Chelmsford Council will use its new Local Plan to deliver more infrastructure to go with the coming development, genuinely affordable housing, and to ensure that development is really sustainable. That was the pledge by the Lib Dem Leader of Chelmsford City Council, Councillor Stephen Robinson as the new Local Plan received the 'seal of approval' from central Government.

Lib Dem led Chelmsford City Council, along with other local authorities and civic dignitaries, community groups and charities throughout the British Isles and beyond will be flying a flag to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday 9 March.

Fifty-three countries will come together to celebrate Commonwealth Day. More than 850 Commonwealth Flags will be flown in significant and eye-catching locations throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK Overseas Territories, and Commonwealth countries on Monday 9 March - Commonwealth Day 2020.

This initiative is again catching the imagination of thousands of participants from all walks of life, inspiring them to join with others throughout the Commonwealth. As a collective public expression of commitment to the Commonwealth, it enables participants to show appreciation for the values the Commonwealth upholds, and the opportunities offered for friendship and cooperation with fellow Commonwealth young and old citizens around the world.

For more information about Commonwealth Day, please visit: www.flyaflagforthecommonwealth.co.uk

Tickets for Chelmsford City Events' 3foot People Festival go on sale at the end of March, giving people their first chance to book admission to the city's award-winning festival for pre-schoolers. This year's festival will run over four days. There'll be an exclusive opportunity for ourChelmsford account holders to buy tickets during a 48-hour pre-sale which starts at 10am on Monday 23 March. Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Wednesday 25 March, when everyone else will have a chance to secure tickets to the festival.

Chelmsford City Council is calling for a review of fireworks safety and more controls around their sale and use to protect wild, domestic and farm animals, the natural environment and people adversely affected by their misuse.

The Liberal Democrat led Council is working towards safer Chelmsford and believes that Government policy on the sale and use of fireworks must be reviewed as a matter of urgency. The recent full council meeting passed (with cross-party support) a motion lobbying the Government.

The Lib Dem led Chelmsford City Council has retained the prestigious Investors in People (IiP) Gold accreditation for the eleventh year running, demonstrating their continued commitment to high performance through good people management.

Investors in People lead the drive for better leadership and better workplaces. They assess thousands of organisations every three years to lead, support and manage people well, for sustainable results. This achievement is not just about being a great place to work, but it shows that the Council's staff have the strong focus and determination to continue to deliver the high-quality, value for money services that its residents deserve.

South Woodham Ferrers plants over 1,000 trees in a single day

On Sunday 2 February, a hundred people got digging for climate victory in a mass tree planting at Creekview Road, South Woodham Ferrers.
Local families and residents joined staff from the Lib Dem led Chelmsford City Council to plant over a thousand trees on a plot of land in the area's well-loved Compass Gardens park.

Native species, including holly, oak and alder, were used to create the new woodland, which is approximately 700 metres square.

Lib Dem Councillor Rose Moore, Deputy Cabinet Member for Recycling and Ecology, joined the tree-planting effort. She said, "Putting the 'wood' back into South Woodham Ferrers is a big step towards a greener Chelmsford. With the help of local residents, we have planted far more trees here than our regular staff would ever be able to do in a single day.

Chelmsford now has a plan of action to address the climate and ecological emergency that it declared last summer. This was adopted at the City Council Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 28 January.

In July 2019, the Liberal Democrats led Chelmsford City Council pledged to reduce its own carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030 and to lead in encouraging others to do the same. Over the past six months, Councillors and officers have been conducting research, investigating and reviewing the organisation's existing processes, equipment and premises to determine where improvements could be made.

Chelmsford will be greener, safer, fairer and better connected under ambitious plans agreed by the Liberal Democrat led City Council. On 22nd January the Council approved 'Our Chelmsford, Our Plan' - the Council's aims for the coming years.

The Plan outlines the Council's new priorities under four themes: