By Cllr Carole Mulroney, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
Cllr Carole Mulroney, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has written to Southend's two MPs asking them to support Amendment (a) to the Queen's speech, which calls on the Government to introduce and make time available for a Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill to progress and be debated in Parliament.
Congratulations to Jon Whitehouse who was elected to the District Council with an emphatic 61% of the vote in the Epping Hemnall ward (see full details). We're delighted to continue to represent Epping residents and hope that results like this inspire more people to help us increase our presence across the district in future elections.
The elections this week didn't produce the set of results we wanted.
Our local election campaigns, as always, have been strongly influenced by National news and media coverage. The effect and handling of Covid-19 and Brexit matters has not been straight forward, and it is very clear that many Conservative voters have decided to stay loyal. On the doorsteps across Brentwood many people expressed to having major concerns about the Prime Minister and the way his government have handled events and how ministers have conducted themselves. We also picked up that there are a very large number of local people who are very dissatisfied with the Conservatives at a local level. However, we as well as the Labour and Green Parties, have not managed to persuade enough of them to vote for one of us, or even vote at all. It is critical that there is a strong opposition voice to ensure that the Conservatives manage responsibly rather than the cavalier and uncaring way we regularly and increasingly see.
The planning application for a Lidl supermarket in Springfield has been refused, protecting the land from development. The proposal came as a shock to local residents and councillors alike, because the land is designated as Open Space in Chelmsford's recently-adopted Local Plan.
Members of the Planning Committee unanimously accepted all reasons for refusal outlined by officers and noted that development would breach Local and National Planning Policy. They agreed that loss of open space on the scale proposed and the impact of development would be devastating to biodiversity and could not be compensated for elsewhere.
Imagine a train pulls into Chelmsford station one evening. It's late, people are tired after a long day.
A white man leaves the train and starts walking home. He's thinking to himself about what he might have for dinner, listening to some music.
Next to him, a black man walks home. He knows people who've been stopped and searched by the police. Is he going to get to go straight home, or will he get held up, searched and questioned?
By Cllr Carole Mulroney, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
There are just three days to go until the local elections on 6th May. Have you made your plan to vote?
With social distancing measures in place, to ensure both voters and polling station staff are safe, things will be a little different this year when you vote, so make your plan now and be ready:
Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm.
You do not need your poll card to vote.
You must vote at your assigned polling station.
If you are registered to vote, but you do not have your poll card, you can go to the polling station and give them your name and address. You do not need any form of ID.
At the polling station, social distancing will be in place and, if you can wear a mask, please do. Please bring your own pen or pencil with you to vote (Covid rules).
Essex Liberal Democrats have been campaigning alongside local residents to support our local community libraries.
After a massive campaign in 2018, Conservative-run Essex County Council put their plans to close a third of Essex libraries on hold. The county council pledged not to close any more libraries for five years.
Locally in Uttlesford we face a consistent line of attack from Residents for Uttlesford and from independent councillors against 'Westminster parties'.
We are saddened that this has culminated in a post on the R4U facebook page in which Dan Starr (in an interview with The London Economic) seems to attribute the cause of the death of an MP, presumably Jo Cox, to Westminster party activists. (link to article here)
