Conservatives at Essex County Council are sending out bills this week with yet another above-inflation hike in their Council Tax for the financial year 2007 / 2008. Essex residents will see a County Council increase of 4.5% plus increases from the Borough Council and Essex Police and Fire Authorities.
It will be years before all local potholes and pavements are repaired, thanks to highway budget cuts by the ruling Conservatives. Liberal Democrats across Chelmsford are always receiving complaints about the roads and pavements. The County Council cut funding from £730,000 two years ago to £235,000 now for the whole of Chelmsford. The Lib Dem budget amendment to put this right was lost.
The Ministry of Defence has today announced improvements to the working terms and conditions of Gurkhas serving in the British army. The announcement comes after a rally in Westminster in December, and just weeks after a campaign petition on the subject collected over 5,000 signatures on the Government's petition web site.
Park Ward Focus Team has started to deliver its March Focus to 5200 homes in the Ward.
SHEFFIELD trams and the city's train station must be made easier for disabled passengers to use, a leading expert has warned. Design adviser John Mitchell, who is blind, says he is more dependent on other people now than he used to be in "the bad old days" of public transport.
Minister for Disability Anne McGuire has called on South Yorkshire firms to follow the lead of the Showroom cinema in Sheffield, and set cash registers ringing. Mrs McGuire was visiting companies around the country that are at the forefront in providing facilities for people with disabilities.