Discounts for Adult Students Aged Over 60
Your report of April 2008 is correct that the Adult Education College Bexley will no longer be able to offer discounts to adult students aged over 60 purely on the basis of their age. Your report correctly attributes this to the Age Discrimination Regulations of 2006.
However, the legal advice given to the College differs from the interpretation in your report. According to the National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education, and Bexley Council’s own legal services, if an institution offers training to adults then all its courses are covered by the regulations. The College Governing Body, which sets the fee levels for the College, agreed that it had no choice but to follow this advice and to withdraw the discounts as from September 2008. Governors do not wish to be in the position of contravening regulations agreed by Parliament.
Of course the Governors, and particularly the student Governors, are not happy with the situation which has now arisen. In the brochure for 2008/9, which will be issued in June, Governors will highlight the College’s special funds designed to help all students on low income, and the College will welcome applications to the funds from adults aged over 60. (in respect of students aged over 60 who have income-related benefits such as income support, nothing has changed - they will continue to have courses discounted at 50%, in common with students from the other age groups).
Finally, I must emphasise two points: first, that this development is not a Bexley decision but has a national context: it reflects the action of authorities across London and the UK. Secondly, classes are still heavily subsidised by government: without funding from the Learning and Skills Council fees would have to double.
Richard Easterbrook,
Principal,
Adult Education College Bexley
Speed Bumps
I park my car every day at Bexley train station car park and have noticed just recently that the number of 'Speed Bumps' (or sleeping policemen) has increased. Why is there a need for these things in a car park? Has the death toll increased? Were the local hospitals becoming so busy with people being run over in car parks that they took the decision to install these things. I can fully understand speed bumps being put outside schools - but a car park!
What is the world coming to?
David Macridge,
Bexley
Good point David. Sounds a bit jobsworth doesn’t it? Ed
Care in the community
I read the Chronicle every month for its in-depth community news. I also receive two other freebies every week which I glance through.
Having read your report about the recent CSCI meeting a report on the same meeting appeared in the News Shopper but theirs never mentioned the poor results you highlighted and it seemed very much in favour of the council whereas the Chronicle gave both sides of the story which I thought was fair. They also thought one of our parks was the best in London. Some of the central London parks are just drop-dead gorgeous.
Maybe you should change your reporting style and you might do better in your commercial relationships with the council!
John Flanagan - Erith
• Point taken John. We could have taken the other view that the council might do better in the future but the CSCI view was that the future is uncertain and they only report on what they find in the present. I don’t know what you mean about the Chronicle improving its relationship with the council. Ed
What was the question?
Are you willing to report what the question was that Mr Watson did not receive an answer to from Bexley Council? Was it that he wanted to know the names of those solicitors who were responsible for the decision to bring court action against Maison Maurice at huge public expense? If so, it seems to me that labeling him as vexatious is just a convenient way of trying to suppress concerns that the public have an interest in receiving answers to, after all it is our money being spent.
When there is a high level of public support for commencing legal action against all odds, eg in trying to bring a judicial review to stop the incinerator being built, then the cost involved is often acceptable. I also appreciate that losing a case and incurring costs does not necessarily mean that the case should not have been brought at all. However there are other questionable decisions that never seem to be accounted for.
I asked Bexley Council how much time was spent by solicitor Mr Guy Atkins on a specific prosecution in 2001and how much was spent on barristers fees. As Bexley had offered no evidence at the Crown court trial I felt I had the right to know how much public money was spent. My freedom of information request was initially refused on the grounds that it was “personal information”. Over a year after the request was made, and after an appeal to the Information Commissioner, I was told that Mr Atkins spent 98 hours of time on the case and barrister’s fees were £1,175
I made a similar FOI request asking Bexley how much time was spent on a civil action against Mrs Grootendorst and others in attempts to recover allotment plots for breach of tenancy conditions. They took on overgrown and neglected plots and had failed to cultivate them sufficiently. I believe plot rental was no more than £30 per annum for each plot and there were no other people waiting for plots at this site. Bexley spent 209 hours and 12 minutes on this case and £2,250 (excluding vat @17.5%) on a barrister. The value of the solicitors time was around £65 per hour. Legal services then spent a further 31 hours and 30 mins of time on negotiations to recover clearance costs of £2,270 After recovering the plots Bexley left many of them empty only to become overgrown and waist high in weeds again. Was this a good use of public funds?
In July 2007 a Trading Standards prosecution against British Bakeries was reported for underweight bread, 25 loaves were an average of 9.7g underweight from the 800g they were meant to be - that is less than a slice short each. The company pleaded guilty and were fined £12,400 which I presume goes to the crown. But how much time did Trading Standards officers and solicitors spend bringing this prosecution and what was the value of the time? And were any of the council taxpayers costs recovered? Would advice and information to the company to secure compliance have been more appropriate as per Bexley’s enforcement protocol? I daren’t ask lest I am labeled as “vexatious”.
When expensive court action is taken for seemingly little benefit but no enforcement action is taken against the likes of Cafe Nero for planning regulations breaches I think the taxpaying public have the right to an explanation, and to be told who is accountable for those actions or lack of action.
Anon. Bexleyheath
Boris for Mayor!
There is no debate on who should be Mayor on May 1st - it’s Boris. Why? Because I have got two teenage children and I want to keep them safe. We know the gun and knife statistics in this borough and Bromley. Teenage gangs have to be challenged and stopped. Boris’s approach makes sense. CCTV on the buses to combat real time crime.
But we will never deal with this problem unless we also understand why children seek out gangs. A lot of them do not have fathers. A gang provides a sense of security, opportunities to earn the esteem of their peers. The gang can be a kind of family; and that’s why we should be doing so much more to allow them to obtain these benefits - excitement, competition, achievement - but in other ways.
The Mayor could be doing so much more to encourage competitive sport of all kinds, with all its potential for developing emotional maturity and for allowing young males to let off steam. There is so much that could be done with the arts.
But above all, we should be using mayoral funds to encourage the thousands of volunteers who are working with the children - and their parents - and trying to nip the problem in the bud, trying to steer them away from criminality, because that is the best way to save the taxpayer millions.
Miss A. Batmaz - Sidcup
• Trillions of pounds is already spent on sport which benefits everyone who is inclined. The tiny percentage of children that cause grief should be targeted through their parents, educators and police. There is little a Mayor can do to control children bent on disruption and crime. I noticed that the majority of victims by stabbing are mostly black children. Why? Ed
Do you earn £22,500?
How can Cllr. Ian Clement state that the average annual income is £22,500. Has he forgotten again the number of Senior Citizens whose income is much smaller than this, but still have the same household expenses? He blames the Government for the short fall cash amount, therefore severe cuts must be made regardless of suffering of the disabled, vulnerable, young, elderly and poor people of this Borough. I for one, like many other people would not be prepared to pay higher Council Tax, bearing in mind the exorbitant back pay to May 2007, the Councillors awarded themselves plus all their expenses. There is no guarantee the money would be used to improve services or line their pockets.
No wonder Labour Councillors critized the Conservatives for running a selfish Council ‘Just which party should I support because they all feather their own nest?’
A very disappointed resident.
J.J. Rouse - Sidcup.
Pensions Pot
Over the past years, I regularly attended public meetings of the Bexley Pension Fund Committee.
The above quoted article which appears in the April Chronicle unfortunately omits to pay tribute to an invaluable contribution by councillors Ken MacAndrew, Michael Slaughter and Colin Tandy who have been responsible, in no small measure, for the successful management and investment of funds by Bexley Pension Fund on behalf of its pensioners and the council tax payer.
As you rightly say, legislation governing local governing Local Government Pension Schemes is in badly need of an overhaul. But that is a matter for central government initiatives.
E.Silvester - Bexleyheath
• I think you should also add Mike Ellsmores name to your list. Ed
Fat Cat(s) in Bexley
Following an investigation by Independents to Save Queen Mary’s Hospital, it has learnt that the late Chief Executive of Bexley Council, for the year 2006/7, received a remuneration of £203,000, making him one of only six local authority employees in the country to earn over £200,000 and the fifth best remunerated. Another seven people on Bexley Council earned over £100,000.
Despite the current government target for growth in pay of just 2%, the late Chief Executive’s remuneration increased by nearly 11% and the Director of Finance’s David Berry by over 12%.
Commenting on these revelations, John Hemming-Clark of Independents to Save Queen Mary’s Hospital said, “saving hospital services goes hand in glove with reducing the excessive burden of taxation. Despite Bexley Council’s bragging about its lower than inflation Council Tax settlement for 2007/8 the fact of the matter is that Council Tax has more than doubled over the past 10 years. Bexley Council is making cuts across the board including to grants, funds for meals on wheels, day care and home care which are badly hitting the poor, elderly and vulnerable. At the same time they are paying their Chief Executive a sum which is more than the Prime Minster receives. The increasing burden of taxation is not being used where it is desperately needed, instead it is going to support the excessive pay rises of our senior civic office bureaucrats.”
John Hemming-Clark, Chislehurst
Planning Matters
I would like to congratulate the Chronicle on exposing the apparent double standards applied by Bexley Council planning department. Any reader who thinks that flouting of planning regulations such as Morrisons opening early should try living near the store and try to enjoy a peaceful start to their Sunday. The folk who live near the store were given undertakings when planning permission was granted. So many empty promises apparently.
To the “Money Talks” list we can add Café Nero and Blockbusters. Another is on the horizon - yet another take-away in the form of KFC. This is backed by a group that operates over 30,000 establishments in 100 countries and over 700 in the UK so we can expect the planning regulations and Sidcup’s UDP to fly out the window quicker than chicken and chip baskets into residents’ front gardens. Be afraid residents, be very afraid!
In the same edition of your newspaper, in reference to the possible (probable) sale of Sidcup Police station you stated that any redevelopment “could run into planning problems” because of its location within the town boundary. With respect, the extent of those problems depends on how rich and/or influential is the developer.
Paul Laundy, Secretary
Sidcup Community Group,
Sidcup
Sidcup Literary & Scientific Society.
The Society held its last meeting of this session at the Emmanuel Church Hall in Hadlow Road on Tuesday 25th March.
William Cooban, from Bexley Library Service, gave an interesting talk on ‘Libraries Then and Now’. He contrasted the changes which had taken place over the last fifty years. From ‘silence’ to the increased facilities now available for all ages in this era of Information Technology.
It was agreed by all that ‘Books’ were still one of the main planks of recreation and education.
The evening ended with the Society’s AGM when Mrs Joyce Crust was confirmed as the new President for the session beginning on October 14th next.
For more information please contact 0208 300 3825.
Leslie Pike - President.
Crossword fans
My apologies for messing up the March Crossword. The clue and answer to seven down was ‘Drawntofight’ but we left out an important black box so our apologies for those of you that gave up.
Winner of the March crossword competition was B.N. French, of Swanley.
Well done. Ed
• Winner of the Sporting Quiz in March was wonder sports quiz woman Miss J. Anderson of Belvedere to whom we also pass on our compliments.
Marshland access denied
Bexley and Bromley Green Party is extremely concerned to learn that it has become difficult for residents to access Southmere Green, Woodland Way and Southmere Park due to the erection of fences and closure of gates and other entrances by Tilfen Land Ltd and Gallions Housing Association.
No open parkland should be fenced off in the Erith Marshes area denying residents their rights.
Southmere Green should be preserved as a public open space to be enjoyed and used by all members of the community including local travellers, and as a refuge for wildlife and horses.
The Thamesmead area is already heavily industrialised and parts of Southmere Green have already been eroded by Tilfen retail developments.
It is vital that Bexley Council takes greater responsibility for monitoring this land and seeing that it is preserved as an ecologically vibrant site with protected public access.
Ann Garrett,
Bexley and Bromley
GLA Green Party Candidate,
31 Plaistow Grove
Bromley BR1 3PB
Sidcup Traffic problems
Remember the same people that spent many thousands at the bottom of Penhill Road (and now two cars cannot enter the roundabout at the same time resulting in queues about a third longer) have been working on the Sidcup traffic scheme.
I certainly expect no improvement as common sense appears to be a rarity nowadays, but they can always move on to terminal 6 maybe ?.
Dave Blackman - Sidcup
• Common sense doesn’t appear to be a tick box on many cv’s. Ed
Them and us!
Mrs Winfield’s letter about paying council tax whether we can afford it or not hit home. She bet councillors, who do nothing to help those facing hardship (leaseholders/homeowners and private sector taxpayers) and who set annual council tax increases, are in it together with jobs-for-life officials. How many residents complaints get bounced back and forth or get letters that do nothing to address queries?
In my opinion Councils are no longer fit for purpose. Why do we not have power of veto on inflated salary package of £3519 per week and £11K that Nick Johnson took out of the kitty for being election officer. Why has his successor and colleagues not taken much smaller salary packages - their wealth makes them immune from the credit crisis inflicted on us. Why was Nick Johnson paid such an exorbitant salary package and why did the councillors “remuneration committee” agree?
How can £6m service cuts, loss of amenities and public facilities be anything but a slap in the face for taxpayers when this council spent £150K on its biscuit bill, spent £20K plus on hounding critics or community groups attempting to work in partnership.. At the same time it spends over £9 million per year on its own pensions. Is this financial exploitation and grossly insufficient management of public resources?
R Grootendorst - Sidcup
Traffic accidents
Yet another traffic accident has occurred at the bottom of Sidcup Hill.
I live in the area and know of several previously (including at least one fatality) .
I notice that Sidcup Hill is being narrowed at the top of the Hill, which looks to me as if it will cause further accidents. However, when motorists speed to and from the traffic lights at Foots Cray there is nothing being done to remind them to slow down.
Our residents Association have requested at the least a warning sign,we received a reply saying it was not necessary!
Meanwhile driving out of a side entrance or drive is a hazardous exercise. How many more poor souls will not make it safely?
B Neil
Flight Paths.
by D.W.Johnson,
Red, Green, White.
Flashing lights Moving across the near dark sky.
More and more big birds fly.
Some ahead, some behind,
Some above and some below.
One light there does not move at all,
Good Heavens it is a Star.
Not so often seen through polluted.
And a thousand lights from city streets.
That never ending traffic in the sky.
Day and night they fly.
Huge shining metal birds
One day though. There will be one.
Not flying proudly through the air.
Not high in the sky and far away.
But here. Just flaming wreckage everywhere.
Inevitable.
As nothing is perfect made by man.
Fate will always play its hand.
Beneath the fIight paths no one knows where or when.
The life of one big bird will suddenly end.
Then. that second, minute, hour and day.’
A terrible price again we pay
Sidcup, Kent