"A month of ideas on growing a sustainable Chelmsford" is how October is being labelled by Chelmsford City Council.

The council has brought together organisations from across Chelmsford to create 'Future City: a month of ideas on growing a sustainable Chelmsford'. The mainly digital festival runs throughout October and tackles the themes of climate change, biodiversity and sustainability. The programme is intended to capture the moment as we think about life post-COVID-19, and it's hoped events and activities will encourage people in the city to make connections and provide fresh thinking about the future.

Many more new houses in Chelmsford; less public input into planning applications; less infrastructure investment and fewer affordable homes. These could be consequences of changes to the planning system proposed by the Government, and Chelmsford City Council has expressed opposition.

The City Council approved its response to the Government's 'Planning for the Future' White Paper at the Policy Board on Thursday 1 October.

Cycling should be at the heart of making Chelmsford's transport more sustainable. Chelmsford's Lib Dem-led Council has launched a new charter, with the aim of showing wide-spread support for safer cycling from Chelmsford's communities.

All residents, schools, community groups and businesses of Chelmsford are invited to sign the Cycling Charter to show their support for everyday cycling as a way of making the city a better place to live and work in. Sign the charter at: https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/parking-and-travel/chelmsford-cycling-charter

A wide range of community improvements costing £10.2 million can now go ahead, following a vote of the Lib Dem led Chelmsford City Council's Cabinet on 8 September 2020.

The following projects will benefit from the funding:

• Affordable housing initiatives, including the infrastructure at Chelmer Waterside to maximise housing delivery
• 28 projects for improvements and investments across the city's parks, green spaces and strategic sports facilities
• Tindal Square pedestrianisation
• Beaulieu Secondary School
• A range of GP surgery improvements

Boats could get access to the centre of Chelmsford for the first time in many decades, following a decision of the Lib Dem led Chelmsford City Council's Cabinet on Tuesday 8 September. Councillors agreed to commission a detailed feasibility study into replacing flood gates to the east of the city centre and adding lock-gates. This would allow boats to pass further west, up the rivers Chelmer and Can.

If found to be feasible, replacing the automatic flood defence gates and adding a lock should allow the whole stretch of the River Chelmer from the Heybridge Basin through Chelmsford to be navigated. Currently boats cannot navigate any further than the weir gates, situated near the Essex Record Office.

The automatic gates were built during the 1960s and are mainly used to retain water in the river by the city centre. Without them, water levels would be very low and even non-existent in some parts each Summer. They are currently operated by the Environment Agency (EA) however, the EA has indicated that it can no longer justify the continued maintenance of the gates.

Cabinet Member for Greener and Safer Chelmsford, Councillor Rose Moore, said, "Improving our waterways is a key objective in the Council's new 'Our Chelmsford, Our Plan' and I am delighted that we are delivering on that objective. The City Council's Waterways Working Group is promoting this plan as one way to improve and encourage the varied use of the city's waterways and adjacent paths and open spaces, and we want to engage the wider waterway user community.

"One of the key aims of the Working Group has been finding ways to enable navigation to the upper Chelmer. I am pleased that Cabinet has now agreed to develop these studies further."

Lib Dem Leader of Chelmsford City Council, Cllr Stephen Robinson, said, "Enabling boats to access central Chelmsford's waterways has long been an aspiration for many of us. There are still a number of further steps to take before this becomes reality. However, this full feasibility survey will enable the Council to assess the viability, design solution and full costs, before deciding whether the scheme should be taken forward. This is a positive step forward and we look forward to seeing the detailed feasibility study

New Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey has set out his plans for a greener, fairer and more caring country. Upon his election he said, "I stand for social justice, equality and protecting our environment.

I stand for fairness, political reform and for fighting to protect the rights of ordinary people.

I'm determined that our Party backs a Britain that works with other countries across the world for peace and prosperity.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, young people have not only had to adapt to a new system of at-home learning, but many have also missed out on sitting crucial exams that would decide their university fate.

Now, many of these students across England have been left rightly worried about their futures over the government's decision to use a botched grading system in their A-level results.

The whole Chelmsford community is being encouraged to come together to help combat climate change. Chelmsford City Council has created a new role of Climate Ambassador and appointed Councillor Tom Willis to the position.

Councillor Willis will work closely with Councillor Rose Moore, the Cabinet Member for Greener and Safer Chelmsford, and the Love Your Chelmsford team, to engage with the wider community about the climate emergency and the role we must all play.