Brentwood Liberal Democrats - Warley Update

Following on from other ward updates we move over to Warley .......

Councillors Jay Laplain and Nigel Clarke, both covering the Warley Ward, reported that irresponsible people were discarding PPE gloves onto public footpaths after leaving a care home in this ward. Cllr Laplain took photographic evidence and action has been taken, with enforcement of responsibilities being impressed on the care home as to the actions of people leaving the building. We can only hope that commonsense and courtesy prevail in this instance.

Staying in Warley, you may already be aware of a traveller incursion that has happened in Great Warley. Unfortunately, just prior to lockdown the number of caravans increased to 21 on this site, which is classified as a green field, green belt site. Residents contacted their local Lib Dem councillors and the Council as they were concerned that another field adjacent to the site in question could become an extension of their occupation. Council officers, after making the necessary investigations, placed an Injunction on this additional field to prevent access to it. A retrospective planning application submitted by the travellers was recently refused by Brentwood Council and they have now gone to appeal. The Council have provided a robust defence of its decision which will be considered by the Planning Inspectorate.

Still in Warley - Tree in Vaughan Williams Way. Councillors Nigel Clarke and Dominic Naylor reported a very dangerous tree situated on a green off of Vaughan Williams Way. Part of the tree had come down on to the green but a large bough was in a perilous position and threatening several private properties.

Following a report made by the Lib Dems, our tree surgeon at the Council was despatched the next day and confirmed our concerns. He also advised that neither the tree, nor the green was the responsibility of Brentwood or Essex County Councils! It transpires that the builders who constructed the estate have yet to transfer this green area to the Council and despite making the Council's then Head of Legal aware of the position some 18 months ago, nothing was ever progressed. However, since the tree was considered to be in such a dangerous condition, the decision was taken to make it safe and thus remove the possibility of any damage to nearby properties, or worse still, injuries to local residents. Despite the Council having no finance available to remove the felled tree from its position, your Lib Dem councillors believe the correct decision was made in the interests of public safety. The Council's legal officers are now actively seeking a response from the developer of the site.