Southend-on-Sea City Council @southend-on-seacc - Tumblr Blog

Customer review of the Southend Pass, parking permit (pay monthly)

A customer who uses the Southend Pass regularly has sent us a review and agreed for it to be published.

We are sharing it in its entirety, unedited, as a transparent reflection of how it is to use it, and the sorts of parking it can really help.

The team is continuously monitoring its performance and MOBON are making technical improvements to ensure any issues are fixed as soon as possible.

Full info on costs and how to download and buy a monthly pass is available at www.southend.gov.uk/southendpass

The review:

HM said: "I like the pass because it means I can pull up into any of the council car parks and not have to go to the parking meter, not have to type in my registration, not have to look for coins of the right value and of course, it's a lot cheaper. I'm a carer for the elderly and a dog walker by profession, so this is perfect for me.

"I pretty much use it every single day, starting early in the morning. After I've dropped my son to school I sometimes stop at Fairheads Green/Sealife Centre car park (1 hour) for a nice (very quick) run along the beach. I then care for my mother in law then meet a friend at Uncle Tom's (1 hour) for a power walk and chat. I then care for another lady who lives at East Beach (2 hours), then I collect the dogs and head down to Thorpe Esplanade Bays (1 hour). I might pop into the town centre car parks (2 hours) before meeting my son. I often take the children to the new park at Shoebury Common where I use the pass again.

"At the weekend I take my boys to the seafront and Warrior Square skate park, so I use the pass then too.

"It has indeed saved me loads of money and time. Looking on my Mobon app before the pass was brought out, I would spend lots of money on parking or I'd try to find somewhere in a residential street, which is hard and not fair on the residents. If I wanted to go to town, I used to park in Sainsbury's for 2 hours, rush round to do what I needed and spend £5 in the shop to claim back parking or go by train. It has actually encouraged me to use Southend's tourist areas more as I know I can park easily, although on a hot day, there's nowhere left to park anyway so I avoid the seafront!

"Yes, it's much easier than using the machine.

"The app is easier but I do have a few problems with it, sometimes it doesn't work so I have no other option than to uninstall it then reinstall it but I'm used to that now, lucky I have plenty of mobile data and I allow extra time."

#SouthendPass #Parking

The Dawn of a New Era?

By Rick Milsom, Arboriculturist, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

I was thinking when queuing for the supermarket the other day, that the situation reminded me of when I went to one of the theme parks in Florida and was waiting to ride the Aerosmith Rockin’ Rollercoaster. Both of these events involve standing in an orderly line with a slight apprehension of what is to come.

Continuing in the supermarket queue, my mind then drifted off to an airboat ride I took on the same holiday, across Cypress Lake. At the time I was particularly looking forward to this, as it was an opportunity to see the swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum) in its natural habitat.

The swamp cypress is not commonly planted as an ornamental tree but there are a few about. We have some mature specimens in Chalkwell Park and Southchurch Hall Gardens. The ones in Chalkwell Park are easy to identify, especially as they have a label on them!

The swamp cypress or bald cypress is a conifer and unlike the majority of conifers, it is deciduous. There is another conifer which is very similar in appearance but of Chinese origin, the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). This is also deciduous.

Both species have a rusty brown autumn colour.

The dawn redwood is a particularly interesting tree as Metasequoia species were thought to be extinct for the last 5,000,000 years and had only been found in fossilised forms until they were found growing wild in China in 1944. The dawn redwood is now the only living Metasequoia species.

We planted a line of 30 dawn redwoods about 10 years alongside Bournes Green Chase and there are a few in the parks. Have a look.

As stated above the dawn redwood and swamp cypress are quite similar, the arrangement of the leaflets is a help here to tell them apart. The arrangement of the leaflets is the key. The dawn redwood’s leaflets are arranged opposite and the swamp cypress has an alternate arrangement.

The swamp cypress has an interesting growth characteristic shared with other trees such as mangroves which also naturally occur in swampy soils.

That is they produce pneumatophores from the root system (you can observe these in Southchurch Hall Gardens). These are upright growths which arise from lateral roots growing beneath the water. The pneumataphores then protrude above the surface, almost like snorkels and are sometimes referred to as cypress knees. Many hypotheses state they aid to aerate the trees root system, assist in stability or help prevent soil erosion. All seem sensible to me but their function seems to be generally unknown!

The dawn redwood does not produce these but generally has a large flare at the base of the stem.

On my frequent visits to Kew, an old colleague and myself generally make little films entitled ‘Let’s Talk Trees’. Generally humorous little films we put on YouTube, well, to me they are anyway!

The swamp cypress was the subject of one such film. We discussed the pneumataphore.

This allowed me to set up a little joke which he fell for.

After our discussion regarding the pneumatophores I asked him what he thought of the amaphore.

Bemused he looked at me and said “What’s an amaphore”?

Banging nails in!

Tee hee.

Keep safe, keep distance and enjoy our parks.

#horticulture #trees #arboriculture #southend

What is a PSPO?

A PSPO is a Public Space Protection Order and is an additional measure introduced by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to tackle certain anti-social behaviours and activities, in a specified location. The behaviour or activity has to be persistent and be deemed to have a detrimental impact on others.

Why do we need one in Southend-on-Sea?

The PSPO was first raised as a possibility in November 2018 as part of the multi-agency discussions to tackle the ongoing issues in Southend-on-Sea High Street and surrounding areas. Following a five week consultation in February and March 2019, results showed a majority response in support of introducing a PSPO. In fact the results showed a preference to expand the suggested area of High Street and central seafront, to also include Hamlet Court Road, York Road and Southchurch Park Gardens.

What behaviours does it target?

The restricted behaviours are:

Urination, defecation, spitting or littering.

Sleeping in a public place in a manner which has a detrimental impact on the quality life of others in the locality.

Erecting tents or other structures.

Consuming alcohol or failing to surrender any containers (sealed or unsealed) which are reasonably believed to contain alcohol.

Ingesting, inhaling, injecting, smoking or otherwise using drugs or substances reasonably believed to be psychoactive substances.

Beg, begging or approaching any person for that purpose.

Unauthorised charity collections.

What does it mean ‘sleeping in a public place in a manner that has a detrimental impact’?

People who are sleeping rough will not automatically be in breach of the order and receive a fine. Our priority is to make sure each person sleeping rough has a warm, safe bed for the night, so our community safety unit will always work with our partner agencies to find them the support they need.

So you aren’t going to be targeting homeless people?

No. The PSPO isn’t aimed at any group of people, it is aimed at tackling persistent anti-social behaviours. It might be that someone who continuously behaves in a particular way, also happens to be homeless. But we will not be targeting homeless people, we want to help them access the services they need for support and help.

Where does it apply?

Please see the map below:

How much will the fine be?

An authorised officer can issue a FPN for £100, as long as is it supported by appropriate evidence. The person issued the fine has 14 days to pay or appeal. FPN’s can be issued to anyone over the age of 16 and for those under that age, reasonable steps will be taken to contact their parents or guardian.

Draft budget 2020/21

The council’s draft budget for 2020/21 has been published. This short post includes a number of visuals and links to find out more.

A host of investments have been proposed alongside a council tax rise of 1.99% and 2% for the social care precept (so 3.99% in total).

Read more about the investments and why council tax is proposed to rise on our website: https://www.southend.gov.uk/news/article/1825/draft_council_budget_focused_on_people_homes_roads_and_environment

This graphic shows how the main Government grant we receive has reduced from £64m in 2011 to just over £6m.

Despite the proposed council tax rise, local council tax is still set to be the second lowest in south Essex.

Read more about the proposed investment into council housing on our website: https://www.southend.gov.uk/news/article/1826/housing_a_major_priority_in_draft_council_budget_for_2020_and_beyond

Read more about proposed investment in children’s and adult services on our website: https://www.southend.gov.uk/news/article/1827/draft_budget_focuses_on_most_vulnerable

For a fuller and more detailed read, the agenda for cabinet (item 6) on 16th January is on our website: https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=130&MId=3426&Ver=4 For more information on the investment in road and pavement resurfacing, please visit our website: https://www.southend.gov.uk/news/article/1831/road_and_pavement_repairs_key_part_of_proposed_budget

The holly and the ivy

By Rick Milsom, Arboriculturist, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

There are two questions I am quite frequently asked. One is “Dad, can you transfer me some money please?” The other is “does ivy kill trees?” These questions are not asked by the same people though.

The general answer to the ivy question is no it doesn’t. The other is, it depends.

Ivy is a native evergreen climber and ground covering shrub. It may have some effect on trees occasionally and can be a bit of a hindrance when we inspect them. If main stems or branches are covered with ivy, it can hide decay, fungi or weak branch unions, which will be not visible to the inspector. Luckily with the tree inspector’s hat on, it is quite a rare occurrence to have a tree covered in ivy, especially with street trees; apart from the one I saw yesterday that gave me the idea to write about this subject.

Ivy climbs with the small root like growths on its stems, these do not penetrate the bark,they just grip the outer surface so they are not living on a tree as a parasite. Ivy can however, swamp trees that are either in decline, not growing very well or which are already dead. I think this may sometimes give the impression ivy is the cause of the tree’s demise. The wind resistance of the tree can also be increased if large quantities of ivy are present within the crown: this can be a problem if it is already weak or dead, as the tree may blow over in a gale!

Being evergreen, ivy is well equipped to deal with the conditions it grows in naturally. It’s often found on shady woodland floors as part of the understorey (the low layers) of the woodland. The advantage of being evergreen is the ability to photosynthesize in winter and being ready to start growing as soon as the weather warms in the spring. It doesn’t have to wait until new leaves are formed like the canopy of the deciduous trees above usually do, so it has a head start.

Ivy has many benefits for wildlife. It creates a habitat for birds and bats to nest or roost in. Not only that, it flowers late so is a valuable nectar source late in the season for bees. The berries it produces are also very nutritious for birds.

On balance, given its conservation value, we always leave ivy where we can on a tree unless we need to get a better look at its structure.

Ivy is a useful climber and ground cover plant in horticulture. There are many cultivars available often with variegated foliage. These can add a welcome splash of colour in the winter. Another interesting fact about ivy is it has two distinct foliage types on the same plant, the juvenile foliage and the non-climbing adult foliage which bares the fruits and flowers.

I was trying to find out when the carol The holly and the ivy was written for a bit of seasonal information and I found it comes from an old folk song. I also discovered holly and the ivy were apparently placed outside of houses in years gone by in winter by the inhabitants, in a symbolic gesture of hope that they could survive the winter, as the hardy holly and ivy do being evergreen and resilient.

With regard to holly, this is another tough evergreen shrub or tree, the holly ( Ilex aquifolium) is native to the UK and is commonly seen in woodlands, as well as adorning many a hall and front door at this time of year. Being evergreen, it is again well equipped to growing in shade.

There are also many cultivated types of holly. Most plants are either individually male or female (dioecious). The female holly bares the fruit, so a male and female plant are needed for berries. To make things difficult they are not always given names that are very descriptive of their sex. The cultivars ‘Golden Queen ‘and ‘Silver Queen’ are both males.

Many hollies have variegated foliage, and many look similar hence my fence sitting in above picture. They are another evergreen which can add a splash of colour in the dark months of winter. The fruit is the red berry (yellow on one cultivar ‘Bacciflava’) which contrasts against the dark green leaves.

Something I have noticed over the last few years is an increasing amount of mistletoe growing on our street trees. It seems to favour ornamental crab apples and cock spur thorns. Mistletoe is hemiparasitic; it does photosynthesize on its own but it does also take something from the tree. I keep standing under these trees but still no luck.

#trees #christmas tree #ivy #holly #southend on sea #Southend

School boy error

By Rick Milsom, Arboriculturist

Going back many years to my days as an apprentice, one of the first more unusual tree species that caught my attention was the sweet gum. It was mainly because of its botanical name, a name that rolls off the tongue beautifully, Liquidambar styraciflua. I also liked the common name. At that time I never really knew what one looked like, but in my mind I hoped it would be something special with such a name. It is hard to say the name Liquidambar and not think of a plant which has a colour resembling liquid amber, well in my mind anyway.

When I found out what the tree looked like I thought I was kind of right - this is a tree that has brilliant autumn colour, reds, oranges and yellows. But that’s not the reason for its name. The name Liquidambar was first given by Linnaeus in 1753 from the latin liquidus, fluid, and the Arabic ambar, amber, in allusion to the fragrant terebinthine juice or gum which exudes from the tree.

Liquidambar styraciflua

Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Worplesdon’

The leaves of the sweet gum resemble maples, and this is where the first opportunity for error comes in due to it being misidentified. I remember back to college days students getting it wrong; much to our tutor’s disgust. The main difference is that maples have an opposite arrangement of buds on the twigs, and the buds of the sweet gum are alternate. The sweet gum also has ‘corking’ on its twigs and the fruits of the sweet gum resemble little sea urchins.

The fruits of the sweet gum

Corking of the twigs

Compounded by some students calling it a maple, a second error occurs. I have seen the name of this tree spelled wrongly lots of times, with it being written as Liquidamber and not Liquidambar, even in a nursery catalogue once. I still remember the look of resignation on my tutors faces as somebody made the spelling mistake in one of our plant identification sessions.

The sweet gum which is native to the USA, is another very useful urban tree for us to plant. It’s easy to establish and grows fast, it’s a particularly good tree in hard surfaces. There are plenty of these planted throughout the town and I’m quite surprised they only make up 1% of our total tree stock according to our data base.

There are a few different cultivars of the sweet gum, some have slightly differing autumn colour and a more delicate appearance, or different form to the species.

Some cultivars we have planted are ‘Thea’ ‘Stella’ ‘Lane Roberts’ and ‘Worplesdon’.

The hunt for red October

By Rick Milsom, Arboriculturist, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

During my many hundreds of walks inspecting trees in Leigh, I’ve observed our stock of mature Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ and one specimen in particular has become possibly my favourite tree. It colours up beautifully but briefly every year, with reds and oranges. They are quite similar to the much and unreasonably maligned sycamore at first glance, but the bark is different and so are the leaves, so it has an overall more delicate appearance.

Acer rubrum-The red maple.

With plant names, rubra or rubrum would indicate there is something red going on somewhere with the plant. With Acer rubrum it refers to the red flowers, not very conspicuous, but nice if you look closely.

Also known as red maple, Acer rubrum has been planted quite a number of times over the last few years. As has the Freemans maple or Acer x freemanii (the x means it’s a hybrid) to give it its botanical name. It is a naturally occurring hybrid which was also cultivated in a nursery in the USA.

This tree has spectacular autumn colour of deep red and grows very fast. One particular cultivar we plant is ‘Autumn Blaze’ and it certainly lives up to its name. There are a number of young trees of this species around the Borough.

Acer x freemanii 'Autumn Blaze' Does what it says on the tin.

The other parent of Freeman’s maple is Acer saccharinum or the silver leaf maple, this is large growing species with silvery undersides to its leaves. Another fast growing maple, it is easy to establish and widely used as an urban tree, but it doesn’t seem to be widely planted at present.

It seems to me planting has fashions and over the years things go in and out of favour. We are always trying new species to find what grows well and to keep our tree stock diverse. This helps to meet the challenge of changing climate and be resilient to pest and disease.

Interestingly, the red maple can be rather hard to establish when young but the Freeman maple doesn’t seem to take a lot of nurturing regardless of its location. This makes the Freeman maple a good urban tree for us to plant, as long as we choose the site carefully due to it being a large growing species. It can also be prone to weak branch junctions, but thankfully I have only seen this on a couple of occasions.

The Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ hasn’t yet coloured up fully, even though we are well into October. It needs to get a move on and turn fully red.

The foliage of Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ and Acer saccharinum

I will be writing more about maples in the future. A very useful genus and a large constituent of our tree stock.

#southend-on-sea #southend #essex #trees #environment

Autumn in Southend – colours rising from the ashes

By Rick Milsom, Arboriculturist, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

We are now into the season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’ as John Keats described autumn. And through these mists glow the colours of foliage as deciduous trees change colour. Some species are more spectacular than others.

Raywood ash (Fraxinus angustifolia ' Raywood'). Once commonly planted but prone to weak branch unions and brittle wood. It is however, a very attractive tree.

After looking at the ever-dependable Raywood ash - with its cloud-like foliage turning its usual plum purple in the autumn - I thought I would visit a few other species of ash, some of which I know put up a good autumn show. The only problem is its best for a nice sunny day to get good photos.

A tree we have planted in small numbers is the white ash, these seem to grow quite well and have dependable, good autumn colour. It’s good to be able to plant trees and observe them as they grow: that way you get a real idea of their tolerances and the way they perform in our dry climate in Essex.

White ash (Fraxinus americana 'Autumn Purple’’). A species native to north and eastern America. At present we only have young specimens of this species but they seem to colour up well in autumn, as the name states!

One of my favourite trees for autumn colour, however, is the red ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica. It doesn’t turn red… not as simple as that. But it changes to a clear, buttery yellow in the autumn. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to hang on to the leaves long before dropping them. This tree differs from a lot of ash species by having quite rough, beige coloured bark when young.

Red ash, (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) from east and North America. The mix of yellow and green foliage can look quite spectacular if caught by the sun.

After all the riotous autumn colour, we come to the more muted autumn hues of our own native ash (or common ash), Fraxinus excelsior. It generally turns yellow.

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Our native ash, just beginning to turn yellow.

Whilst driving along, my eye was caught by another group of ash trees that has a very similar appearance to the common ash. It needs a bit of a closer look to confirm what it is exactly. It’s largely similar with the same black buds, but the golden bark gives it away. On older trees the golden bark is largely confined to the new growth though.This is the golden ash. If you contrast the photo of the common ash and the golden ash you can see the autumn colour is more intense.

The golden ash, Fraxinus excelsior' Jaspidea'. This a cultivar of our native species. Fast growing when young with golden bark. On older trees the golden bark is generally confined to the new twigs.

The last on my ash tree excursion is the Manna ash: another non-native from Southern Europe and Western Asia. This differs from all the other species mentioned in the fact it has showy white flowers in spring. It develops a purple-red autumn colour which I was a bit too early for unfortunately.

With the arrival of Ash Die Back Disease, it has stopped us being able to plant ash species any longer. We will need to see what effect the disease has on our ash tree population in the Borough, and keep thinking of alternatives as we do.

But in the meantime, make the most of the autumn display and have fun identifying our town’s beautiful ashes as you go about your daily business.

Manna ash, Fraxinus ornus. A useful tree which has a compact habit and tolerates dry soils.

#southend #trees #essex

Prittlewell Prince

Information links for journalists, bloggers and other interested parties!

Images for use with credits

MOLA Prittlewell Prince website and interactive chamber website

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council media release

MOLA publications on Prittlewell Prince

MOLA blog 1

MOLA blog 2

#PrittlewellPrince Southend

Council’s adoption services recognised for excellence

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s adoption team has been praised for reducing unnecessary delays and improving the outcomes for children in the borough.

The performance of the adoption team has placed them among the top local authorities nationally.

It takes 309 days for a child to be placed with adoptive families compared to a national average of 486 days. And 107 days between a local authority receiving a court order to place a child and deciding on an adoptive family match, compared to 201 days nationally.

Simon Leftley, deputy chief executive for people, said: “Our adoption teams are fantastic and work with tireless dedication to make sure each child is matched with the right family to create a permanent home for them, as soon as possible. I am pleased their hard work has been recognised and want to thank them for their commitment to make such positive changes for these children.”

A 44-year-old mum from Basildon, who wishes to remain nameless to protect her children’s anonymity, said the adoption process with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council could not have gone quicker or more smoothly.

She said: “I went through early menopause at the age of 24 so my husband and I always knew we would have to adopt. It’s nerve-wracking calling up and admitting ‘I can’t have children, can you help me?’ but from that first point of contact, the team at Southend Council were so welcoming and friendly and warm. The application is a thorough, and sometimes invasive process, and you really have to wear your heart on your sleeve, which I found easier because the adoption team were helpful and supportive. They really want to get children matched with the right parents, get them out of care and into their forever homes.”

She is so impressed with the help and support the adoption team have given their family that she offered to become a mentor to couples going through the process and speak at the workshops for prospective adopters. There she talks about the experience she and her husband went through, from an adoption introduction event in March 2015, two workshops, approval board and match meetings, until their children came home in December 2016.

She said: “It still makes me emotional to talk about it; it was the most wonderful day. All we said is that we wanted siblings and we got two children. The adoption team really couldn’t have done any more for us and even now, four years on, I know if I need anything, I can ring our social worker or speak to anyone in the team and they’ll help. They’re brilliant.”

Jo Hines, service manager for placements and resources, has learnt much during her 20 years within adoption and appreciates there is more to the service than simply matching a child and family. There is an ongoing need for support.

Jo explains: “For example, if a child has been neglected, they learn they are not worth looking after and that they don’t deserve love or care or kindness, and that implicit messaging can have a long-lasting and damaging affect.

“It’s why it is important when an adopter family comes forward to explore adoption, whoever supports them initially is normally the person who ends up being their case worker. This allows for a strong professional connection to develop which I believe is a protective factor and contributes to why the team perform so well. There is a continuity of care and those relationships are long-lasting. I helped one family through five adoptions because even as a manager, I have that pre-existing relationship and that trust.

“It’s all about the child and what works for them. We find a family for each child. Not a child for a family. And in order to get the right matches you have to understand the families who are adopting. My team will take out-of-hours calls and go above and beyond every day for their families, and I’m incredibly proud of them.”

It is the team’s hard work and the good working relationships within the entire children’s services team, which has led to their excellence performance nationally in the adoption scorecards. Jo says their honesty with adoptive parents and the support given, means they are able to provide a more well-rounded service.

She explains: “We are honest from the outset and say this is going to be difficult. Parenting is the hardest job in the world. We encourage our families to stay in touch with their social worker because if we can know the family in happy times, it helps us give them better support when they’re in crisis. A three year old child will have different needs to that of a 12 year old and so we always say come back to us if you need support – some don’t, but many do.”

The team worked with Cornerstone Partnership to develop a virtual reality programme to help adoptive parents, social workers and other stakeholders, truly appreciate what some of the children may have experienced. After piloting the virtual reality film, it has gone on to win awards for the 360-degree experience it gives, as you view the world from the perspective of a neglected and abused child.

Jo adds: “It allows people to feel it, instead of just talking about it. It’s a very powerful tool and we have to carefully prepare those who take part. Often our adopters have a very nice background and were raised in stable secure families themselves, so although they have been told, they can’t really appreciate what their child has been through. Using the VR is a way of reminding them in challenging family times, that their children are reacting to their past not always to their present situation and families need to develop the capacity to empathise with this. A lot of people who use the VR comment ‘I never thought it would be like that’.”

The team always need more adoptive families. Jo is keen to state that even those people who have had a passing thought about it should give the team a call for more information. She said: “We don’t expect you to know what you want to the end result to look like, but we ask that those who have considered adopting call us to find out more or attend one of our monthly information events. Often parents come along to an information event undecided, or thinking they want to adopt a young baby girl, then in the end may want to adopt an older sibling group. We just want people to keep an open mind.”

If you would like to find out more about adopting, please call our adoption team on 01702 212004 or email [email protected].

If you want to find out more we have an informal drop-in event on 12 April, at the Civic Centre, in Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, between 9.15am and 11am, and an information event where you can meet social workers and adoptive families, on 11 May between 10am and 12 noon.

More information, including links to useful websites, can be found here: https://www.southend.gov.uk/info/200443/adoption/281/adoption

#adoption children family foreverhome safe stable home parents mum dad son daughter foster southend

Southend Pier closure

Southend-on-Sea Pier will be closed on Thursday 4 April due to an unexploded ordnance being discovered this morning,

Although far from the shore, the device is approximately 30 metres from the pier and so for the safety of our visitors and staff we have taken the decision to close the pier.

The Royal Marine Bomb Disposal Unit is expected to arrive later this afternoon to carry out a proper investigation and deal with the situation accordingly.

We would ask the public to respect safety cordons and advice given by officials at the scene, and not walk out on to the beach to get a better view of what is happening.

We hope to have the pier back open as usual tomorrow morning (Friday 5 April) and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

**UPDATE**

We will not have any further information until the bomb disposal unit arrive on site.

Rough sleeper count - the facts

You may have heard about the rough sleeper count. But what does it actually mean?

What is the rough sleeper count?

Since 2010 the Government has asked every local authority to carry out a rough sleeper count every year. This can be either a physical count or an estimate. This count provides a ‘snapshot’ of what is happening on one particular night in each town and creates a picture of what is happening nationally.

In 2018 we secured significant government funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to help tackle rough sleeping. Part of the requirement of the funding was that we undertook a rough sleeper count and not an estimate.

There are strict guidelines, developed in consultation with charities and community groups and issued by Homeless Link. Homeless Link then validates the figures from every local authority.

How many people were counted?

This year the count in Southend-on-Sea was 11. There were 10 males, 1 female, 7 UK nationals, 1 EU non UK, 3 nationality unknown and 9 were aged over 25, 2 under 25.

When was the count carried out?

The count was carried out in the early hours of Thursday 22 November 2018.

This was before the Church Winter Night Shelters opened on the 3 December 2018.

Why isn’t the count carried out in the summer?

The Government specifically wants the count to take place between 1 October and 30 November.

Did the count only include the High Street?

No, the count was borough wide. It included known sleeping spots in parks, bus shelters, alleyways, the cliffs, tents, car parks and tower block stairwells across the entire borough.

How was the count done?

The count was carried out by a multi-agency team of volunteers. The team included people from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, HARP, Southend Police, Peabody South East, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Storehouse and others.

Small groups were each given a map of a specific part of the borough where rough sleepers are known to be and carried out a walking reconnaissance, gathering information from any person they saw sleeping rough. This was overseen by an independent invigilator from Homeless Link, who was on site during the whole process.

What about sofa surfers and people in hostels?

The count doesn’t cover every homeless person, just rough sleepers.

The definition of a rough sleeper is someone who is sleeping or prepared to sleep in the open air, or in a building or place not designed for habitation, such as a stairwell, car, shed, or in a makeshift shelter such as a cardboard box.

We are not allowed to include those in hostels, shelters, sofa surfers, campsites, caravans, squatters, Travellers or those carrying out an organised protest.

So does this mean there are only 11 rough sleepers in Southend?

No. This is a single night snapshot. We have good multi-agency working in Southend-on-Sea and those experts are well aware of the situation. We know people bed down at different times and different places, or for that one night may have found shelter.

But the count does give us an indication of what is going on and a year by year number for comparison purposes and the number IS reducing.

In 2017 an estimated count took place, and Southend-on-Sea provided a figure of 72.

Why is the number so much lower than last year?

The number reflects the very high level of hard work going on behind the scenes by all agencies involved. The Council successfully bid for £425,000 from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Rough Sleeper Initiative.

The money, given in June 2018, has funded:

Four outreach workers across HARP and Peabody South East.

Two specialist outreach workers with mental health and substance abuse specialisms.

A ‘sit-up’ service in HARP’s Bradbury Centre, seven nights a week, able to accommodate 10 people.

Elements of the Church Winter Night Shelters.

Emergency budgets for outreach workers.

Facilitate 20 more units of accommodation to unblock shelter spaces.

Create a rent deposit scheme for rough sleepers.

Fund a rough sleeper coordinator to oversee the project.

What's next?

One rough sleeper is one too many. No one should have to sleep on the streets. We hope for more funding from central Government to fund these ongoing initiatives and we will continue to work closely with our partners and other organisations to provide support to people sleeping rough so they can access the help they need.

You can help and find out more by visiting the Make a Change website.

Our 2019/20 budget explained

The council’s budget for 2019/20 has now been approved.

Some of the key points and headlines are outlined in this graphic:

But what does it all actually mean? What is the difference between revenue and capital budgets? What does the proposed council tax rise mean in money terms?

Revenue budget

The revenue budget covers the day-to-day financial management of the Council to make sure it can deliver all the services it needs to, for example, bin collection, adults and children's social services, basic road maintenance (fixing potholes) etc. It is funded via council tax and central Government grants. Around two-thirds of your council tax is spent on looking after our most vulnerable residents.

Capital budget

The capital budget is for one-off investments in projects and schemes designed to enhance and improve the borough for residents, businesses and visitors. For the next few years these projects include things such as the regeneration and building of new homes, improvements to the pier, upgrading CCTV, etc. Funding is raised via a mix of external funding, reserves and borrowing.

Government grants

The grants given from central Government to local authorities has steadily been reducing over the past few years. The Government aim to make local authorities financially independent. But this means Southend-on-Sea's Government grant was just £5.9m this year, a 42% reduction from the previous year (in 2018/19 we received £10.3m and in 2017/18 we received £21.3m).

What does this mean?

The reduction in Government grants means that we are much more reliant on council tax, the money that the Government gives us back from the business rates we collect on their behalf, and other income. We are also having to raise money in alternative ways. This includes property acquisition, long-term investments and alternative funding streams. Unfortunately it also means regular rises in council tax.

Council tax

Council tax will rise in 2019/20 by 4.49%. This breaks down as 2.99% in general tax and a 1.5% levy for adult social care services. In real terms this means a band D property will see the annual cost of council tax rise by £1.12 per week or £59.40 per year.

Council tax and the police/fire service

You will also see a rise in the police and fire precept which will help to pay for more police officers across the county. It is important to be aware that whilst we collect the police and fire precept as part of your ‘council tax’, we only do this on behalf of Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, and simply pass on the money to them. We do not run or manage the police or fire service. Whilst we work closely with them, their strategic direction is set by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex. Read more about how they intend to spend their increase here and the full role of the Essex PFCC.

Southend 2050

It's worth mentioning that this year's budget was drafted with our ambition led document Southend 2050 in mind. More than 35,000 residents and stakeholders gave their views on what the type of town they wanted Southend-on-Sea to be in the future. This has fed into the draft budget, the work we need to do now and the work we need to do over the next few years to make the ambition a reality.

Want to know more?

If you want to know more about the proposals, click on the headlines below to read the press releases relating to the draft budgets:

Council approves ambitious budget for 2019/20

Council unveils draft budget for 2019/20

New investment in pier and roads feature in draft capital budget

£14m earmarked for visitor attraction and new trains on Southend Pier

Marion Brooke - The final chapter

After 48 years in the Libraries team at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Operations Manager Marion Brooke is calling it a day on her working life. We sat down with Marion to hear her story and to find out what her plans are for retirement.

Marion Brooke

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you came to work in the Libraries team?

I was born in Southend-on-Sea in 1954 and as a child I went to Earls Hall Infant and Primary School, and then on to Southend High School for Girls. I left there in the summer of 1970, and firstly intended to be a radiographer, that was my intention when I left school, and so I went for my interview at the hospital, however the man interviewing me said: “I think you would be better suited as a hospital administrator!”

I thought to myself, no I don’t want to work in an office, and then he told me the pay – or the grant to train as a radiographer – which was £4 a week, which just wasn’t going to work for me, it wasn’t going to be enough to survive! I went for lots of different interviews after this, such as the civil service, British Telecom, opticians, solicitors, various sorts of places. I was offered a couple of different positions but I didn’t accept them because I knew I had an interview at the library.

How did it all start in the Libraries team?

The man who interviewed me was Sidney Bridge, Deputy Chief Librarian for the borough. He had been there a long, long time and was a very nice man, and he told me the hours of duty and said that two days a week I would be working until 7pm, and I thought oh I’m not sure about that! He reminded me that working in London I would be getting home around 7pm every day, so having two 7pm finishes a week was rather appealing to me. I wasn’t going to be confined in an office and I had the opportunity to meet other people, which is really what I wanted from my job. I was shown one of the offices for BT during my interview there and it was massive, with people crammed inside, working with their heads down, and I knew that wasn’t going to be for me. So I was offered the job in the library and I took it because it paid me £9 per week! It’s one of those things, I have always loved reading, but when we interview people now, and they say they love reading, we think that isn’t what we want for this job, this job is about people and communicating with others.

I went into it without knowing very much about it, but knowing it would meet my needs in regards to the hours and the pay, and it would also give me the opportunity to meet and speak with new people, which is what I wanted to do. I started off at what is now the central museum, which was the original central library. When I started, everything was paper based and hand-written and the issue system wasn’t computerised until 1973, when a very simple system was introduced. I was there for about three years before we moved to what is now the Beecroft Art Gallery. I started my career at the bottom, making tea and all the other tedious jobs that you sort of accept at 16, telling myself I will work my way to the top here if I can, which I did.

The original Central library, Victoria Avenue

What has been your biggest challenge over the years?

The biggest challenge would be moving the central library into the Forum in 2013, because that was almost five years in the planning and it was a massive task, moving all the books from the library down there and making sure they are put in the right place. I was working closely with my colleague Julie Godfrey, who is still at the Forum, and it was a huge challenge because we had a deadline of 30 September 2013 and come hell or high water, we had to open on that day, and we did, so I think that is the biggest challenge I have faced in my time here.

The Forum, Elmer Approach

Working in the team for so long, you must have a passion for your job. Is this something that has grown over time?

I’ve always liked meeting different people. When I left school I was quite shy and I think having a job in the libraries you have to speak to people and it broke me of that shyness and I wasn’t as scared to talk to people. Over the years I have worked with so many different people, and libraries are like a family, it’s a peculiar thing, it’s not like an office at all and you get to know each other very well. I found everyone to be very kind, supportive and caring people and it’s been a real privilege to work with them all. My enthusiasm and passion for Libraries has grown over the years – they are a vital resource for the community and that has been recognised by the feedback we receive from residents and those people who have volunteered to work with us to keep libraries open.

Would you say the family-feel to the team is part of why you stayed in the team for so long?

Partly, some of that yes, but also because I have been fortunate that things have changed roughly every five years. When I first started I was in the central library as I said, then in-branch for a little while, and then we had a reorganisation in 1978 and libraries were no longer run by Southend Council, but managed by Essex Council instead. This lead to changes; there was a restructure, there were new posts created – one of which was the Senior Library Assistant, which is the post I was appointed to for the central library – and that meant I was running the central library from the operational side of things. We had a new computer system fitted in 1980, and another one five years later, so there has always been challenges and changes happening which has maintained my interest, and because people come and go, it’s not like office work, sitting down for 8 hours a day, in libraries you spend perhaps an hour doing one thing, an hour and half doing another thing, so mixed in with meeting lots of new people, it’s been a very interesting job where I have learnt a lot of things I didn’t expect to learn.

Inside the original Central library, Victoria Avenue

You have also been in charge of the Museums team for the last four years, which brought their own sets of challenges?

Yes and I think you tend to sometimes forget about these things because it is part and parcel of my job role and my work load nearly doubled. In 2011 I took over responsibility for branch libraries not just the central library, in 2014 my role included the museums too, so I have been used to taking on more and more, but that is what has made it interesting, that has what has made me stay, the challenges and constant changes.

What has been your standout achievement in your time working for the council?

It probably is the Forum because it is the biggest single piece of work. There have been a lot of things over the years when I think back, perhaps refurbishing the central library in 2000 which meant planning how to move every single book, around 100,000, on the 2nd floor, and near-on 35,000, from one floor to another and keeping them in order which isn’t quite as easy as it sounds! So I would say yes, those two things would be my stand-out achievements.

Marion Brooke and Angela Breakey at the opening of the Forum

What are your plans after retirement?

No plans really, I want to take some time to chill out and relax because it has been quite exhausting these last 6 – 9 months really because I have been acting group manager and carrying out my substantive role as operations manager as well, so the work load has been quite heavy. It has been demanding, but interesting, so I wouldn’t say it has been a problem, I have actually enjoyed it but it has worn me down! I might get myself a dog! I plan on doing lots of walking to keep my fitness up so getting a dog will make me walk! I am just going to see how it all goes really, lots of people have said to me about doing voluntary work, and no, I have done 48 years at work, I want a break and I want some me-time so that is exactly what I will be doing!

Do you have a final message?

The council has been a fantastic employer, they really look after their staff. You may not feel it, but when the chips are down they really do support you. The Libraries and Museums staff, they are truly amazing, I have learnt a lot about museums since I have been responsible for them, which has been the last four years. I think that is the thing about libraries and museums, people seem to think of them as being sort of fusty, boring, quiet places and they’re not, they’re really lively and vibrant, so I think the final message would be that it has been a real privilege to work with them and lead them for the last 9 months and I really do wish them every success in the future and I am sure they will do really well, they are great people.

Marion at the STARS awards

We would like to thank Marion for her years of hard-work and dedication to not only the council, but to the Southend community. We wish you her all the best for the future and hope she enjoys a well-deserved rest. Thank you, Marion.

The grim reality of the party drugs market

#MerryMuletide

Just a bit of festive fun? There is a terrible truth to the supply of cocaine and other ‘party drugs’, of which most of those who buy or take are completely unaware.

In order to get drugs, including ‘party drugs’, to those who take them, a supply chain of violence, grooming and modern slavery is established. Local children are being targeted right now, purely to move drugs and money through our borough, up and down to London and beyond, in county lines.

It’s time for us all to know the reality of this activity, and to understand how what can be perceived as “a bit of festive fun” is directly destroying the lives of children in our borough.

What are County Lines?

Criminal gangs are targeting children to move drugs and money in and out of cities and large towns. This is a national issue, but we need to be aware of criminal gangs, and to be able to spot the signs that our children may be being targeted.

These criminals are targeting children as young as 8-12 years old. They target children across all economic, ethnic and social groups.

Who can be targeted by criminal gangs, and how do they target our children?

The national picture on county lines continues to develop but there are recorded cases of:

• children as young as 12 years old being exploited or moved by gangs to courier drugs out of their local area; 15-16 years is the most common age range

• both males and females being exploited

• white British children being targeted because gangs perceive they are more likely to evade police detection, however a person of any ethnicity or nationality may be exploited

• the use of social media to make initial contact with children and young people

More information on county lines

Information on the signs to look out for, that a child you know could be being targeted by criminal gangs

Isn’t this just happening in big cities?

This is happening across our city, from Southend to Leigh, to Shoeburyness. The children involved come from a variety of backgrounds and places in the borough. They could be your neighbour, or someone you know or have known.

To alert the public to this activity, which is going on in all areas of the borough (and indeed nationally), Southend-on-Sea City Council has once again teamed up with Essex Police, to produce a campaign to help disrupt local drugs and county lines activity.

#MerryMuletide is a hard-hitting follow-up campaign to the recent #SeeTheSigns campaign, with a message that alerts recreational drug users to the catastrophic consequences their drug taking is having on the lives of local children.

We are asking people to understand where drugs come from, and to think twice if they are tempted to buy or take recreational drugs.

Can you help?

If you wish to tell us something then you can contact us on the below email address. We have experienced professionals working with children and adults across the city, to help remove them from this situation. If you know of anyone who may be being exploited by criminal gangs, or being forced to sell drugs, then please tell us. We can help them. We treat all children as victims first. Please contact us today. Website: https://www.seethesigns.org.uk/ Email: [email protected] Or call us (it can be anonymous): 01702 215007

#MerryMuletide SeeTheSigns CountyLines CSE Southend LeighOnSea Shoeburyness Westcliff Chalkwell Essex Gangs Drugs Partydrugs

What are County Lines?

These criminals are targeting children as young as 8-12 years old. They target children across all economic, ethnic and social groups.

What does County Lines mean?

'County Lines' refer to the use of telephone/mobile numbers circulated to users in a particular area for ordering drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine (although cannabis and MDMA are also used). The telephone number is usually operated from outside the area. This is how the group builds their brand. Unlike other criminal activities where telephone numbers are changed on a regular basis, these telephone numbers are maintained and protected, often by gangs and organised crime groups which ‘target’ the areas, either because they have a good illegal economy (for example, a large number of drug users) or because they have decent transport links to London.

Young people will rarely say that they are running a ‘County Line’ or ‘Country Line’. They are more likely to say that they are ‘Running a Line’ ‘Going Cunch’ or ‘Going O.T.’ (which stands for Over There, Out There or Outta Town).

County lines is a major, cross-cutting issue involving drugs, violence, gangs, safeguarding, criminal and sexual exploitation, modern slavery, and missing persons; and the response to tackle it involves the police, the National Crime Agency, a wide range of Government departments, local government agencies and VCS (voluntary and community sector) organisations.

The UK Government defines county lines as:

County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line”. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.

County lines activity and the associated violence, drug dealing and exploitation has a devastating impact on young people, vulnerable adults and local communities.

What is Child Criminal Exploitation?

Child criminal exploitation is increasingly used to describe this type of exploitation where children are involved, and is defined as:

Child Criminal Exploitation is common in county lines and occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. Child Criminal Exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

Criminal exploitation of children is broader than just county lines, and includes for instance children forced to work on cannabis farms or to commit theft.

Who can be targeted by criminal gangs, and how do they target our children?

The national picture on county lines continues to develop but there are recorded cases of:

• children as young as 12 years old being exploited or moved by gangs to courier drugs out of their local area; 15-16 years is the most common age range

• both males and females being exploited

• white British children being targeted because gangs perceive they are more likely to evade police detection but a person of any ethnicity or nationality may be exploited

• the use of social media to make initial contact with children and young people

• class A drug users being targeted so that gangs can takeover their homes (known as ‘cuckooing’).

We do know that county lines exploitation is widespread, with gangs from big cities including London, Manchester and Liverpool operating throughout England, Wales and Scotland.

What makes someone vulnerable?

Gangs are known to target vulnerable children and adults; some of the factors that heighten a person’s vulnerability include:

• having prior experience of neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse

• lack of a safe/stable home environment, now or in the past (domestic violence or parental substance misuse, mental health issues or criminality, for example)

• social isolation or social difficulties

• economic vulnerability

• homelessness or insecure accommodation status

• connections with other people involved in gangs

• having a physical or learning disability

• having mental health or substance misuse issues;

• being in care (particularly those in residential care and those with interrupted care histories)

• being excluded from mainstream education, in particular attending a Pupil Referral Unit.

Additional information on spotting the signs your child could be being targeted

#seethesigns countylines cse childexploitation gangs southend #druggangs

#SeeTheSigns

What are the signs that your child may be being targeted by criminal gangs?

A young person’s involvement in county lines activity often leaves signs. A person might exhibit some of these signs, either as a member or as an associate of a gang dealing drugs. Any sudden changes in a person’s lifestyle should be discussed with them.

Some potential indicators of county lines involvement and exploitation are listed below, with those at the top of particular concern:

• persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area

• unexplained acquisition of money, clothes, or mobile phones

• excessive receipt of texts / phone calls and/or having multiple handsets

• relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups

• leaving home / care without explanation

• suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries

• parental concerns

• carrying weapons

• significant decline in school results / performance

• gang association or isolation from peers or social networks

• self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being.

What are County Lines, and who can be targeted? See our article giving full information on County Lines, what they are, and who could be targeted by these criminal gangs.

What can you do as a parent?

It is important to remember that you are not to blame, criminal groups exploit the young, the vulnerable and those that are within easy reach. No matter how confident or secure you may feel the child in your care is, the group will present themselves as whatever is missing, or with what the child wants or feels that they need. However, once they have them, often their treatment of your child will change to coercion, bullying and exploitation.

It’s important to remember that the child is just as much a victim and there are things you can do to help stop your child from being involved or to help them get out.

Here are some helpful tips:

¨ Talk to your child and listen – you are looking for open, honest and non-judgemental communication without anger

¨ Encourage them to get involved in positive activities and to think about their future and employment

¨ Get involved in your child’s school activities

¨ Know your child’s friends and their families

¨ Always know where your child is and who they are with

¨ Help them to cope with pressure and how to deal with conflict without the use of violence

¨ Speak to them about the serious consequences of violent or illegal behaviour

¨ Help them to understand the dangers of being in a gang and find alternative constructive ways to use their time

¨ Keep lines of communication open

¨ Be aware of what your child is doing on the internet

¨ Look for ways of disciplining children that do not involve harshness, anger or violence

¨ Work with other parents and schools to watch their behaviour

¨ Talk about your child’s behaviour with their school and other parents

What can you do to help your child?

If you suspect your child is already involved, remember that they may not want to talk about it or may be scared. It is important that they know you want to listen and support them. Make sure they know they have a choice. Stay calm, ask questions, but listen too. Don’t be afraid of confrontation, but try not to approach them with anger and accusations. Try to understand the situation from their point of view and why they have joined the gang. Ask them what you can do to help. Try to agree on what they should do next. Work with them to find solutions and choices.

What will happen if you report your child?

If you are concerned that your child is being exploited or is at risk of being exploited by gangs then you can refer in for support and guidance.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Children’s Services Department have a specialist team that can provide education, guidance and support and we treat this all children as victims first.

Who can you call?

If you wish to tell us something then you can contact us on the below email address:

Email: [email protected]

If you have a safeguarding concern, then a referral can be made to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub:

Email: [email protected]

Tele: 01702 215007

A new hotline number – 01245 452058

If you are worried, please call us. You will not be wasting our time. A team of Essex Police officers and staff are on standby to listen, help and offer advice. The line is open Monday to Friday 08:00-16:00 with a voicemail facility outside of these hours.

If you need to report a crime then please ring the Police on 101 and in an emergency call 999.

#seethesigns #countylines #southend #druggangs #cse #childexploitation

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