Chelmsford City Council's budget for 2021/22 will protect essential services, while dealing with a forecast £7.5 million shortfall. The budget will deliver a greener, fairer and better connected Chelmsford. It will support post-Covid recovery and address the financial costs of the pandemic.

Cash for day-to-day spending is severely restricted. However, the Council is able to borrow to invest for our future.

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."

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.

The normal Remembrance Day public ceremony and parade in Chelmsford cannot be held this year due to pandemic restrictions. So residents of Chelmsford, South Woodham Ferrers and the surrounding villages are being asked to mark Remembrance Sunday on 8 November at home.

A wreath will be laid on behalf of all residents of Chelmsford, and a speech given, by Councillor Jude Deakin, the Mayor of Chelmsford, in a socially-distanced private ceremony. Only the Deputy Mayor, the Mayor's Chaplain, one member of the armed forces and a representative from the Royal British Legion will be in attendance. This will be broadcast on the Chelmsford Council Facebook and Twitter accounts at 11am on Sunday 8 November.

The Mayor said, "We have thought long and hard about possible alternatives. Although we are used to holding a parade and ceremony, the most important thing is that we remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by military personnel in conflict. Please watch the ceremony from home on Sunday 8 November and take a moment to remember."

Households are asked to observe the normal two minutes' silence in their own homes. If residents wish to lay a wreath at a war memorial, they are asked to avoid 11am and choose another convenient time, in order to avoid public gatherings. Other suggestions include displaying handmade poppies, children's drawings and poems in windows. People can also download a poppy poster from the Royal British Legion if you donate.

The Mayor added, "Please do not forget the Royal British Legion, who are ordinarily supported through poppy sales and donations at Remembrance events. They are seeing far fewer donations than usual, and this may directly impact on the service personnel and veterans whom they support. I know that money is tight for many residents at the moment, but if you do have a little to spare, please donate to the Legion."