News in Basildon

A COMMUNITY centre that has been the focus of controversy and became something of a ping-pong match between political factions is now back in the hands of a local Basildon community.

Over the past year Basildon Nub News has covered the arguments surrounding the Laindon Community Centre, which was closed to the public when the local group that ran it handed back the keys to Basildon Council.

A CASH injection of £850,000 will be a boost for arts and culture in Basildon over the next three years.

The grant has been awarded to the Creative BasildON creative people and places programme as part of the Arts Council England's Creative People and Places National Portfolio 2022-25 programme.

A CARE home where people were at risk of choking because of a lack of staff guidance has been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The commission found staff had not been given enough guidance to reduce the risks to residents at The Grange in Wickford in an inspection between August 24 and 25 this year.

CAR parking which is currently free at a number of rural recreational areas on the outskirts of Basildon could soon host pay meters as Thurrock council, which runs them, is considering bringing in charges.

Six car parks at Langdon Hills Country Park are also included in the council's plans. These are in High Road, Old Church Hill, Westley Heights, Beacon Field Car Park, Dry Street and One Tree Hill upper and lower car parks.

A SOUTH Essex College student has won a Jack Petchey award for commitment to his community throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Elliot Lind, a supported internship student, won a Jack Petchey Award for his outstanding contribution to his local foodbank.

ALMOST 13,000 trees are set to be planted across Basildon as part of a three-week project spanning three sites.

It is the largest number of trees to be planted across the borough this century and involves hundreds of volunteers from the community, local businesses and council staff.

FIGURES from October highlight a growing crisis in the NHS as a record number of people spent more than half a day in Essex A&Es waiting for a ward bed to free up last month.

Across Essex, 68,518 people visited A&Es in the area in October – the highest monthly total since monthly records began in June 2015.

THE recently formed Mid and South Essex NHS Trust that was created to improve health care in the region has failed its first significant test – and been rated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)as 'requires improvement'.

However, the care provided by the Trust through its hospitals, which includes Basildon Hospital, has been rated as 'good.'

THE Mayor of Basildon Cllr David Dadds has officially awarded Freedom of Entry to the Borough to local healthcare services that serve the borough at a special evening in their honour.

Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour awarded in exceptional circumstances, where the recipient is an individual or organisation of distinction that has provided outstanding services which have brought significant pride and satisfaction to the borough.

RESIDENTS have been given their first glimpse at the interior of a new 10-screen cinema in East Square, Basildon, as the site was formally handed over from construction contractor McLaren to Empire Cinemas.

Councillors and senior officers of Basildon Council joined representatives from the two organisations to oversee the handover as work begins on the interior design ahead of Spring 2022 opening.