Springfield residents have welcomed the changes to the junction at Pump Lane and Springfield Road that were put in a few months ago. It appears these changes have been a resounding success.

One local resident, Helen Smithson, a teacher who uses this junction twice a day declared that, "This junction takes nearly ten minutes off my daily commute time. The queues used to go back as far as the mini-roundabout at the junction of Havengore, now the queue on to Springfield road is just two or three long, even in rush hour."

It was announced this morning that the Queen is to confer City status on Chelmsford to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. Deputy Prime Minister (& Lib Dem Leader) Nick Clegg made the announcement today, before he took Prime Minister's Questions at noon.

Chelmsford was one of 23 towns in the running for the honour. When the Lib Dems were running Chelmsford Council, a bid was made in 2001 and previous Group Leader, Mike Mackrory, pushed the council to back this current bid.

Plans by Essex County Council to close the Recycling Centres at St Osyth and High Ongar will be reviewed. Liberal Democrat councillors 'called-in' the Cabinet decision to the review committee and this met with widespread support yesterday (17 November).

The 'call-in' was backed up by petitions totalling signatures over 5000 opposing the closures. By a majority of 14:1 Members agreed to refer the issue back to the Cabinet Member for reconsideration.

Fares will increase on the newly opened Chelmer Valley Park and Ride only six months after opening. Springfield's Lib Dem County Councillor Mike Mackrory mounted a last-minute bid to stop the rise but the Conservatives pressed on. Cllr Mackrory 'called in' the Cabinet Member's decision to increase the charges from October 10 because he was very concerned that the recent increased usage of the site would be put at risk.

The Chief Executive of Essex County Council has received a £6,900 bonus payment as the council makes big cuts to services. The Liberal Democrats have expressed shock and dismay and called for an urgent review of the bonus policy.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Liberal Democrat Cllr Mike Mackrory, said: "Staff are facing a pay freeze, many hundreds of loyal, hard-working council staff are losing their jobs, and many more are worried about theirs. It is time for the Council to review its policy for bonus payments to senior executives. In the current economic climate, bonus payments should not be paid to staff for simply carrying out their jobs."

Essex County Council has backed a Lib Dem call to clean up the use of Council resources. This follows the setting up of police investigations into Lord Hanningfield's use of ECC credit cards. At today's meeting of the full Council, a Liberal Democrat motion was passed unanimously.

The essential four points of the motion were agreed, which were:

Essex County Council has announced that Lord Hanningfield remains a County Councillor, as he has lodged an appeal against his conviction on expenses fraud. However the Liberal Democrats have called on him to do the honourable thing and resign.

Lib Dem Cllr Mike Mackrory, Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition on Essex County Council, said: "It cannot be right that Lord Hanningfield will continue to receive his £11,500 a year allowance whilst serving his prison sentence.

At this week's meeting of Essex County Council, Lib Dem Mike Mackrory asked about home to school transport for children with special needs. Mike Mackrory (Springfield county councillor) was told that the withdrawal of escorts for vulnerable children would be subject to assessment.

He said: "My understanding is children with severe learning difficulties and medical conditions would not have their escorts withdrawn. The report to cabinet was not clear enough and I can understand parents' concerns."

Essex County Council is being asked to start generating its own 'green' energy. The call comes from the Liberal Democrats in a motion to the Full Council meeting on 12 October.

County Cllr David Kendall (Brentwood South) has tabled this motion after Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, announced new rules in July that allow town and county halls to sell green energy.

A call for action on Chelmsford parking chaos has been issued by the local Liberal Democrats. The increasing frustrations of residents and others (at Chelmsford's parking situation) were highlighted by the group, in a recent debate they called for at Chelmsford Borough Council.

The Lib Dems are demanding an early meeting of a cross-party panel to begin an urgent review of the policy which dates back several years and is now clearly in need of an overhaul