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Civic Awards For Bexley’s Heroes
Some of Bexley’s unsung heroes were honoured on 28 February when the borough’s Civic Recognition awards was presented by the Mayor, Cllr Brian Beckwith.
This year the top award, for outstanding achievement, was be presented posthumously.
Noel Horrobin, a Sidcup teacher and an England rugby selector, who was instrumental in Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School achieving sports college status in 2005, died in November last year from an inoperable brain tumour. He was only 58 and had gone from a strapping 6ft 2in, 17 stone to half his bodyweight in only four months.
The nomination that won the award -- which was written and submitted before his tragic death - states in part: “The time and effort that Mr Horrobin has given to school rugby is truly above and beyond the call of duty and the debt owed for the time and knowledge so selflessly given to so many is immeasurable.”
Noel completed 30 years at the school in July 2006 and had intended to retire in two years time. Last summer he was diagnosed with the incurable disease
Outside school rugby he worked tirelessly with county squads on the coaching and administrative sides. He was chairman of Kent under-16 group selectors, chairman of the London and SE group selectors as well as an England selector.
His award will be presented to his wife, Lynne, at the special ceremony in the Council Chamber.
For the third successive year there were no nominations for awards in the young people’s category.
Cllr Beckwith commented later: “This is very sad for a scheme which was originally set up in the 1980s to honour exceptional young people and only later extended to recognise adult endeavour. It is ironic that seven of this year’s 16 original nominations from whom the winners were chosen are involved with schools or youth organisations.”
The awards in the adult category this year went to:
Bobbie Pettman of Sidcup for 25 years work helping day patients at Queen Mary’s Hospital, offering tea and sympathy.
Val Collins of Sidcup who has been a volunteer at Marlborough Special School for 24 years assisting with horse riding, swimming and literacy and numeracy groups.
Don Beven of Welling, who is Chairman of the East Wickham and Welling District Scout Council, for 60 years dedicated service to Scouting.
Philip Hinton of Welling who is Secretary of Arthritis Care Bexley and who for more than 20 years has arranged holidays, trips and outings for sufferers.
Dulcie Austin-Smith of Sidcup who has been a Guide Commissioner for Sidcup for over 14 years, and has been involved with organising Guiding events for 20 years.
Brenda Clayton of Welling, who during her 30 years of voluntary work in Bexley has been a member, a trustee and, since 1999, Chairman of the Bexley Voluntary Service Committee. In 1984 she was instrumental in setting up the charity Mind in Bexley.
Opposition To Tolls On The Blackwall Tunnel
The Leader of Bexley Council, Cllr Ian Clement, has written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly, urging her to reconvene the inquiry into the Thames Gateway Bridge in light of reports of a new toll charge for the Blackwall Tunnel.
“We are fundamentally opposed to the imposition of tolls on the Blackwall Tunnel, which would change all of the traffic forecasts, the economic appraisal, the environmental assessment and the business case for the bridge,” explains Cllr Clement. “This information, together with the proposals to increase the tolls at Dartford crossing, must be taken into account if the inquiry is to get a true picture of how Bexley residents will be affected.”
“Transport for London (TfL) made it clear at the Public Inquiry that it had not taken any account of a toll at the Blackwall Tunnel. The effect of a toll on the Tunnel must be reassessed before any decision is taken on the Thames Gateway Bridge scheme.”
“Introducing tolls at the Blackwall Tunnel would change traffic movements throughout East London and increase the traffic using the Thames Gateway Bridge and the extent of its catchment area. These would have a devastating effect on Bexley and fundamentally change the nature and function of the Thames Gateway Bridge from a local to a strategic bridge. It is even more essential now that the Inquiry is reconvened and this new evidence properly evaluated.”
The differential tolls proposed for the Thames Gateway Bridge were the most significant of the mechanisms put forward at the original inquiry to control traffic using the bridge. A discount was proposed for local residents, along with a relatively high toll designed to limit the volume of non-local traffic. The effectiveness of this regime would be diminished by a toll at the Blackwall Tunnel.
The future of Thamesmead Law Centre
Thamesmead’s MP, John Austin, is worried about the future of the Thamesmead Law Centre and has made an appeal to Greenwich and Bexley Council’s as well as to Gallions Housing Association to urgently find a solution to their accommodation problems.
The Law Centre, which is located in offices belonging to Gallions Housing Association has received a notice to quit from Gallions. John Austin said:, “Gallions claim that the offices do not meet health and safety requirements.
The Law Centre disputes this, and one would expect the Law Centre to know what they are talking about on such an issue. But in any event, there is still a problem as Gallions wish to redevelop the whole site.
“The Law Centre provides an invaluable service to my constituents and we cannot afford to lose it. That is why I have appealed to both Greenwich and Bexley Councils and to Gallions to urgently find a solution to their accommodation needs. If they were forced to close, the local people, and in particular the most vulnerable, would suffer and this cannot be allowed to happen.”
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