A better plan for East Beach

Cllr Waite’s letter (June 3) very carefully fails to acknowledge the dogged commitment of residents who are seeking to save Shoebury's green space for perpetuity.

This is not a personal crusade against any individual, but a substantial effort to halt a plan, regardless of the political party instituting it, which makes East Beach vulnerable to development.

There are no allegations of conspiracy theories.

There are only facts.

The development of East Beach, ie the building of two car parks and brick barbecues, will designate the area a brownfield site.

Brownfield sites can be further developed.

Councillors state there are no plans to (further) develop East Beach.

This may well be true.

However, neither the current councillors nor the current chief executive can make those assurances on behalf of a future council.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon individuals to protect the beach from future developers.

A professional engineer has drawn up a plan, on behalf of a number of residents, which would solve the parking problem on East Beach for good.

I urge anyone who cares about our precious green space to contact Mrs Waite to voice their objections and concerns and to ask for details of the residents'

Plan.

Louise Wilcox
High Street
Shoebury

...Councillor Anna Waite’s letter stated “Openness and democracy”.

Why then has she presented a fait accompli in respect of Shoebury East Beach and not want to listen to the views and suggestions of residents, only accepting those in line with her own thinking?

Surely this cannot be democracy?

At a meeting with other ward councillors on April 10, we were presented with a proposal for redesigning East Beach.

At that time I agreed with the plan, albeit subject to certain provisos.

However, after consulting with constituents I changed my opinion, which, as an independent councillor I reserve the right to do as I represent constituents, not a party whip.

Democracy states residents have the right to voice their opinions.

Just because Mrs Waite doesn’t accept those opinions she has no right to criticise residents.

Mrs Waite doesn’t even live in the borough, so what right has she to defame Shoebury residents?

Mike Assenheim
Independent Councillor
Elm Road
Shoebury

....In her letter Anna Waite patronisingly dismissed my well-founded concerns over unjustifiable secrecy and total lack of information (even after a request under the Freedom of Information Act) on the council’s alleged meetings regarding a brown land site, which could have been used for the construction of a car park instead of ruining East Beach.

As I had the temerity to ask questions and draw my own conclusions, she arrogantly accused me of conjuring up “conspiracy theories”

and even suggested I “step back.”

Yet my comments were firmly based on fact, which she was unable to refute.

Maria Lauretta
Gunners Road
Shoebury

...I write in reply to three letters concerning Anna Waite in Monday’s Echo.

The first from. Martin Terry, the leader of the independent councillors, stated that, in his opinion Mrs Waite had made unwise and arrogant comments in her recently published letter regarding the proposed new car park at Shoebury East Beach.

I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. There has always been car parking facilities at East Beach, now Southend Council is proposing to make an aesthetically pleasing area for parking.

The material to be used for the base of the car park will look similar to grass, what more does everyone want?

Likewise the letter from Paul Van Looy in praise of Ann Chalk. May I remind Mr Van Looy, Mrs Chalk has on several occasions stood unsuccessfully as a Labour candidate in local elections, but next year she will be standing as an independent.

When the going gets tough, Mrs Chalk doesn’t just get going she changes her allegiance too!

Paul Van Looy will blame Mrs Waite for anything and everything he doesn’t agree with.

From his letter it reads as though he stood against her in his unsuccessful campaign in St Luke’s ward last year. He didn't. He stood against my husband, and when offering his congratulations went on to thank him for a good, clean fight, so how can he now say dirty tricks were used?

There is, of course, one common denominator here, Mr Terry, Mr Van Looy and Mrs Chalk are all independents, and as such will use any means they can to denigrate Southend Council and especially Mrs Waite at every single opportunity.

One thing is for sure, love her, or loathe her, there is no doubt Mrs Waite, who holds the most difficult and complicated portfolio in the council, always has the best interests of the residents of Southend at heart.

She works extremely hard to do the very best she can for all concerned.

By the way, Ms Davidson, although Cllr Waite lives in Barling, she works in Weston Road, Southend, and that is all the criteria needed to be a councillor.

Carol Ashley
Appledore
Shoebury

...Like Mr Beale (June 11), I too do not like antisocial behaviour whether this is from young people or the older generation.

A plan to pen drivers into a new 1.1 acre grasscrete covered car park is in my opinion not only antisocial, but environmentally damaging and will do nothing to solve the noise and barbecue problems.

The alternative plan of allowing cars to park along the side of the road is not only safer and more environmentally friendly, but will solve all of these problems while allowing hundreds of people to enjoy the beach, as I’m sure the Knapping family, who left this lovely area to us in perpetuity, would have wished.

Bernard Chalk
High Street
Shoebury