Free services and training opportunities are now available in the Melbourne area. The Parkside Community Hub was opened last week by housing provider CHP.

Over 70 people attend the launch event at the Hub, which used to be a clinic. It now provides the community with an IT training suite; a training kitchen; a multi-function room with crèche facility, a number of meeting rooms and a communal garden.

Figures just out show that NO Liberal Democrat-run council in England has raised Council Tax - in contrast to both Labour and Conservative Councils, such as here in Chelmsford. Said Chelmsford Lib Dem Stephen Robinson, "The Lib Dems in Government insisted on an income tax cut for nearly 25m people on low and middle incomes, and now we see Lib Dem councils being careful with tax too. It's clear that your money is safest with the Liberal Democrats."

Added Tim Farron MP, "This stands in stark contrast to Tory and Labour-run councils which have been racking up the Council Tax in these difficult times. Ordinary working families are struggling already with paying bills, without their councils increasing the burden.

"Liberal Democrat councils have not only frozen council tax but are also most likely to be giving the lowest-paid council workers a pay rise. This comes on top of Liberal Democrat achievements in the Budget, which increased the number of people lifted out of tax to over a million.

"The choice in next month's council elections is clear: vote Liberal Democrat for financially responsible councils that create jobs. Vote Labour and the Tories for waste, mismanagement and tax rises."

Chelmsford Council will improve its waste and recycling collections by collecting on four (longer) days a week instead of five. This means no delayed collections in weeks with a Bank Holiday Monday. Also, everyone will have recyclables and other waste collected on the same day, which is not the case for everyone at the moment.

A multi-sport hard court will be provided for local people in Andrews Park, north Chelmsford as part of a lasting Olympic legacy. Chelmsford Council made a successful funding bid to Sport England for the provision of two "Adizones".

The Adizone is part of a wider program of works to improve the existing tennis courts, access, car parking and landscape improvements such as additional tree planting. The completion of the scheme is scheduled for mid June 2012 to optimise the Olympic legacy context, with construction starting during mid April.

Litter picking teams were out in north Chelmsford this morning - in Broomfield Road, Patching Hall Lane, Corporation Road, Kings Road and nearby. Cllr Stephen Robinson joined a team from the Evangelical Church in Broomfield Road.

Said Stephen, "It was good to see a crowd of local volunteers helping the community. We found a £10 note, a purse, a bank card and a shoe!"

The new Bishop of Bradwell John Wraw visited north Chelmsford this afternoon as part of his "getting to know the area" tour. He is responsible for overseeing Church of England activities across mid and south Essex. North Chelmsford councillor Stephen Robinson was invited to brief Bishop John and other clergy on the community challenges in north Chelmsford.

A planning application for houses north and north-east of Springfield ("Greater Beaulieu Park") has been revised slightly. Two years ago ZEST Countryside Properties asked for "up to 4,000 houses" but now they have reduced this to "up to 3,600 houses".

Commented Cllr. Stephen Robinson (who created the Don't Choke Chelmsford campaign): "The other application for well over 600 houses near Channels Golf Course means that developers are, in total, asking for vastly more than the 3,200 houses indicated in the North Chelmsford Area Action Plan, the council's strategic plan for the area.

Chelmsford Council has given planning permission for 135 houses in fields off Patching Hall Lane (see Committee Agenda). Local Lib Dem Councillors Stephen Robinson and Alan Arnot attended to speak up for local residents. Cllr. Robinson spoke out about a number of traffic concerns - in particular, the exit from Skerry Rise onto Broomfield Road and the Hollow Lane / Patching Hall Lane / School Lane junction.

Chelmsford Council was taken to task this evening for failing to give a high enough priority to new community facilities, public open space and new jobs for residents. The Liberal Democrat group told the Council's Development Policy Committee that these issues should have been addressed in the Site Allocations Document, which was under debate.

The future of post offices across the country has been secured by Government action, funding and a new agreement between Royal Mail and the Post Office. Chelmsford Lib Dem Stephen Robinson, who campaigned alongside Cllr. Tom Smith-Hughes and others to save local Post Offices welcomed the news. He said, "This demonstrates the Lib Dem commitment to ensure a sustainable future for Royal Mail and Post Offices.

"Post Offices are a vital part of our communities and are visited by over 20 million people every week. Under past Conservative and Labour governments the service suffered, with thousands closing. Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government have stopped closures and put Royal Mail and the Post Office on a secure footing."