On Monday 19th June the new Hamlet Court Conservation Forum was formally introduced to the Council at what is known as the Conservation Working Party (CWP). This is a group of local Councillors, Council Officers and representatives of local amenity groups that meet at the Council offices to discuss urban conservation issues in Southend-on-Sea. Under the new chairmanship of Councillor Mark Flewitt CWP meetings are re-scheduled to occur on a quarterly basis and this regular contact should enable local conservation to make good progress – there is quite a bit to do! On the table right now are issues of improving the identification and record of, and planning responses to, locally listed buildings. These are the buildings that have local historical significance but are not nationally Listed. This will effect Hamlet Court Road and could help future protection. Together with the very active Milton Conservation Society, we will do all we can to contribute to these meetings but the Forum, as a completely new organisation, has yet to be formally accepted onto the Working Party. Watch this space for further updates…