RESULTS – BUDGET POLL – AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
January 17, 2018 by Editor · Leave a Comment

Rilsonav / Pixabay
All Polls ‹ The Rochford Independent — WordPress
Use the link above to see the FULL results.
134 residents (thank you) completed our Budget Poll.
What have residents said that the Council should listen to?
That residents are tired of add on “top up” taxes like special charges for green bins, car parking charges or even an extra charge for street lighting.
Whilst a majority did not want to see a Council Tax increase, which is understandable, those who preferred a Council Tax increase, rather than top up charges, were only just behind the No’s.
Rochford District NEW Local Plan 2017 – 2037
December 3, 2017 by Editor · Leave a Comment
IF YOU WISH TO HELP JUST CONTACT US here.
A NEW LOCAL PLAN FACEBOOK GROUP is here.
As many residents will already know Rochford District Council is about to launch a public consultation on a SECOND Local Plan for 2017 to 2037 focusing on a maximum of ANOTHER 7500 dwellings. With the FIRST local Plan 2011 to 2025 came committed approval for 2785 dwellings so together this makes over 10,000 !!
Is Our Green Belt Safe under our Council?
September 14, 2016 by Editor · Leave a Comment
http://www.cprelondon.org.uk/resources/item/2339-safe-under-us
THIS IS ABOUT ROCHFORD DISTRICT and we provided a contribution to this report which will be “news” for everyone who is concerned about the further loss of Green Belt in our revised Local Plan where there is a Council public consultation running at this moment.
This is what the Council has not told you.
There are some scary numbers coming forward as evidence from consultants such as 392pa instead of 250pa over the district. That COULD mean another 4000 over the existing building target of 2785!
NEW THREATS TO THE GREEN BELT OF ROCHFORD DISTRICT
July 8, 2016 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Rochford District Council is holding a number of community engagement workshops this summer to give local people a say on planning matters. These will be interactive events and a chance for residents, businesses and the local parish council to feed information into the Local Plan process. The new Local Plan is a document which will set the strategy for future development of the District beyond 2025 (which is when the current plan finishes).The workshops will include a ‘walkabout’ in the villages in order to identify the needs of the community, local issues and opportunities for growth and development.
this is what we will do if elected…………
May 3, 2016 by Editor · Leave a Comment
In less than 250 words this is what we will do if elected…………
This is the “common ground” between all of our independent candidates.
Rochford District Residents is a voice of 8 candidates calling for open, transparent, representative local government.
The Cabinet System which has cost over £500,000 will be abolished.
We have a long-term commitment to a sustainable community with necessary infrastructure improvements put in place before construction developments. Rochford District needs an Infrastructure Champion.
Rochford District Residents Candidates 2016
April 27, 2016 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Our Rochford District Residents Candidates are standing in the following Wards;
Downhall and Rawreth – John Chaffin
Sweyne Park and Grange – Toby Mountain
Lodge – Richard Lambourne
Hockley – Adrian Eves and Irena Cassar
Hawkwell East – Elliot Mason
Hawkwell West – Christine Mason and John Mason
Please Vote for them on 5 May !!
Results may not be in until mid morning 6 May.
THE LOCAL ELECTION BATTLEGROUND IN ROCHFORD DISTRICT
April 26, 2016 by Editor · Leave a Comment
There are 39 Conservative Candidates for the District Local Elections on 5 May. This is an ALL OUT Election and the Conservatives could lose control of Rochford District Council.
But this is not news for our local papers who have failed to tell readers that there even IS an Election.
How could control be lost? With just 20 non Conservatives being elected.
21 Labour candidates
9 Liberal Democrats candidates
8 UKIP candidates
8 Rochford District Residents candidates
4 Green Party candidates
2 Independent candidates
There are 52 non Conservative Candidates.
A total of 275,000 homes are now planned for England’s green belt
April 25, 2016 by Editor · Leave a Comment
This new report from the CPRE has a map showing all the local authorities planning to release green belt.
http://www.cpre.org.uk/resources/housing-and-planning/green-belts/item/download/4485
A total of 275,000 homes are now planned for England’s green belt – an increase of nearly 200,000 since 2012, according to research by countryside campaigners.
This map alone says everything that residents have been concerned about ever since the Core Strategy was adopted in 2011.
And now we have the Revision of the Core Strategy for an unspecified extra number.
Why local elections could be influenced by housing hostility
April 22, 2016 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Rochford District Residents has been afforded a rare but very important interview with the national professional planning web site PlanningResource. Here are just the excerpts that apply to Rochford District.
22 April 2016 by Joey Gardiner
Opponents of controversial housing developments are standing in next month’s local elections in order to fight what they see as the over-development of their areas.
With polling day for local and mayoral elections less than two weeks away, planning issues – particularly in the form of opposition to development – have the power to shake voters out of their traditional political allegiances.
NHS Breast Screening Unit Gets parking charges
May 5, 2015 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Hells Bells !! Rochford District Council even charges the NHS Breast Screening Unit parking charges !!
WOULD YOU STILL THINK OF VOTING CONSERVATIVE IF YOU THINK THAT THIS IS WRONG?
AND PLEASE SHARE THIS FOR ALL TO SEE. “Exploiting the NHS is NOT Saving the NHS”
Look at the photo. The Unit is not even in any parking space so this is additional revenue over and above the additional charges from patients visiting the unit for screening.
How much? An Officer’s report says that it used to be “by calculating a fee based on the pro-rata price of an annual parking permit (£800.00)”.
Local Elections : How to Decide Who to Vote For
May 4, 2015 by Editor · Leave a Comment
If you are still undecided who to vote for in The Local Elections for Rochford District Council our local paper, The Echo, decided to ask each Group Leader what their candidates planned to do if elected.
You can put the leaflets down at last and compare each party to the others based on just 100 words.
The whole page is carried at the link above.
If you have any questions about Rochford District Residents do ask on the new FB Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/rochfordandrayleigh/?fref=nf
Would Ukip represent you locally when it matters?
January 27, 2015 by Editor · Leave a Comment
In the Echo today “Ukip suspends four councillors” – Ukip has suspended four of its Southend councillors because they disowned the party’s parliamentary candidate.
In Rochford District we ask would Ukip represent you locally when it matters?
The Leader of Ukip on Rochford District Council, Councillor John Hayter, writes “Normally I should have been only too pleased to serve, but at present I am heavily committed to the General Election as the UKIP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Rayleigh and Wickford, and am not in a position to do justice to the position.”
Another 37 New Houses in Hawkwell !!
January 27, 2015 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Another 37 New Houses in Hawkwell !!
No planning application has been received by RDC but the Agents are seeking feedback from the public at this stage through a statement of community involvement to be submitted alongside the planning application.
Re-development of land at 90 Main Road, Hawkwell (Site Locationhttp://goo.gl/Q4yWcz)
Google Map here
Extracts from Letter to your District Councillors (http://goo.gl/jyzef2)
“Strutt & Parker are acting as planning consultants on behalf of Marden Homes Ltd with regards to the above site. It is planned that the current uses on the site are to relocate and this brownfield site will therefore become available for redevelopment. We have been instructed by Marden Homes to prepare a planning application for residential redevelopment.”
Rochford District Residents now 7 Councillors with Greens
January 26, 2015 by Editor · Leave a Comment
The Green and Rochford District Residents Group on Rochford District Council grows today to 7 Members of The Council.
Originally the Group had 4 Members; John & Christine Mason (Hawkwell West) and Michael and Diane Hoy (Hullbridge) yet the Group was still the largest Opposition Group on the Council.
They are now joined by 3 more Independents; Councillor Toby Mountain (Sweyne Park, Rayleigh), Councillor Phil Capon (Hawkwell South) and Councillor Tracy Capon (Ashingdon and Canewdon).
The Group Leader in Council will continue to be John Mason and the Deputy Group Leader will continue to be Michael Hoy.
Nothing can now change the loss of Green Belt
October 6, 2014 by Editor · Leave a Comment

JuergenGER / Pixabay
Our Local Conservative Councillors have been telling residents for years that they have to remove Green Belt protection when drawing up their Local Plans, in order to meet [housing] demand.
Conservative Government Minister Eric Pickles has now stepped in to say that the Government did not require this and the move will be seen as a pre-election pitch by the Conservatives to win round rural Tory supporters who are furious about new development.
“Nothing can now change the loss of Green Belt in Hawkwell, Ashingdon and Rochford for 1000 houses where it has not been proven that these are required to meet local housing needs” said Residents Councillors John and Christine Mason.
Official in the ECHO ‘You don’t have to build on green belt’
September 4, 2014 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Well worth reading what the Government Planning Inspector said about Green Belt which goes against the edict which has been put out by RDC for years !!
Michael Hoy and I put forward a Motion to say that housing numbers must be assessed on LOCAL NEEDS years ago and the Tories were scathing in their rejection. But now they say that local needs are the key !!
Rochford District Council Budget 2015/16 – Have your Say !!
September 2, 2014 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Rochford District Council Budget 2015/16 – Have your Say !!
WE NEED YOUR HELP !!
Council Members have been invited to an All Party But PRIVATE Away Day at the Freight House on 4 October to discuss the ideas that the Conservative Cabinet Member for Finance has on next year’s Budget.
Whilst the Public will be asked by the Council later for their views on the DRAFT Budget we wondered if residents would like to make their ideas known right now on what should be cut and what should be increased.
Flooding Risk in Rochford District made a political football by former Conservative candidate !!
September 1, 2014 by Editor · Leave a Comment
You can read the Letter published in Friday’s Echo here.
Mr. Webb wrongly accuses your two Independent Councillors of not attending a Council Meeting.
A Local resident has emailed to say that he has written to the Echo about Mr. Webb’s views that a cross party Flood Committee should now deal with with past and future local flooding events “This is the same party who voted to cover thousands of acres of land with concrete to build houses on which commonsense says will cause more flooding. Mike I live on planet earth where do you live?.”
Electoral Ward Review – Rochford District
August 27, 2014 by Editor · Leave a Comment
LATEST UPDATE:
Rochford District Council will be considering, and voting on, the model presented in the map above on 4 September. (just click on the map to see it full screen.)
If you wish to read all of the Council’s working numbers then you can download it here.
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is conducting an ‘Electoral Review’ to look at ward boundaries in order to shape Rochford District Council for the future.
The first Public Consultation is taking place right now from 22 July to 29 September to determine ward boundaries across the Rochford District.
Holding Decision Makers Accountable
July 3, 2014 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Why hasn’t Rochford District Council made Press Releases or given prominent publicity on its Web Site or in Rochford District Matters to “Holding Decision Makers Accountable”?
We are going to run a series of posts over the year to tell you how the powerful Review Committee will be holding Council decision makers accountable. It is led this year by the Green and Rochford District Residents Group i.e. US!