If you’re a resident of Laindon, you may well have had one of these leaflets from Basildon Council through your letterbox promoting a consultation on the future of the Laindon Community Centre. This is how the council introduced the idea of a consultation earlier on in March: In the news: Councillors agree consultation plan into future of Laindon Community Centre. This is a post we wrote about the council yielding to the idea of actually consulting the residents: Keep it up:) – March 11, 2021

There’s one key point that needs to be born in mind. The Laindon Community Centre morally belongs to the community that uses it. The residents and users of the centre are the ones who should have the ultimate say on its future. Their input as users of a much loved loved community facility carries way more weight than whatever Basildon Council have to say about it.

Whether this is a genuine consultation with real meaningful dialogue or yet another CONsultation where Basildon Council tries to impose their ‘vision’ of what happens to the centre remains to be seen. It’s down to the residents of Laindon to make sure this is a genuine dialogue – we’re certain they’ll rise to that challenge. We’ve had a look at the survey and it’s mainly concerned with what residents want from the centre. We’d recommend that as well as answering the questions, you write out and send in your own comments as well. Also, keep any acknowledgements of completion of the survey and receipt of your comments.

This is where to go to start filling in the consultation: www.basildon.gov.uk/lccconsultation

This is a case of winning by any means necessary. As much as we generally have a dim view of local council consultations, it’s important that as many Laindon residents as possible take part. Basically, own the process. Owning it will make it easier to hold Basildon Council to account to ensure they deliver what the community of Laindon really wants, not what they think is right. Should Basildon Council choose to ignore or over-ride the wishes of the users of the centre, then give them hell! We’ll happily facilitate this…