Humberston Fitties chalet owners presenting their case for 50-week leases to council bosses (update)

“NELC needs to get its act sorted out and nail the slackers who fail to comply with the terms of the lease. The shed-dwellers should not be running businesses, nor educating their spawn at our expense and inconvenience.
While I don't believe it should have been the responsibility of NELC to check whether these hut-hobos continued to have a permanent address, because it looks as though a number of them are taking the pee, perhaps there should be an annual review of lease conditions, FULLY PAID FOR BY THE SWAMP-SQUATTERS, and not honest, tax-paying residents of the Borough, we have enough to cover, funding our local-grown criminals and ne'er-do-wells.
I would like to think that these favela-families soon start to regret entering into this entire review, as they realise what it costs to be an honest and decent citizien of an area, rather than just pick and chose what they want to pay for and leave the rest to us.
I had been fairly neutral about what was going on in this backwater, but now my dander is up at the thought of these lean-to-lodgers having the cake and eating it at my expense.

Arthur, Immingham”

“I don't live in the past Minstral. I know what Jaywick is like NOW. I have been there and experienced it. Mores the pity for many of it's residents. Its history has no relevance today,the damage has been done. Yes, the plotlands were sold cheaply and sowed the seeds for it's present state. I didn't claim otherwise. But even though the residents built, purchased and own their chalets on the the plot they lease the on the Fitties it is still NOT a residential estate. They are a holiday chalets and as such the present lease appears to be more than adequate. It never bothered us years ago as we would go down there for just a day or a tide. Mostly it was whenever we felt like it as it was only ten minutes from where we lived. Now the problem would appear to stem from non local residents who find the conditions of the lease they originally accepted are a bit of an inconvenience and are now looking to grab the inch so they can take the foot. If the council or the Sec. of State give in to your demands what is next? Freehold? Fitties Dunes Development for discerning seaside lover? £15 million all of a sudden doesn't sound much does it as soon as the plots start hitting the market. In fact I reckon you could clear that site for considerably less than that once the older crabby plots have gone and the site becomes "Jaywicked". However,the fact remains that the Fitties as a holiday site with the appropriate lease conditions are an asset to NELC and should remain as such.”

“Could i remind 'Minstral' that it is already costing the tax payer quite a lot, in the countless hours of paper shuffling and meetings that this matter has caused. It reminds me of being at school, where the vast majority are disadvantaged by the one or two who constantly "p*ss about" at the expense of everone else. I genuinely sympathise for the quiet majority on the fitties who play by the rules and pay their way, who are now been keel hauled and risk having changes enforced on them, all in the interests of modern day political correctness. Only this could have brought about a situation where the person breaking the terms of a legal agreement has the same if not more 'rights' than the person abiding by the same legal agreement. I just hope NELC grow some kahunas, and soon.”

“Obviously labourladie doesn't know the history of Brooklands at Jaywick. Brooklands was a private developer's concept on the lines of Butlin type chalets (only larger) and set in streets named after famous car manufacturers. They were popular because, unlike Butlins, you could buy a chalet complete with freehold and in its day it was a very desirable place to have your own holiday getaway with no occupancy constraints. Unfortunately, as with Butlins (who coincidentally had a site up the road in Clacton) and many others, the decline came in with the advent of the cheap package holiday abroad. Panic selling brought in the rogue landlords who made a killing with the ready market of housing benefit claimants. To compare this Jaywick site to the Fitties is absolute lunacy. All the Fitties chalet are privately owned (with the exception of one owned by the Council) but pay ground rent to the Council .There are a very small number that are unkempt, as in any street, but the fact is that the best maintained properties are those that are used to the full. In these days of dwindling amounts of disposable income it is quite understandable that those folks that only use their chalets for the occasional visit or two week holiday will not have the time or money to keep the chalets in tip top condition. To open up the site to 50 weeks would most certainly provide for better kept properties whilst costing the tax payer absolutely nothing. Councils spend millions on improving "deprived" estates all too often to no avail whilst this little beauty spot could be enhanced for nothing but a change in willingness to say yes.”

“Jaywick isnt a good example as it was largely bought by a few people when the chalets cost next to nothing. They are now mostly rented.

The Fitties has 310 chalets at an average of say £50,000. Thats £15 million or large parts thereof. Is that a good investment for properties that are Leasehold and in a Conservation Area? I doubt it.

The lease can exclude long term renting if they want it to.”

“If the council give in to these people then it will be the thin end of the wedge. The Fitties are an integral part of the borough and as such their presence as a holiday park under part time occupation has always been an asset to the local people and visitors alike. The council must maintain the current periods of occupancy to prevent it becoming another Jaywick on the Essex coast. http://tinyurl.com/6j23tej”