I have written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to request that he rejects the planning application for housing to be built in the site of the Fire Brigade sports and social club at Aveley.
I am delighted to back Small Business Saturday. All over Thurrock there are small businesses providing a living and jobs for so many people. The challenge of setting up your own business is always a risk.
Following Patrick McLoughlin’s announcement in the House today that the Dartford crossing residents scheme is to be extended, Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price has expressed her delight that the Secretary of State has listened to her representations. Speaking in the House today the Secretary of State said “I am also announcing today important changes to the discount scheme, which will help local people who use the Dartford-Thurrock crossing, following a persuasive campaign by my hon. Friends the Members for Dartford (Gareth Johnson) and for Thurrock (Jackie Doyle-Price). From March 2014, those registered on the schemes will be able to make unlimited trips over the crossing for just £20 a year. For the first time, we will include privately registered vans, offering a welcome boost to small businesses.”
Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price claims that Friday's chaos proves that The Government needs to rethink its proposals for a new Lower Thames crossing. “Friday's chaos proves there are not enough crossings east of Tower Bridge. As traffic is diverted to Blackwall, queues were as far back as Rainham. When the Dartford crossing closes vast areas become car parks causing misery for motorists.
In her response to the Government’s consultation, Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price has called on the Government to rerun the consultation to look at more options downstream and upstream of the existing Dartford crossing. She has also said that a new Lower Thames crossing should herald the start of a new orbital ring road and should not put more traffic onto the already congested A13 and M25. Jackie said, “I would like to see more crossings east of Tower Bridge and I am pleased that the Mayor of London is to build a new crossing at Silvertown and is also looking at another bridge proposal.
Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price has offered the following comment on the emergence of email evidence which shows that the CQC were placed under undue pressure to cover up failings at Basildon Hospital. The emails obtained by Stephen Barclay through FOI requests illustrate that CQC were aware of serious failings at Basildon in May 2009 and advised Monitor and the Department of Health that they did not have confidence in the management of the hospital. The emails also reveal that Ministers were furious when the information became public in November.
It has often been said that if you vote UKIP you get Labour. The truth of that statement is quite evident in the result of the Stifford Clays by-election last week. Had Labour failed to hold the seat, they would have lost control of the council, so there was all to play for on all sides. In the event Labour held on, much to the disappointment of UKIP who really thought they would sneak it but found themselves in third position.
I recently visited the new London Gateway superport to meet with the elected members of its employee forum. This will be the focus for discussions between management and employees and reflects a “we are all in this together” approach which is to be commended.
A much loved building in South Ockendon is now under threat after English Heritage removed its listed status. Bentons Farm, which dates back to the eighteenth century, has been the source of much controversy in recent years with local residents fighting to protect it and see off a planning application which would have seen the site become an asbestos processing business.
AFTER the recent security alert which saw the closure of the Dartford crossing, anyone who says there is no need for further crossings is either living in cloud cuckoo land or never has to drive around Thurrock. For the sake of the road network, simply saying lets wait and see what happens when the toll barriers are removed next October isn’t going to cut it.
