Traveller occupation of Rushley Park

At Rushley Park, Basildon, after recent events

Recently we saw the third occupation of Rushley Park by travellers. This incursion has again caused much distress to local residents with reports of intimidation, fires being lit on both park furniture and in the trees, fly tipping on an industrial scale, and a general disregard for acceptable behaviour.

These events have again rightly resulted in a call for more action to be taken to ensure that everyone, regardless of social status, is treated equally under the law. Trespass, malicious damage, fly tipping, and intimidation of others are all criminal acts and anyone breaking these laws should be treated in exactly the same way.

Local residents are rightly concerned about the impact of the occupation on the local park, a much loved public place. It is also the third time in nine months that the local community has been affected by such an incursion.

I am grateful to the Police and the local Council for the actions they have taken to clear the site, but I am calling on all authorities - locally and nationally - to do more. I have therefore written to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government asking what more we can do collectively to ensure the protection of our public spaces and how we can prevent such trespass in the future.

Likewise I am opening discussions with Basildon Borough Council, Thurrock Council, and Essex County Council to explore putting in place a borough-wide Section 61 order similar to that imposed by Harlow Council. This could help to protect the environment and residents from the constant abuses both during and after such incursions.

Visiting St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

I was glad to visit our local St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, which was recently given a Good rating by Ofsted after previously being placed in special measures.

It is testament to the hard work of all the staff at the school that this turn around has happened.

On the day I visited, the school was coming to the end of its "History Week" and both pupils and teachers had dressed up in an attempt to bring history to life.

It was fantastic to see how well the school is doing and I look forward to visiting again in future.

Questioning the Housing Minister about Dunton Garden Village plans

Following the announcement earlier this month of plans to develop a new garden village in Dunton Hills, I raised my concerns to the Housing Minister that he was not doing enough to consult neighbouring councils.

It is important that the Housing Minister consults more local councils on schemes like the Dunton Garden Village, as although the proposed garden village is formally attached to Brentwood Borough Council, it might actually have a greater effect on the Basildon and Thurrock area.

As the plans currently stand, the development would be built right next to Basildon and West Horndon. Many local residents are rightly concerned about new developments on green belt land and their voices should be heard in the ongoing process.

Through my Parliamentary question I suggested the Minister contact Basildon and Thurrock councils as a matter of urgency to gain their views on the new garden village.

I was pleased that he said he would make more information available and he confirmed that the plans have not yet been finalised.

You can watch a recording of my exchange with the Housing Minister here.

Visiting Lee Chapel Primary School

I was pleased to visit high-flying Lee Chapel Primary School after the recent news that it is one of the top one hundred primary schools in the country.

The league tables published by the Sunday Times ranked Lee Chapel Primary School at 73rd out of nearly 17,000 state-funded primary schools across the country and the highest in Essex. The Basildon school has also been ranked as "outstanding" by Ofsted since 2007.

It was good to see first-hand all of the hard work going into improving the school and maintaining a high level of education for pupils.

I heard about the way that new classrooms are providing better spaces for teaching, and how the development of a new swimming pool will give children the opportunity to learn to swim and take part in sport, which does so much for their health and wellbeing at their early age.

I especially wanted to congratulate Head Teacher Sue Jackson and all at the school on the fantastic achievement of being ranked as one of the best schools in the country. It is a really proud moment and I am sure that everyone will want to build on this success in the future.

Strictly St Luke's: Fundraising for our local Basildon hospice

I'm pleased to be taking part in a charity dance competition for our local St Luke's Hospice in Basildon.

Seriously ill patients and their families should have access to the highest quality palliative support and end-of-life care which is provided so ably by the brilliant staff and volunteers at St Luke's.

It's an honour to be raising money for this worthy cause and I look forward to learning from my dance partner Joanna Ridley in the months ahead.

Find out more about St Luke's Hospice via its website: http://stlukeshospice.com/

Creative Careers Event for pupils at Woodlands School

It was great to visit Woodlands School as part of a Creative Careers Event run for their pupils.

With pupils from Woodlands School making a paper man!

The event was organised by the Foundation for Essex Arts and saw staff from the University of the Arts London help school children develop a better idea as to what it means to study and work in the creative industries.

I was very impressed by the way that pupils were engaged by the event and also by the educators who showed so much passion for their subject.

Celebrating 12 years of Parkrun

I was recently pleased to visit Basildon Parkrun as part of the global Parkrun movement's 12th anniversary.

Speaking to Parkrunners in Basildon

During the last 12 years the Parkrun movement has grown from strength to strength and Basildon Parkrun is one of more than 900 Parkruns that take place every weekend around the world.

Every Parkrun is coordinated entirely by volunteers from the local community and open to anyone who wants to take part. They are free, weekly, timed events, consisting of a 5km course for adults and 2km for juniors, and they are accessible to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.


Parkrun's mission is to encourage more people to take part in regular physical activity and volunteering, and to make the world a happier and healthier place.


Basildon Parkrun started nearly three years ago and is now attracting over 100 runners per week.


Its attraction is clear for all to see, which is why Basildon has registered runners starting from age four going up to 80 years young - encouraging all abilities, from walking to running.


It is a great way to get healthy and make new friends and it is also fantastic to see our public spaces used in such a positive way.


Everyone involved in making Basildon Parkrun happen deserves a big thank you, from the volunteers to the participants and of course the team at the Parkrun movement HQ who help to support our local groups.

Visit to record-breaking Woodlands School

With Woodlands School pupils

It was great to visit Woodlands School in Basildon and see first-hand how the school is developing.

I was pleased to find that Woodlands is going from strength-to-strength under the leadership of its Headteacher, Mr Simon Cox, and that it has seen a fantastic turn-around.

The school achieved record exam results in 2016, with 5 A*- C GCSE including English and Maths at 58%, representing a 10% increase on results from the year before.

The teachers and students that I met on my visit were all very impressive and I look forward to hearing more about the school's progress in the future.

A great community day for Basildon

It was great to go to the Love Your Borough event that took place in Basildon at the weekend. The event, organised by Basildon Council, celebrated the local community and brought together people from across our area, with activities that ranged from Brazilian capoeira to a spin bike challenge.


There was such a positive atmosphere throughout the day and it showed how much we have to be proud of in our local area.

In Basildon with Cllr Kevin Blake, Deputy Leader of Basildon Council
local resident Jeff Henry and Chairman of Basildon Rotary Club Danny Lovey

Catching up with Basildon Street Pastors at the Love Your Borough event

Later in the day I attended a civic reception for double Olympic champion Max Whitlock and the South Essex Gymnastics Club where he trains. It was fantastic to welcome Max back to Basildon after his amazing Olympic Games in Rio this summer.


We knew that we had an extraordinary gymnast in Max and it was brilliant to see him show that to a global audience through his historic double gymnastics gold for Team GB.


The whole team at South Essex Gymnastics Club deserve the highest praise, including Max's coach Scott Hann and the gym's leader Roy Short.

Max Whitlock speaking at the civic reception in Basildon

EU referendum discussion at Northlands Primary School

I recently visited Northlands Primary School in Basildon where I was invited to listen to pupils' views on the EU referendum and take part in their big discussion.

The pupils prepared a range of written work containing their views which they presented to me and I helped answer any questions they had.

It was a fantastic visit and I enjoyed the chance to discuss such a topical issue with the pupils. They asked very thoughtful questions on what the European Union means in relation to our country and I was impressed by the level of understanding they showed.

The result of the EU referendum will affect everyone across the country, both young and old. It is a truly once in a generation choice whether to remain in the EU or to leave and it is crucial that everyone examines the issues on both sides of the debate and ultimately votes in this vital referendum.

Stephen Metcalfe MP meets Basildon taxi drivers to discuss future of Trafford Bowl

Stephen Metcalfe, Member of Parliament for South Basildon & East Thurrock, has met with members of the Basildon Taxi Drivers' Association to discuss the future of the town's "Trafford Bowl" car park.

Stephen Metcalfe MP (left) with Ralph Morgan (centre)
and Mark Waller from Basildon Taxi Drivers' Association.

The car park was threatened with closure following the discovery that South Essex Parking Partnership had been charging people to park there without permission. It has now been temporarily re-opened while its future is discussed by owners the Homes and Communities Agency.

Mr Metcalfe said: "It was good to meet with local taxi drivers and listen to their concerns about the future of the Trafford Bowl car park.

"The bowl is an important site for commuters accessing Basildon and our train station. It is clear that they could lose out if nothing is done to protect the facility of a designated taxi rank.

"I have written to the Homes and Communities Agency to make sure that these concerns are heard and that commuters are kept in mind throughout the decision-making process."

Stephen Metcalfe MP visits The Business Association

Stephen Metcalfe, Member of Parliament for South Basildon & East Thurrock, has met with members of The Business Association of Basildon and District to listen to the concerns of local businesses and discuss how they can be further supported.

Stephen Metcalfe MP (right) with TBA chairman
Alan Osborn (centre) and Caroline Gerrard
from Essex-based charity Peaceful Place. (Credit: TBA)

The Business Association, chaired by Alan Osborn, welcomes all types of business from the self-employed to the largest employers and includes members from a wide range of sectors including accountancy, web design, and security.

The lunch meeting took place at Club Kingswood in Basildon and a variety of issues were discussed including current Government policy and the forthcoming EU referendum.

Mr Metcalfe said: "I enjoyed the chance to visit The Business Association and talk to its members, whose businesses form the backbone of our local Basildon economy.

"The recent tax reforms introduced by the Conservative government will help Basildon's businesses to grow. The government must continue to ensure that local businesses receive the necessary support to thrive and create more jobs."

He added: "It is also clear that the EU referendum is a hot topic of conversation for businesspeople in the local area.

"This will be the biggest decision for business in a generation and I believe that although there might be some short-term risks in leaving the EU, businesses like those represented by The Business Association could see long-term benefits, and I was pleased to see that the majority present seemed to agree.

"Ultimately however it is for the British public to carefully consider the arguments on both sides and make a final decision on 23 June and vote in the interests of themselves, their family, our country and of course, in this case, their business."

Stephen Metcalfe MP opens new site for dBD Communications

Stephen Metcalfe, Member of Parliament for South Basildon & East Thurrock, opened local business dBD Communications' third site in Basildon.

dBD Communications is a fast-growing company, specialising in Audio Communications with RF and Microwave solutions.

dBD works with large organisations such as Network Rail by developing safety communications systems, and has experienced continued growth since it was created in 2002, now employing over 40 people locally.

Mr Metcalfe said: "It was great to be invited to share in the continued success of dBD Communications and to help open their new facility.

"Businesses like dBD are the backbone of our local and national economy, and are driving us forward by creating jobs and apprenticeships."

He added: "It is crucial for government to provide a stable environment for business growth and investment, and I was pleased to see tax reduction measures in the recent Budget that will make a difference to local companies like dBD."

Charity calls to end the cruel tethering of horses

Stephen Metcalfe, Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock, visited The Essex Horse and Pony Sanctuary recently to learn about the campaign to stamp out the cruel practice of long-term tethering inflicted on tens of thousands of horses across the UK.

Tethering is where a horse is tied to a rope and can only circle a small section of land. The Sanctuary Manager Sue Allery, explained that this practice, while considered acceptable for short periods, is ill-advised for long periods.

The practice was most widespread  when horses used to be working animals and were tethered overnight following a hard day’s work. This was fine as they got plenty of exercise and movement during the day. Now that they are predominantly keep in one place and don’t work, horses can be left tethered for extended periods of time. The main problems associated with this practice are:

·         It has been known for horses to out-grow their restraints with them becoming lodged within the animal.

·         It prevents mothers from looking after their newly born fouls.

·         The horses can get harassed by dogs, or children unaware of their plight.

·         Lack of exercise

·         Inadequate access to food and water

·         Unnatural existence as they are grazing and horde animals

Speaking after the visit, Stephen said “While we are all aware that the mistreatment of animals does happen, I was unaware of the extent to which horses were exposed to such cruel conditions. Owners have a duty of care for their animals and are also required to get an annual Horse Passport, where a vet checks that the animal is well treated and in good condition, if they fail to provide one, then they face up to 2 years in prison and a £10,000 fine. Yet it seems this is not enforced, I will be writing to Essex Trading Standards to find out why. I will also speak to my colleagues at Parliament to see if any further legislation is required to address this grave-issue”