The Safer Chelmsford Partnership is delighted to announce it is one of only ten community safety partnerships nationwide to be successful in obtaining full funding from the government to tackle the harm caused by alcohol misuse in the community.

The partnership will receive £90,000 over a two year period to deliver education, interventions and enforcement in an attempt to reduce alcohol related anti-social behaviour and violence, and reduce the consumption of alcohol by young people to safe levels.

Lib Dem MP David Laws says the Coalition still has the potential to be one of the great reforming governments of the post war era.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced on Monday that there will be up to £10m additional support for Pupil Premium children who leave primary school without Level 4 literacy - the expected level. Benefiting most, if not all Chelmsford Primary Schools with additional cash resulting in an improved education for pupils in Chelmsford.

In a keynote speech to teachers and school leaders, he said that the Education Endowment Foundation will be awarding the money to pilot projects to help disadvantaged pupils make the transition from primary to secondary school. The money will be targeted at struggling Year 7s from deprived homes.

"How can a child start secondary school unable to read with confidence?" declared Nick. "That is a basic building block of a good education and no child should begin the race so far behind the starting line. We need to do everything we can to help these children through this transition to get them up to speed.
"That is a responsibility the government takes extremely seriously. And I can confirm that the Education Endowment Foundation will shortly be inviting groups of local schools, in the areas that suffer most with this problem, to bid for extra funds for struggling Year 7s from deprived homes to help them get their reading and writing up to scratch. Extra 'catch up cash', if you like.
"We envisage that schools will want to use it for small catch up classes, or one-to-one tuition, or vouchers for literacy tuition that parents can spend. We will run a proper evaluation, sharing what works with all schools not just those areas taking part in these pilots. It's likely this kind of targeted support is the best way to crack this problem - next year we'll know.
"Of course, we hope as few pupils as possible need it, thanks to the Pupil Premium. And I know primary and secondary schools up and down the country are determined to make this work.
"Some are using the money for breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. Some are funding counselling services, so troubled kids are in the right place, emotionally, to learn. Some are using it for educational visits to places like museums: the sort of experiences middle class children take for granted but poorer child might rarely enjoy."

Nick also announced that he wants to "strike a deal between the Coalition government and our schools and teachers. Teachers who help these children unlock the doors that otherwise hold them back ... they are the key to an open and fair society ... the key to the opportunity Britain I am determined we build."

The best teachers will be offered incentives to work in schools that have large numbers of disadvantaged pupils. The government will ask the School Teachers Review Body to look at giving other schools the same flexibility Academies currently have to use pay to hold on to the best teachers.

Also, from next year, there will be Pupil Premium Awards for the 50 schools that do the best to boost the performance of their poorest pupils and narrow the gap - with cash prizes of up to £10,000 for the best of the best.

The Treasury Select Committee is today taking evidence on what the Government should do with its stakes in RBS and Lloyds, including a proposal to give Government-owned shares to the public. The proposal was first made Liberal Democrat backbench Treasury spokesman, Stephen Williams MP.

He said: "This is a very popular idea which would give the public something back for bailing out the banks.

"I welcome the Treasury Select Committee's review into what to do with the Government's holding in RBS and Lloyds and hope that it furthers the case for giving the public their share."

Chelmsford Council is giving away free bags of compost in Hylands Park tomorrow, Saturday 12 May, 10am - 3pm for #compostawarenessweek The giveaway will take place in Hylands Park, near the Writtle Road entrance.

The giveaway uses compost made from recycled garden waste collected at the kerbside and at recycling centres, and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis with one large bag given to each household.

Essex County Council wants super-fast broadband (24Mbps) to at least 90% of properties (both business and residential) in the county and at least 8Mbps to the remainder. The Council is currently undergoing a lengthy procurement process to award a contract to a supplier to lead on delivering the necessary infrastructure upgrades.

NHS North Essex is seeking people's views on how best to integrate and join up diabetes services in mid and north east Essex. They have prepared a discussion document to outline how a joined up diabetes service could work in the future.

They have planned a series of discussion workshops to invite your comments and suggestions. Feedback from these sessions and from the survey will help shape diabetes services in the future.

Fixing high street banks; a Green Investment Bank; a better basic pension; supporting families and children. Just some of the highlights in the Queen's Speech today. The programme includes many long-term reforms for which Liberal Democrats have fought long and hard

These reforms will help build a sustainable future for our country. The Coalition Government's plans will offer help and support to families, small businesses and communities, protect the environment, and reaffirm our commitment to helping the poorest nations.

In 2010, Liberal Democrats joined the Coalition Government to act in the long-term national interest. Our most urgent task was to tackle the record deficit left to us by Labour and we're continuing this work today.

We have already made some tough choices, and we will continue to make sure we keep spending down so, unlike the rest of Europe, families can benefit from low interest rates and Britain is protected from the global debt storm.

The key themes from the 2012 Queen's Speech are:

Tim Farron says 'Thank You'

The polling stations have yet to open as I'm writing this. I've spent the last few days reminding postal voters to send their ballots in, mostly using the Connect phone bank.

I've also been out with fellow campaigners delivering last minute messages to our supporters - reminding them of our track record of hard work and achievement.

Wherever I go on the campaign trail, I am struck by the passion and determination of Lib Dem candidates and their teams, and by their dedication to their communities. I haven't met a single Lib Dem candidate who doesn't objectively deserve to be elected. But of course, not everyone will have won by the time you read this.

Over the last few weeks, being out on the doorsteps with you - from Dundee to Dollis Hill and all parts in between - has been exhilarating. If I needed reminding why I am a Liberal Democrat, then being out with our activists, who live and breathe community politics would have done the job.

All of us know that for the good of the country we have put ourselves in the political firing line - and made life really hard electorally. We have been given a precious chance in appalling circumstances to make this country greener, fairer and more liberal - we were right to grasp that chance.

All the same, being in power at such a difficult time as this has not made us popular - many of those who identify themselves as Liberal Democrat supporters are confused or even angered by our role in government.

So in our communities we have a chance to make a difference on the ground - whether we were successful this week or not. I often tell the tale of my dear friend and mentor Neva Orrell who lost her seat in Leyland, Lancashire no less than three times. Each time she lost, the Liberal group on the council was down to zero, but each time she carried on campaigning and each time she won her seat back next time.

I hope that most of you reading this will have won in the elections, but if you didn't, can I just say that I am utterly proud of you. Take the weekend off, and then on Monday, get out there and do a Neva.