Sustainable Community: A community which uses its resources to meet current needs while ensuring that adequate resources are available for future generations. Such a community seeks improved public health and better quality of life for all its residents by limiting waste, preventing pollution, maximizing conservation and promoting efficiency, and developing local resources to enhance the local economy'.

- http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/fgils/agencies/sust/gloss.html

I live in a small town in Essex called Billericay. When looking at how closely my home area fits in with the definition of Sustainable community and the extent this definition is put into action, it is important to take into account that Billericay comes under the area of Basildon District Council who are responsible for local services.

First of all, Billericay is home to its very own Nature reserve, Norsey Woods. Norsey Woods is a mixed coppice woodland covering an area of 65ha and is managed by 3 groups; Voluntary, Weekly and survey group. Coppicing of the woodland has been carried out for 1000's of years and is considered as a sustainable woodland management technique. Closely linked in with Norsey woods is a Country Park in Basildon known as Wat Tyler. The Wat Tyler Project is a project that has been put on to improve the Sustainability of the park, in doing this it means the park can be a place where people and families can relax, play and learn. habitat management has been enhanced so that a greater biodiversity can be created 'The project is an exemplar of sustainable technology, with the refurbishment of several buildings achieving carbon neutral status'.

In the 1980's a development was made to an area in Billericay called Queens Park. This resulted in a housing development for the local people and the production of a new woodland called Queens Park Country Park, with further management of the area to ensure future management over time being considered. Already it is evident that the local citizens of Billericay are interested in the Wildlife and natural conservation of the area is apparent, therefore showing a part of sustainability and the interesting in active citizenship

In Billericay, Recycling is a process that has been on going for years which includes the recycling of Garden waster, plastics, card and glass where it then gets taken to Barleylands recycle depot and then redistrubted to a local recycling centre.

Basildon Council has provided a video of recycling on their website 'Your Pink Sack Journey' to encourage recycling.

Click here for video link ----> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDtaiGpx6MI

Basildon Council state that the film is used to teach school children across the Basildon District about the benefits of recycling and to help schools achieve eco-schools status and having just watched this video myself, i found it very interesting and also i feel that it was a good idea by the council and will promote a sustainable community.

A new development in Basildon has raised some questions by the locals to the 'waste' of money achieved by the council.

The sign that is shown at the top of this blog is part of a £400,000 project commissioned by Basildon Council to boost the local economy. however many argue that the sign is a waste of money and should have been spent on something else. it is also said the project money came from the Thames gateway programme.

and the cash will also be used to create new road signs, roadside lighting and entrance signs to the district.

one person said this about the sign 'This is possibly the most stupid idea I've ever heard and unfortunately the whole country is going to be laughing.

however even though this is the case, the sign was put up to improve the status of Basildon and trade with other areas and is seen as a positive aspects by the business part of Basildon.

It has defianatly made it more well known. but in my opinion it has done no justice to improving the local economy and therefore the sustainability to the area.

Apart from the controversy of the sign recently erected by the council, i feel my local community is sustainable with active citizens that care for the next generations and aim at improving the living for those around them.

References;

http://www.basildon.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1

http://www.wattylercountrypark.org.uk/heritage/the-wat-tyler-project/

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/5422205.Welcome_to_Basilwood_

The constituency in which you live: Billericay and district
Your local MP (name, party): John Baron - conservative
The name of your local council: Basildon District Council
Which political party dominates your local council: Labour

2010 is election year.
What is your attitude concerning people who are not planning to vote in the general election?
What main concerns do you have that may influence your vote

Personally, I find the thought of the elections and voting extremely confusing and I am one of those people who don't vote. I do not feel that i have enough knowledge on the political parties to make a judgemental choice on who to vote for, therefore my attitude concerning those who are not planning to vote in the general election is minimal. I feel that if someone doesn't want to vote, then that's up to them, however when it comes down to it, if they aren't happy with the way the country is being run then they have no right to complain as they could have voted.

i understand that those who do vote feel very strongly about the parties they vote for and would do anything to make sure they get in, those people would also argue that those who don't vote are wasting an opportunity to have their say and get their opinion across, which is a fair argument when those who don't vote complain. However if MP's wanted to encourage those people who don't vote to make a choice, then they should inform those areas of the community that don't vote as to why they need their vote and what their policies are.

Politics is something you either have an interest in or you don't, as for me I don't. I have learnt from experience, not to say the reason I don't vote is because it 'doesn't affect me', as it does just not directly, if you say that to someone who does vote, it is almost an insult as they feel very concerned with the running of our country and there are alot of people like me, mainly young people, which the general elections probably affect the most.

As I do not vote I couldn't argue as to what affects my vote the most therefore i did my research and it appears that the main things that affect peoples choice of voting is, healthcare, education and taxation.