Petition Tag - grays
1. Starbucks to open in Grays, Essex
Starbucks in Grays would boost the town - and who doesn't love their products?
Gates of Praise International is a Christian Charity operating in Grays Thurrock for the last 10 Years. We leased an abadoned and derelict yard 4 years ago which has now been renovated. We currently use it as the Administration HQ, Storage for our relief goods and meeting hall.
We applied for a change of use and the local authority rejected the use on the excuse that we have not entered into an agreement to ameliorate the traffic challenges. This was never a discussion at anytime during the application. We were asked to provide reports e.g flood risk assessment, which we did. We have made it clear that we do not constitute to this highlighted problem as we meet outside the hours the other occupants use the estate.
We have a car park for 40 cars and most of the members to site are local. The closest block of flats to the site is about 80metres away. Beneficiaries of the site and our activities include; Little Havens, Thurrock Council Social Services, Ebenezer Homes, St Lukes Hospices, NSPCC, Terrence Higgins Trust, Cancer Research UK, Tearfund, Sightsavers, Family Mosaic, Sanctuary Supported Housing, RSVP. The council has threatened us with an enforcement action which states that we are not to use the site in any connection with a charity. There is no restrictive covenant on the site. It was left vacant for a year before we moved in.
We have made it clear that we will work with the council to remove any obstacle and contribute towards the requested traffic works e.g a pedestrian crossing which has been estimated @ £10k.
We are also prepared to work with the council to find a suitable property in Grays instead of just throwing us out which seems to be the council's intention.
We applied for a change of use and the local authority rejected the use on the excuse that we have not entered into an agreement to ameliorate the traffic challenges. This was never a discussion at anytime during the application. We were asked to provide reports e.g flood risk assessment, which we did. We have made it clear that we do not constitute to this highlighted problem as we meet outside the hours the other occupants use the estate.
We have a car park for 40 cars and most of the members to site are local. The closest block of flats to the site is about 80metres away. Beneficiaries of the site and our activities include; Little Havens, Thurrock Council Social Services, Ebenezer Homes, St Lukes Hospices, NSPCC, Terrence Higgins Trust, Cancer Research UK, Tearfund, Sightsavers, Family Mosaic, Sanctuary Supported Housing, RSVP. The council has threatened us with an enforcement action which states that we are not to use the site in any connection with a charity. There is no restrictive covenant on the site. It was left vacant for a year before we moved in.
We have made it clear that we will work with the council to remove any obstacle and contribute towards the requested traffic works e.g a pedestrian crossing which has been estimated @ £10k.
We are also prepared to work with the council to find a suitable property in Grays instead of just throwing us out which seems to be the council's intention.
3. Halt the Redundancies of Staff at Gray’s
We the students of Gray’s School of Art were concerned to hear of proposed staff redundancies at our Art School.
Staff at Grays School of Art were called to a meeting with Prof. John Watson, the Dean of Design & Technology on Wednesday 6 October 2010 and told that the Art School had a budget deficit and needed to make savings of £500,000 and these savings would be met through staff redundancies. They were told they would all receive the option of voluntary redundancy.
We are concerned that other options for saving money and funding the Art School have not been fully explored. Redundancy on such a wide scale will severely damage the quality of teaching that the school has always managed to provide.
Staff at Grays School of Art were called to a meeting with Prof. John Watson, the Dean of Design & Technology on Wednesday 6 October 2010 and told that the Art School had a budget deficit and needed to make savings of £500,000 and these savings would be met through staff redundancies. They were told they would all receive the option of voluntary redundancy.
We are concerned that other options for saving money and funding the Art School have not been fully explored. Redundancy on such a wide scale will severely damage the quality of teaching that the school has always managed to provide.
4. Relocation of Grays Athletic Football Club
Grays Athletic Football Club have been looking to relocate from their current ground, The New Recreation Ground, to a new location which would provide better corporate and community facilities as we have out grown our current home.
The Football Club are a Blue Square Premier club and are the most senior club in the borough of Thurrock.
The Football Club are a Blue Square Premier club and are the most senior club in the borough of Thurrock.