UK Border Agency officials, along with a team from Essex Police and Southend Council, entered the property at 494a London Road in Westcliff on Thursday afternoon (7 Oct).

One foreign national was arrested on suspicion of managing a brothel and another was detained for immigration offences.

Andy Harvey, immigration crime team, UK Border Agency told longpier.com:

“We recognise the negative impact establishments like this have on the local community and are committed to using all available powers to shut them down.

‘The action we have taken was as a direct result of local concerns. I am pleased that with today’s result, we have been able to give those people a lasting solution to the problem.”

Sheng Li Liu, a 48-year-old Chinese man, of London Road, Westcliff, appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court today charged with management of a brothel. He has been remanded in custody until 12 October for a committal hearing at the same court.

A 39-year-old woman from China, who immigration checks revealed had entered the UK illegally, is being dealt with by UK border chiefs.

The Stobart Group, which owns London Southend Airport has signed a deal to save low-cost Irish airline Aer Arann.  The company was put into administration earlier this year, but is expected to come out of it thanks – in part – to the Stobart investment – worth £2.2m over five years.

Andrew Tinkler, the chief executive of Stobart Group, said the agreement would guarantee business and volume for Southend Airport and allow the group to press on with its development plans.

Passenger flights could start as early as next March – destinations have not yet been announced, but Aer Arran will definitely fly to a number of Irish cities, including Galway.

The tie-up would also “further develop the Stobart business and brand in Ireland” and would provide “future opportunities for the growing demand for airfreight from customers.”

London Southend Airport Managing Director Alastair Welch told longpier.com:

“Stobart Group has agreed terms for a five year operating agreement with Aer Arann to use London Southend Airport for flights starting March 2011, with volumes expected to grow to 300,000 passengers annually.

“As part of the overall investment agreement with others, Stobart
Group will invest €2.5 million to incentivise and market Aer Arann’s operation from London Southend Airport. The offer remains conditional on certain terms being satisfied, including Aer Arann successfully exiting Examinership. The company and their Examiner will be working to eliminate these conditions and it is hoped that the company could exit Examinership before the end of the month.

“This marks the first of what I believe will be a number of airline announcements over the coming year as we continue to develop the airport for the future. Aer Arann have a fleet of ATR aircraft which work fine on our current runway distances for flights of up to around 90 minutes.

“Much of our work to date has focused on the major capital developments – rail station, new control tower, new passenger terminal and the runway extension. With this announcement we see the start of the roll out of the next phase of our development – that is the ramp up of our passenger and aircraft handling capability.”

But Denis Walker from the main campaign group against expansion of Southend Airport SAEN (Stop Airport Extension Now) has told longpier.com:

“This contract represents Stobart’s Plan B as pending legal action makes their runway extension less likely. It’s apparent that, being in administration, Aer Arann are in a very weak position, while Stobart are desperate for an airline to use their airport.

Southend Airport hasn’t seen 300,000 passengers a year since its heyday in the 1960s before Stansted was fully operational. Given the limitation of a 90 minute flight radius imposed by the current runway length, nearly all the destinations potentially served by the airport could be reached conveniently by Eurostar and SailRail without disrupting the sleep, work and education of the people of Leigh. ”

Construction projects required to make London Southend Airport a fully-functioning regional airport by 2012 are all on target to meet their completion dates. The new London Southend Airport Railway station
will be completed later this summer and the new Control Tower will be fully operational from February 2011.

Road works required to enable the diversion of Eastwoodbury Lane will begin in autumn, and plans for the new terminal building are also beginning to take shape. Planning permission for a 126-bedroom hotel on land adjacent to the Harp House Roundabout has been granted permission by Southend Council.

London Southend Airport is predicting passenger growth to 2 million passengers per year by 2020. By extending the runway, the airport will be able to attract airlines operating commercial passenger services to a wide range of business and holiday destinations that cannot currently be served by the airport.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?  GOOD OR BAD FOR THE AREA?  LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW…

Saxon King in Priory Park (SKIPP) say the trees – along Eastern Avenue – were “apparently healthy” and have slammed Southend Council, calling the action “arboreal genocide”.

But council officials have said the beech trees were “dying” and needed to be removed “due to decay”.

In a passionate statement back in SKIPP accused the council of a “heinous act” when it authorised the chopping down of the last remaining tree at Victoria Circus and were critical again over the felling of a tree in Westcliff.  On each occasion the council said the trees in question were diseased.

Reacting to this latest news, SKIPP told longpier.com

“In yet another blatant act of mindless destruction and betrayal of the people, Southend Borough Council has felled three apparently healthy mature trees on Eastern Avenue.

The three trees which graced the road next to the Victory Sports ground show no sign of disease, and there is no apparent evidence of damage to either the road or pavement caused by the trees.

True to form, it would appear that once again our shamefaced Council has killed these trees without any justification or consultation with the public. A SKIPP supporter, living just a few yards from the first tree, has confirmed that no prior notification of this eco vandalism was given.

SKIPP is preparing an official complaint, demanding an explanation of this latest outrageous act of Council destruction.”

But Southend Council’s Park management Officer Ian Brown has hit back, telling longpier.com:

“The trees we removed had been monitored since 2007 because their crowns were dying back. When the trees were examined recently it was found that 40 per cent of their crowns were dead and 20 per cent of the remaining crowns were diseased.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW

The ten part series – which started on Sunday night – has divided opinion so far.  Many people say it’s a true representation of the county, but others have slammed the series saying it’s reinforced negative stereotypes of our county.

Incidentally none of the people featured in the show are from Southend or surrounding areas.  Leave your comment below and join the debate…

Here is ITV2′s official press blurb…

——-

“Welcome to the glamorous world of Essex, a brand new ten-part series, where viewers get a chance to delve into the real lives of some of the most gorgeous people around, in a truly innovative living soap.  The characters who feature in this show are real people living their real lives. Viewers will see the tears, the tantrums and the triumphs just like a real soap opera.

This is the place where nail bars, nightclubs and tanning salons are a big part of everybody’s lives.  It’s all about expensive watches, designer clothing and champagne cocktails. The series is filmed just a few days before transmission, so our cast will be watching the show as we shoot it.

They’ll find out exactly what other characters in the show are saying about them as well as discovering secrets that will affect their lives. Each episode will contain the fallout from the previous episode and if you want to know more, events will also unfold online every day.

There’s Mark, a self confessed Mr Essex, club promoter and a serial womaniser.  He’s fit, he’s gorgeous but it’s complicated.  Will he ever get back with his on off girlfriend Lauren, who he says he says really loves, or will he continue to play the field?

Then there’s Amy, a Jordan lookalike.  She’s looking for Mr Right but can she realise her dream of being the next Jordan and winning a lucrative modelling contract for classy underwear?

Kirk’s a sexy young successful club owner. He really likes Amy but how can he win her heart?

Jessica is feisty and bright.  She’s in a girl band who dreams of getting to the top, but will she be the next Cheryl Cole?  Watch their story unfold over the next few weeks.

Candy and Michael work behind the bar of Kirk’s club Sugar Hut.  They’re great for a gossip. What secrets will they reveal and who will they name and shame over the next few weeks.

They’re loud, they’re proud and they’re Essex.  Meet them all and more in ITV 2′s brand new living soap.  It’s not soap imitating life, this time, it’s life imitating soap.”

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SO OVER TO YOU – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SUNDAY’s PROGRAMME – TRUE REPRESENTATION OR REINFORCEMENT OF NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES – ADD YOUR COMMENT BELOW….

Pictures courtesy: ITV

This week, we take a look at what Southend can offer the world’s best sporting teams when they descend on the UK for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Under the banner ‘your service, your say’, the consultation means that patients and members of the public as well as staff and stakeholders, can all influence how the NHS Foundation Trust will be set up. The public consultation was launched this week (Oct 4) and will continue until the end of the year.

And, if the application is successful, those who become members of the Trust will have a direct input in how services are developed and improved even further.

Hayden Newton, chief executive of EEAST, said:

“Becoming an NHS Foundation Trust will allow for closer links with those who are most important to us – our patients, staff, volunteers and the communities we serve. And you can have a greater influence on the delivery and improvement of services in your area by becoming a member.”

As part of its plans for the future EEAST wants to look at ways of developing more tailor-made services for the benefit of its patients.

Hayden continued: “We believe that the current one size fits all approach is not always the most appropriate for our patients. It needs to change so that the individual needs of patients can be met more effectively.

“As a foundation trust we will have greater freedom and scope to look for better ways of meeting our own patients’ particular needs and priorities – but we will still be closely inspected and regulated to make sure we achieve all NHS standards.”

EEAST will be consulting with patients, staff, volunteers, partners and members of the public until 31st December 2010 about its plans and ideas for becoming an NHS Foundation Trust.

Events are being arranged across the east of England during the consultation period where you can speak to staff in person about the proposals. These will be advertised locally and details can also be found online at www.foundationtrust.eastamb.nhs.uk.

A full consultation document and summary leaflet is also available on this website and you can also give feedback and become a member online. Alternatively you can call 0800 028 3021 or email ft@eastamb.nhs.uk for information.

The ‘Building Better Business’ and ‘Accredited Property Agents’ certificates from business training providers The Business Ladder indicate superb competencies across issues such as commercial awareness, marketing and efficiency.

Rory James MacLaren-Jackson, CEO of The Business Ladder, commented,

“Blackshaw Homes are an exciting agency business and Director Perry Blackshaw has a very positive approach combining the professional property marketing of a corporate estate agency with the client care of an independent. In particular, we identified a strong commitment to personalised service and staff development.”

Fabio Del Piero, Chairman of The Business Ladder, who also attended the presentation added:

“We see in Blackshaw Homes exactly the qualities of professionalism and commercial awareness that are more important than ever in business, in the current economic climate. Well done to Blackshaw!”

Blackshaw Homes provide estate agency sales, lettings and property management service in the Southend-on-Sea area and surrounding areas.

Call Perry on 01702 462455 or visit www.blackshawhomes.co.uk

Ron Woodley, chairman of BERA, told longpier.com:

“Seeing police officers on bikes has made such a difference to our community. We often see them cycling around the area. The residents feel safer because the bikes allow the officers to be more visible and get to incidents quicker. It is having a really positive effect on the community.”

PCSO Tristan Adams, PCSO for Thorpe Ward, said:

“We are very pleased with the brand new specialist police bike donated to us by the residents association. It allows us to be more visible, cover more of the community and get to incidents a lot quicker than on foot.

“The public like to see us and often come and chat. On a personal note it also helps with our general fitness and is something we really enjoy. We are out on the bikes every day.

“I would like to say a big thank you to BERA for supplying us with the bikes, they have made our job a lot easier.”

By Ian Sanders, Author & Longpier.com columnist

Longpier has previously reported how Southend has benefitted from ‘the Metal factor’, a result of the arrival of the arts organisation – Metal – that moved into Chalkwell Park three years ago. Most readers will be familiar with ‘Village Green’ the annual music and arts festival that Metal produced last month. You may be less familiar with some of their other activities, The Pecha Kucha nights, their involvement in the TAP arts centre and their support for other local cultural initiatives.

When the Digital Exploration Centre (DEC) were looking for a home in the Thames Gateway, they were attracted by what Metal were doing locally so decided on Southend as their base. The Digital Exploration Centre (DEC) is
a ‘network of innovators using digital technology, formed to be a catalyst for cross-disciplinary work, the sharing of ideas and a public programme of exhibitions, events and debate’. Metal have been incubating the DEC and last week saw the launch of Small World Fair, an exhibition of ideas, artworks, curiosities and questions around how the world is shaped by technology.

The launch event in Chalkwell Park saw Derek Jarvis Southend’s councillor for culture, talk about the importance of the town’s digital economy, in encouraging entrepreneurship out of digital culture. Derek Jarvis was joined by Gerfried Stocker, artistic director of Ars Electronica who delivered a keynote address. Below is 90 second video clip from Gerfried Stocker on the theme of ‘digital exploration’.

There’s a series of debates in the coming weeks (visit the website for more
details).

Ian Sanders helps businesses stand out from the crowd to stay competitive and effective. He revels in soaking up and spreading new ideas, applying disruptive thinking to business and the workplace. He’s author of ‘Leap! Ditch Your Job, Start Your Own Business & Set Yourself Free’, ‘Juggle! Rethink Work, Reclaim Your Life’ and a free e-book ‘How To Unplan Your Business’.

Longpier.com

As you may be aware, the site is run by a very small team who each have their own full time jobs.  Longpier.com is primarily a community based website, giving readers breaking news, sport and features from Southend and surrounding areas.

But – simply put – it’s just too much work for such a small team.

That’s why we’re asking if YOU would be interested in contributing to the site.  Perhaps you’ve always wanted to write for a publication but never really knew a way “in”.  Perhaps you’d like to try your sales skills to encourage more and more local businesses to sponsor the site.  Maybe you’re a business and are interested about a potential tie up. 

The great thing is – you don’t need any previous experience.  We’re looking to share the website with as many residents of the Southend borough as possible.  If you have an interesting idea and like the thought of working on this truly collaborative project then please contact James at   longpier@gmail.com

We’d really love to grow the site – and now need your help to achieve this.  Thanks.