Borough Councillor Dave Harris, Working for Colchester and Berechurch residents. 

 (Also County Councillor for Shrub End and Berechurch )

It is a fact that with so many Police Cuts, the force is unable to maintain the level of service we would wish.

We have protested to Government over lack of funding, but no positive answer has been forthcoming,

As a County Councillor, and working with my borough councillor colleagues, we are willing to set up and facilitate Neighbourhood watch schemes in Colchester.

Just E mail me at councillor.dave.harris@hotmail.co.uk to express an interest.

The Labour team (Cllrs Martyn Warnes, Cllr Chris Pearson and myself ) regularly go to each estate and lead and carry out a litter pick . Its not the fact we do it, (although its great to see the bags of rubbish we collect removed and taken to the tip) its more our aim to set a good example to the few who drop litter thoughtlessly. Thank you to the residents who help, either by helping on our planned litter picks, but also they pick up litter in their own area.

The footpath leading through from Mersea Road, past Maryland Court and Brisbane Way to Queensland Drive is untidy, litter ridden, and overgrown with brambles and weeds.

So, I have planned a work event on Sunday 21st August to cut back, clean up, and give the area a make over.

Community payback and I are working to make the area cleaner and better,

So - Its great to make a positive difference in my community.

It is a fact that our roads are not improving as far as safety goes

I know of people damaging tyres on loose Kerb Stones and pot holes. The Government cuts are biting hard on the repair regime, and now the maintenance regime is suffering as well

Recently in August I was called about a drain cover missing in Berechurch Hall Road, (Near The Solus estate entrance) I called the highways, but it was not deemed an urgent fault for immediate action

I felt that a cyclist could fall down the 2ft square man hole cover, so went to attend myself.

I saw the drain cover was in 2 halves, and actually in the bottom of the drain. so with a hastily borrowed traffic cone to protect my self, I delved into the drain, pulled out the drain cover and replaced it...  It is now on the list to be permanently repaired so there is no repeat. But at least cyclists were not at risk on that day

As County Council sent contractors to The Willows estate to resurface the footpath, it was clear to most residents the quality was not there. With tarmac over weeds, lack of jointing to residents drives, tarmac over dog mess, and tarmac covering water meters, it left a lot to be desired. I took this quality issue to County Hall at a full council and appealed for the work to be re done.

After the meeting I met with the Highway chief, but all that they would agree to is a couple of snagging jobs.

I wanted what residents wanted, which was a re work of the whole job.

I stand by the statement that ECC do not quality check enough jobs and that means public money is at risk

The community payback team managers and myself work very well together. We do hours and hours of good community work each year. It is a fact that lots of work in our area would not get done without the input of community payback teams working with me.

On 31/5/2016 I went with a team to do the gardens at Plum Hall and Nancy Smith Close. Residents were very pleased to have the gardens done and area tidied up. 

With young people working with the army to create a make over on a WW2 bunker in Mersea Road it looked like the area was improving. But - a short time ago some vandals threw blue paint all over the bunker.

The Council applied specialist paint graffiti removal liquid, but it also renmoved the mural underneath.

So - after a front page appeal in the local paper, I worked a plan out with HELP FOR HEROES team in Colchester.

Veteran soldiers, an artist and myself spend a couple of days to apply some suitable Army murals and the WW2 bunker has been improved

Essex County Council came to re surface the footpaths on our local Willows estate.

What should have been a happy event, turned quickly to disappointment when the quality of the work was clearly lacking

I have raised this a Full Council at Essex County Council, with the head of highways and quality control manager.

I have written to every resident on the Willows estate

Issues were : Weeds left under the tarmac, uneven tarmac, poor joints, rough surface, poor communication with residents

I will maintain the pressure to get corrective works done

The Blackheath area has had a bus stop outside the Orchard Baptist church for decades. It is a popular bus stop for people from Ash Grove, Gosfield Road, Chestnut Ave, Blackheath to catch a bus to the town centre.

So for decades we, the residents have had to stand in the rain, cold, and snow during winter, and hot sun in the summer, waiting for a bus. 

After Councillor Dave Harris ran a campaign for a bus shelter, he managed to get the County Council to fit a new shelter to protect bus users from the elements. The new bus shelter has been named "Baptist Church" which is brilliant.

Here Martyn Warnes and Cllr Dave Hariis celebrate the new bus stop.

After discussing with residents, the needs of our area, we as a team submitted a request for some more litter bins.

So we have successfully managed to get installed bins at : -  Lethe Grove, Queen Elizabeth Way, and The Willows.

We are now working on more on Birch Glen, and Blackheath, (By the bus stop)

So myself, Cllr Kim Naish, Cllr Chris Pearson, and Martyn Warnes are please to report back our success.

Watch this space as we make a positive difference in our area.

As County Councillor for the area, I am concerned at Essex County chiefs removing the school patrols at Monkwick ave (serving the 3 Monkwick Schools) and Mersea Road (St Georges school) .  I have raised this at County Hall, and with the portfolio holder and made it clear that our childrens safety comes first

E mail me at councillor.dave.harris@hotmail.co.uk

Hoping everyone had a great Christmas, and I wish you a happy new year 2016

If you need me - just e mail councillor.dave.harris@hotmail.co.uk or call on 07816168858

Best wishes

Cllr Dave Harris

Using locality budget from Colchester Council, I have worked with Cllrs Kim Naish, Chris Pearson and team member Martyn Warnes to provide crocus bulbs to plant in the area.

Areas include Inworth Walk,. School Road, Lethe Grove, RockHampton Walk, and Queen Mary Ave will be enhanced with some spring colour in 2016.

5 years ago, the County Council took away the Lollipop school crossing person

The Council had risk assessed and said there was no need.

I disagreed with Council in 2010, and put a petition in signed by hundreds of local people.  But still the Council refused to budge.

Now in 2015, TLA School is nearly full every year, 3 more classes have increased the numbers at Monkwick Infants and Nursery School, and the junior school is expanding numbers year in year with another 140 children expected to join the school over the next 2 / 3 years

Add that to the new estates in Berechurch (Quarters / Solus estate) and new housing in Monkwick, it is clear to me that the County Council needs to review its decision and put in a School Crossing patrol

I have applied to County and hope that with parents backing, that the power of my argument will be heard.

CHILDS SAFETY MUST COME FIRST !

As part of being a community representative, my aim is to improve our area.

Litter picks are just one way to show leadership, get others involved in setting an example, and to encourage others not to drop in the first place

Its fun, makes a difference, and gets our streets looking better.

It is also in addition to and not instead of Council litter picks

There are several estates in Berechurch Ward, and every Saturday we do Litter picks

The Children and parents who walk to school each day have had to use a footpath that was beginning to be covered with Brambles.

Today (October 4th) I spend a morning cutting back the overgrown vegetation

It is now safer for us to use

result for the area.