Chelmsford is better connected with a Lib Dem Council

The Liberal Democrats campaigned in the local elections to make Chelmsford Safer, Greener, Fairer and Better Connected. Below are some of the policy changes and actions that your Liberal Democrat-led City Council has undertaken in the first six months.

A Better-Connected Chelmsford

• Make it easier for the public to contact the Council by linking up Digital Services. New self-serve, online services will allow the public to report issues directly through the Council's website, rather than waiting in a telephone queue. This will bring the Council into the 21st Century and make it more efficient.

• Working towards a more open Council - encouraging the public to attend more Council meetings and ask questions; allowing all Councillors to ask more questions at and before Cabinet meetings, and putting out more information via social media. The first speech of the new Lib Dem leadership of the council was broadcast on Facebook Live and we are looking at low-cost ways to do that for all meetings.

• Supporting new, innovative productions in Theatres & Museums. The theatre has trialed new ways to reach different audiences. The productions of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me and R4J are just two examples of the more diverse range of programming that we expect to see in the coming months and years.

• The refurbished and reimagined Chelmsford City Museum was officially reopened and has welcomed approximately 30,000 visitors, which is more than came in a whole year before. The museum has developed its volunteer programme, to support services, and is growing new audiences, with exciting innovations like Museum Lates, which bring visitors into the museum 'out of hours' - making the most of the Council's investment and its building assets.

• Creation of the Chelmsford Policy Board. This board looks at all policy formation and has so far formed five Working Groups, all cross party like the Board itself, covering the following areas .

  • homelessness and rough sleeping

  • the supply of housing that is affordable

  • health and wellbeing

  • developing more use of our waterways and adjacent towpaths and green spaces

  • local democracy and the connectedness and involvement of Chelmsford 's many organisations and charities and its residents.