This month was our meeting of Annual Council, when we appoint a Mayor for the coming year, Leader of the Council and Deputy Leaders.
Welcome to our new Mayor, Councillor Jay Laplain and Deputy Leaders Councillor Gareth Barrett and Councillor Vicky Davies.
Annual Council is a checkpoint for us, an opportunity to look back at the progress made on projects we’ve started and invested in, with the aim of delivering the best services for Brentwood residents and businesses.
Although there is always more to be done, I wanted to share some key highlights from the last year and what is coming up over the coming months.
Over the last 12 months:
- Following an extensive inspection in March, the Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) awarded Brentwood Council a C2 status. The RSH sets the standards which social landlords, including local authorities, must deliver to ensure tenants experience high quality homes and services. A C2 rating is the second highest rating available.
- We have successfully set a balanced budget for the second consecutive year.
- We are continuing our house-building regeneration programme, which will deliver sustainable, affordable housing on brownfield sites.
- We acknowledged the desire for our streets to be clean and tidy, and have agreed to allocate additional resources aimed at achieving that goal.
In addition to these, we have taken meaningful steps to address climate change within our remit:
- Our entire refuse collection fleet now runs on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), eliminating harmful diesel emissions and ensuring cleaner air for pedestrians and residents alike.
- Public EV chargers have been installed in King George’s and Chatham Way car parks, with further locations under consideration.
- A solar panel installation programme has been approved and funded for the Brentwood Centre, with further assessments underway for other council-owned assets that will benefit from this form of energy.
We have also made strategic decisions with the aim of enhancing our borough:
- Plans are in motion to revitalise our High Street, including the Baytree Centre, to benefit residents, visitors, businesses, and customers.
- Our enforcement team has been reviewed and strengthened, and we now actively collaborate with the Police to tackle organised fly-tipping by organised crime gangs. We hope this partnership will significantly reduce incidents in the coming year.
- Our Community Safety Partnership has been refreshed, and we are working with Brentwood Connected, Essex Police, our enforcement team and partner agencies, including the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, to address antisocial behaviour in the borough and deter shoplifting.
Finally, over the coming year, we find ourselves navigating a period of uncertainty regarding the future of local government in Essex, particularly here in Brentwood, our home and our Council with Local Government Reorganisation on the agenda. But I want to reassure you that we are working to get the best outcome for Brentwood residents. I understand that Local Government Reorganisation is not easily explained. We have a dedicated area on our website, where you can read more about Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution.
Councillor Barry Aspinell
Leader of Brentwood Borough Council