The RSPCA is urging major fast food companies not to sacrifice chicken welfare for profits – as 18 businesses abandon promises and risk condemning millions more chickens to lives of poor welfare. In the UK, over one billion chickens are reared for meat annually, and more than…

LAND where large quantities of waste was illegally dumped near the M25 in Essex has been closed off by concrete blocks to prevent further criminal activity reports the Local Democracy Reporter. Concrete blocks now guard the entrance to a field in the village of Stapleford…

THE number of people claiming unemployment benefits has increased in the Harlow, Hertford and Stortford, North East Hertfordshire and North West Essex constituencies. Nationally, unemployment is at its highest level in almost five years, according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. In…

LEISURE property specialists Fleurets, alongside joint agents Strettons, have brought to market a prominent former late-night venue on Terminus Street, in Harlow town centre. The property is located within a key regeneration area, with ongoing investment set to deliver approximately 30,000 sq ft of new…

HARLOW Council has unveiled a record-breaking Budget 2026 that delivers the largest ever investment in council housing, demonstrating their commitment to their mission to ‘invest in our housing’ as part of the Building Harlow’s Future plan. Credit: Brian Thomas The council’s proposed £350 million budget…

THE cost of home-to-school transport could reach £225 million a year by 29/30 – significantly contributing to the council’s budget gap. The cost has already risen from £49 million in 2024/25 to about £69 million in 2026/27 reports the Local Democracy Reporter. The council has…

AN emotive new film, ‘The Unseen,’ has been made by Essex County Council’s Essex Year of Opportunity to challenge employers’ perceptions of young people leaving care. The film follows the journeys of young care leavers and their experiences in the workplace. ‘The Unseen’ is narrated…

HERTFORDSHIRE County Council has agreed a £1.2bn budget to provide services in 2026/27, which includes a 4.99% increase in council tax and £55m savings reports the Local Democracy Reporter. Education, social care, highways, libraries, public health and the fire and rescue service are all among…

PLANNING approval for a number of parking spaces in the Long Ley area of Harlow have been approved. The proposal sought permission for the provision of ten demarcated parking spaces, one ofwhich would be allocated as a disabled bay. The application site relates to land…

SPECIAL educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support in England is facing its biggest shake-up in a generation, potentially provoking a political backlash, leaked details suggest reports the BBC. The reforms will be a complete system redesign, with children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)…

THE Essex Caring Communities Commission has published an update on its ambitious work to tackle rising pressures across the county’s health and social care system. The independent commission was launched in May 2024 to design community‑powered solutions, shifting Essex towards a preventative, resilient model of…

HARLOW Council has published its biggest-ever budget, proposing a record £350 million investment to “Build Harlow’s Future” while freezing Council Tax for the fifth consecutive year. The council’s 2026 budget proposals, released today, will go to Cabinet on 26 February ahead of a final decision…

THE county council has pledged to “expedite” a solution to road traffic chaos exacerbated by airport parking and hundreds of HGV quarry lorries travelling along a village road in Essex – two years after the issue was first raised reports the Local Democracy Reporter. The…

THE UK’s inflation rate fell to 3% in January, down from 3.4% in December, driven by a decrease in food, fuel and airfare prices reports the BBC. Economists said the decrease raised the likelihood the Bank of England will cut interest rates at its March…