The Leader of Chelmsford City Council has signed The Charter Against Modern Day Slavery (CAMDS), after a motion was passed unanimously at a full council meeting. It is estimated that around 13,000 people a year living in the UK are victims of modern-day slavery.

2 December is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

The Charter Against Modern Day Slavery commits all local authorities to continue ensuring its contractors and suppliers comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, including a commitment to buying all goods and services ethically. It also tackles any slavery, servitude, forced, or compulsory labour, human trafficking or exploitation in local communities.

The charter was signed by the Leader of Chelmsford City Council Leader, Councillor Stephen Robinson, who said, "I am proud to have signed this charter, which reinforces our united commitment to ending the horrific scourge of modern-day slavery. The City Council will uphold these principles internally and expects these standards for ethics and transparency to be followed by companies who sell supplies to the Council. The Council is sending out a powerful message that the perpetrators of these appalling crimes have nowhere to hide."

The 10 pledges that each council is committing to by signing the charter are as follows. Chelmsford City Council will:

1. Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply's (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

2. Require its contractors to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, with contract termination as a potential sanction for non-compliance.

3. Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery.

4. Highlight to its suppliers that contracted workers are free to join a trade union and are not to be treated unfairly for belonging to one.

5. Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

6. Require its tendered contractors to adopt a whistle-blowing policy which enables their staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

7. Review its contractual spending regularly to identify any potential issues with modern slavery.

8. Highlight for its suppliers any risks identified concerning modern slavery and refer them to the relevant agencies to be addressed.

9. Refer for investigation via the National Crime Agency's national referral mechanism any of its contractors identified as a cause for concern regarding modern slavery.

10. Report publicly on the implementation of this policy annually.

The Charter Against Modern Day Slavery has now been signed by more than 80 councils across the country. Find out more at https://party.coop/local/councillors/modern-slavery-charter/

This year's Chelmsford pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, is set to go ahead at the Civic Theatre from Friday 4 December 2020 until Sunday 3 January 2021 (as long as government restrictions allow). Said Lib Dem Deputy Leader Cllr. Marie Goldman, "Staff have been working hard behind the scenes to devise a Covid-secure way of staging it. Rules on 'keeping your distance' will mean less than one in five seats being used but members of one household will be together."

All those confirmed as currently sleeping rough in Chelmsford have been offered accommodation during the second lockdown period. Lib Dem-led Chelmsford City Council is working with other agencies in Essex to ensure that no-one has to sleep rough.

The City Council is ensuring that advice and support - not just accommodation - are provided to those who need it at any stage in this process. Staff are helping all confirmed rough sleepers to make a homelessness application to the Council. To ensure that priority is given to this group, districts identified all those known to be sleeping rough in their area on Friday 6 November. In Chelmsford, that was 16 people.

An overwhelming amount of entries have been received for Chelmsford's 2020 Christmas card competition, hosted by the Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Jude Deakin.

The Mayor called on Chelmsford residents of all ages to create a piece of artwork, or write a poem, inspired by her 2020 theme of 'family and wellbeing' to be used in her official Christmas card. Over 100 colourful and creative drawings, poems and photographs were submitted, highlighting some of the talent in Chelmsford and the winners have now been chosen.

Disability History Month is an important opportunity to remember how far we have come in the battle for disability rights and equality.

There is still a long road ahead to ensure equality and inclusion for disabled people.

It is also a time to honour those who have led the way forward, defied stereotypes and contributed so much to the success of our country.

Support grants for businesses legally required to close (as a result of the national lockdown) can now be accessed on the Chelmsford City Council website: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/businessgrants

The available grants are payable to cover 28-day periods of lockdown and vary according to a business's rateable value. As the latest national lockdown is going to last for at least 28 days, the City Council is making payments in advance to cover the period up to 2 December 2020.

The Chelmsford City Photo Competition, co-ordinated by Chelmsford City Events, kept aspiring photographers occupied throughout summer 2020, and the winners have now been chosen. A video sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the competition can be watched at https://youtu.be/wTNzMKvwEJ8.

The competition closed on 31 August with more photographers entering than ever before. During September, the photos were sent to a panel of judges including the Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Jude Deakin; Deputy Leader Councillor Marie Goldman, and representatives from Blue Sky Printing, Meadows Shopping Centre, Unshaken Photography Training, Essex Chronicle and Essex 2020.

Fireworks aren't fun for everyone is the message this year from Chelmsford City Council. In recent years, more and more fireworks have been set off over many days in October and November. Everyone planning at-home fireworks is asked to show care for animals and vulnerable neighbours by lighting their fuses at the same time at 'Rocket O'Clock'. Also, remember that, under Covid restrictions, households are not allowed to mix indoors at all and you can only be outside with up to six people.