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3QX Tel: 01702 558657 cllrevans@southend.gov.uk

4 Chadwick Road, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 8LS Tel: 01702 432364 cllrsalter@southend.gov.uk

44 Bournemouth Park Road, Southend-on-Sea SS2 5LP Tel: 01702 611669 cllrcourtenay@southend.gov.uk

15 Lindisfarne Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3NR Tel: 01702 480713 cllrrussell@southend.gov.uk

CHALKWELL WARD

28 McDivitt Walk, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 5UD Tel: 01702 520234 cllrlongley@southend.gov.uk

EASTWOOD PARK WARD

Cllr Richard Brown (Con) Cllr Stephen Habermel (Con) Cllr Ian Robertson (Con)

Cllr Trevor Byford (Con)

Cllr Andrew Moring (Con) Cllr Chris Walker (Con)

16 Cherrybrook, Thorpe Bay SS1 3QZ Tel: 01702 584003 cllrbrown@southend.gov.uk

2 Badgers Close, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0AP Tel: 01702 437274 cllrbyford@southend.gov.uk

554 Woodgrange Drive, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3EL Tel: 01702 585957 cllrmoring@southend.gov.uk

256 Rayleigh Road, Eastwood SS9 5XL Tel: 01702 528027 cllrwalker@southend.gov.uk

6 Leas Gardens, Southend-on-Sea SS0 8JL Tel: 01702 478354 cllrhabermel@southend.gov.uk

68 Thorpe Hall Avenue, Thorpe Bay SS1 3AU Tel: 01702 584580 cllritrobertson@southend.gov.uk

KURSAAL WARD

LEIGH WARD

Cllr Louise Burdett (Con)

Cllr Judy Mcmahon (Lab)

Cllr Blaine Robin (Con)

Cllr Alan Crystall (LD)

Cllr Barry Godwin (LD)

Cllr Peter Wexham (LD)

144 Alexandra Road, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1HB Tel: 01702 430309 cllrburdett@southend.gov.uk

37A Pleasant Road, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2HQ Tel: 01702 462489 cllrmcmahon@southend.gov.uk

71 Butterys, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3DT Tel: 01702 610095 cllrrobin@southend.gov.uk

16 Cliff Parade, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 1AS Tel: 01702 474047 cllrcrystall@southend.gov.uk

63 Steyning Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 4TW Tel: 01702 589318 cllrgodwin@southend.gov.uk

119 Vardon Drive, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3SH Tel: 01702 715981 cllrwexham@southend.gov.uk

MILTON WARD

PRITTLEWELL WARD

Cllr Dr Maria Caunce (Con) Cllr Nigel Folkard (Con)

Cllr Jonathan Garston (Con)

Cllr Mary Betson (LD)

Cllr Mike Grimwade (LD)

Cllr Ric Morgan (LD)

Fairlight Lodge, 37 Park Road, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7PQ Tel: 01702 430684 cllrcaunce@southend.gov.uk

23a Clifftown Parade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1DN Tel: 01702 335017 cllrjgarston@southend.gov.uk

11 Byfield, Eastwood SS9 5TG Tel: 01702 524026 cllrbetson@southend.gov.uk

94 Eastwood Old Road, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 4RS Tel: 01702 520642 cllrgrimwade@southend.gov.uk

5 Hobleythick Lane, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0RP Tel: 01702 432361 cllrmorgan@southend.gov.uk

25 Hayes Barton, Thorpe Bay SS1 3TS Tel: 01702 582828 cllrfolkard@southend.gov.uk

22 Outlook WINTER 2011

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SHOEBURYNESS WARD

SOUTHCHURCH WARD

Cllr Mike Assenheim (Ind) Cllr Roger Hadley (Con)

Cllr Anne Chalk (Ind)

Cllr Tony Delaney (Ind)

Cllr Ann Holland (Con)

Cllr Brian Kelly (Con)

76 Elm Road, Shoeburyness SS3 9RD Tel: 01702 291720 cllrassenheim@southend.gov.uk

94 High Street, Shoeburyness SS3 9AS Tel: 01702 295449 cllrchalk@southend.gov.uk

76 Burlescoombe Road, Thorpe Bay SS1 3QB Tel: 01702 586973 cllrdelaney@southend.gov.uk

7 Silchester Court, Silchester Corner, Gt Wakering SS3 0PX Tel: 01702 580855 cllrholland@southend.gov.uk

10 Withypool, Shoeburyness SS3 8BH Tel: 01702 585015 cllrkelly@southend.gov.uk

33 Mountbatten Drive, Shoeburyness SS3 8UY Tel: 01702 294945 cllrhadley@southend.gov.uk

ST LAURENCE WARD

ST LUKES WARD

Cllr Mark Flewitt (Con)

Cllr Ted Lewin (LD)

Cllr Adam Jones (Con)

Cllr Peter Ashley (Con)

Cllr Sally Carr (Con)

Cllr Paul Van Looy (Ind)

11 Borman Close, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 5UJ Tel: 01702 510463 cllrflewitt@southend.gov.uk

19 Little Thorpe, Thorpe Bay SS1 3RN Tel: 01702 586359 cllrlewin@southend.gov.uk

18 Park Street, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7PA Tel: 01702 437166 cllrjones@southend.gov.uk

15 Appledore, Thorpe Bay SS3 8UW Tel: 01702 589152 cllrashley@southend.gov.uk

42 Marcus Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3LA Tel: 01702 586231 cllrcarr@southend.gov.uk

825 Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2PP Tel: 01702 615658 cllrvanlooy@southend.gov.uk

THORPE WARD

VICTORIA WARD

Cllr Alex Kaye (Ind)

Cllr Mike Stafford (Ind)

Cllr Ron Woodley (Ind)

Cllr Margaret Borton (Lab) Cllr Ian Gilbert (Lab)

Cllr David Norman (Lab)

470 Woodgrange Drive, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3ED Tel: 01702 588432 cllrkaye@southend.gov.uk

124 Parkanaur Avenue, Thorpe Bay SS1 3JD Tel: 01702 586265 cllrstafford@southend.gov.uk

91 Tyrone Road, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3HD Tel: 01702 588662 cllrwoodley@southend.gov.uk

85 Rochester Drive, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0NJ Tel: 01702 348817 cllrborton@southend.gov.uk

41 Vernon Road, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2NG Tel: 01702 470215 cllrdnorman@southend.gov.uk

WEST LEIGH WARD

18 Avenue Road, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7PW Tel: 01702 339765 cllrgilbert@southend.gov.uk

WEST SHOEBURY WARD

Cllr Nigel Holdcroft (Con) Cllr Gwen Horrigan MBE (Con) Cllr John Lamb (Con)

Cllr Tony Cox (Con)

Cllr Liz Day (Con)

Cllr Derek Jarvis (Con)

7 Sylvan Way, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3TU Tel: 01702 214008 cllrholdcroft@southend.gov.uk

Flat D Mill Lodge, West Road, Shoeburyness SS3 9DP Tel: 01702 297039 cllrcox@southend.gov.uk

5 Withypool, Shoeburyness SS3 8BH Tel: 01702 586185 cllreday@southend.gov.uk

66 Leitrim Avenue, Shoeburyness SS3 9HF Tel: 01702 292744 cllrjarvis@southend.gov.uk

15 Hazelwood Grove, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 4DE Tel: 01702 524333 cllrhorrigan@southend.gov.uk

77 Vardon Drive, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3SJ Tel: 01702 483908 cllrlamb@southend.gov.uk

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Cabinet

WESTBOROUGH WARD

Cllr Paul Collins (LD)

Cllr Martin Terry (Ind)

Cllr Dr Vel (Ind)

219 Green Lane, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 5QN Tel: 01702 512239 cllrcollins@southend.gov.uk

66 Victoria Road, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2TF Tel: 01702 619655 cllrterry@southend.gov.uk

41 Leasway, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 8PA Tel: 01702 711299 cllrvelmurugan@southend.gov.uk

Find it – do it online: www.southend.gov.uk

■ Nigel Holdcroft (Leader) ■ John Lamb (Deputy Leader with special responsibility for Regeneration and Enterprise) ■ Derek Jarvis (Culture and Tourism) ■ Mark Flewitt (Children and Learning) ■ Lesley Salter (Adult Social Care, Health and Housing) ■ Tony Cox (Public Protection, Waste and Transport) ■ Andrew Moring (Corporate Support Services) ■ Jonathan Garston (Planning) WINTER 2011 Outlook

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G N I DIV M O O B E TIM

t c a r t t a s e i t acili f rs s e s t a s l g c n d u l o r y o f W ro e b m u n g n growi p the sport to take u

HIGH FLYER: The main picture captures diver Grace Funston in mid-flight. Above, Grace about to dive from one of the high boards and below, with her coach Bill Clark in the dry dive gym.

T

ALENTED diver Grace Funston’s head is still spinning after meeting Tom Daley when the GB Olympic Team used Southend’s World Class Diving Pool for training.

She was already making waves in the sport – and meeting GB diving’s first-ever World Champion together with using the stunning new facilities has spurred her into aiming one day to reach Olympian heights herself.

Nine-year-old high-flier Grace is just one of a growing number of youngsters who are using the Olympic-standard facilities, opened last November at the Southend Swimming and Diving Centre at Garon Park, as a springboard to fulfil their diving ambitions.

“I think the diving centre is fantastic,” she said. “Compared to the previous facilities at the old Warrior pool it is so much better.

There are five fixed diving boards up to 10 metres high, and four springboards.

“Tom Daley signed my T-shirt and told me to do my best in the sport. I would love to have the chance to dive at the Olympics.

“I’ve been really encouraged by the new centre to develop my skills, using all the extra diving boards and the special dry training gym with harnesses and trampolines. It would be amazing to be like Tom one day.”

The first pilot scheme for Talent Identification for Diving in Southend was carried out by diving coach Bill Clark in liaison with Southend School Sports Partnership Teams in 2010.

The new Southend Diving programme is now administered via Parkwood Community Leisure which manages the leisure facilities on behalf of the Council.

Early this year more local schools were visited and of the 2,000 children tested another 20 prospective divers were selected to join the elite squads.

Bill said: “All of the children seen, whether they just miss selection or only want to have fun, are given the opportunity to try diving.

Additionally, lessons in this exciting new activity are now widely available to all members of the community.”