Five years ago, hundreds of Chelmsford residents marched (and many more signed a petition) - all concerned about a Public Space Protection Order with plans for £100 fines (from then-Conservative Chelmsford City Council).

Since the Liberal Democrats took on the leadership of the City Council, things have changed. The Council voted last week for funds to provide new support for rough sleepers and the other 250 or so homeless families in Chelmsford.

When millions of small businesses are struggling to survive, to offer them just £5 billion would be an insult. We need to see a budget with an ambitious compensation package for those who are facing crippling losses

From beauticians to builders, florists to café owners - the small businesses in our communities are on the brink and the Chancellor must do more. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/budget-rishi-sunak-restart-grants-b1808710.html

Extra funds for climate action in Essex, pavements, mental health + young people were proposed today by Essex Liberal Democrats. The proposals were tabled at the Essex County Council budget meeting on 23 February.

The Lib Dem proposals:-

Climate Change action

• Promote a sustainable approach to growth, development and a low carbon future.
• Implement measures to improve the green infrastructure of Essex and increase biodiversity.
• Improve the environmental quality, attractiveness and recreational potential of public spaces in ECC ownership.
• Implement measures to reduce waste, lower energy consumption and improve air quality in identified hot spots and introduce Clean Air Zones.

Chelmsford City Council projected a shortfall of £7.55 million for 2021-22, having also lost £16.5m from normal income in 2020-21. The Government promised last April 'full support', but instead left the Council £5m short. All other councils are in a similar position.

So Chelmsford Council must cut costs and find income to legally balance the books. One of these tough choices to bring in new income is parking charges at Hylands Park. Which is a better choice than cutting key services (such as closing down the museum or the theatre, or not running holiday events for children) or charging for collecting brown bins or collecting extra bins or clinical waste (as some other councils have). All of these would have had a negative impact on residents.

The Government is being asked to fully fix the scandal of possibly dangerous cladding on certain taller buildings. The leader of Chelmsford City Council, Liberal Democrat Stephen Robinson, has told the Minister that many flat-owners in Chelmsford are unable to move home because mortgage companies will not lend.

The Government is being lobbied to make permanent the £20 increase in Universal Credit, introduced in March 2020.

Chelmsford Council Leader Stephen Robinson has joined over 30 other Liberal Democrat Council Leaders in writing to the Government.

The letter follows a vote in Parliament held on Monday 18th January 2021, in which the government abstained. All Liberal Democrat MPs attended and voted in favour. The motion to increase Universal Credit was carried by 278 votes to nil.

Essex Conservatives have dropped 'sound finance' from their 2021/22 budget and kicked the financial can down the road, according to the Liberal Democrats.

Essex County Council is proposing a budget that depends on £46 million of un-named cuts that even their own finance officer says have a "risk of not being delivered". Essex CC has also delayed a 3.5% rise in Council Tax to next year (2% general fund and 1.5% social care).