MUMS of special needs children in Essex claim they are being left behind while waiting months for an assessment. Essex County Council has been battling to improve the service from its position as the worst in the country when just one per cent of assessments…

A HARLOW man is taking on a major swimming challenge in order to raise money for children in Gaza. Mark Watson’s message on his Justgiving page states: “I have felt helpless day after day seeing images of countless children in Gaza with broken bodies and…

A LARGE number of councils have expressed concerns that local elections, set for May, may be cancelled. The government say they have been contacted by councils who (they say) have said they are struggling with the demands of Local Government re-organisation. However, we have seen…

WITH THE temperatures below zero for the next week, there should be a warm spaces initiative enacted. We contacted Harlow Council but there was no reply. Streets2Homes told us that that all service users had been housed over the Christmas period. Here is information that…

ESSEX County Council’s Principal Social Worker for Adult Social Care has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours. Dr Tanya Moore joined the council in 2023 from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, where she served as Research Lead and Social Work…

UTTLESFORD District Council Chief Executive, Peter Holt, has written to local Parish Councils to ask that they respond to the Essex County Council Unitary Authority Consultation before the deadline of 11th January 2026. Read his letter below: Dear District Councillors and Parish Councils You’ll recall…

AN application to convert a house in Fold Croft into a children’s home has been submitted to Harlow Council. The application is for: Foldcroft House cares for children, aged 13-17 years, who display emotional and behavioural difficulties. The applicant is Aden Homes Limited. They made…

MILLIONS of discounted train tickets for half term activities, weekend getaways and commuting will be up for grabs next week. The week-long Great British Rail Sale, running from 6-12 January, will give passengers the chance to save well over 50% on many advance and off-peak…

AS student finance maintenance payments are due to be paid in January, the Student Loans Company (SLC) is reminding students to remain vigilant of scams designed to steal personal and financial information. January marks the second maintenance loan instalment for many students whose courses started…

IN 2025, ECCO charity has raised a further £3,000 for Harlow Foodbank thanks to the generosity of customers and a commitment to match every pound donated. The total now amounts to £10,000 over 3 years. The funds were raised through donations made by customers purchasing…

Amendment: In an éarlier version, we stated that the plans had been submitted by Princess Alexandra Hospital. This was incorrect. They have been submitted by a private company. However, the hospital has submitted a letter of support. We apologise. A MAJOR planning application for key…

ROGER Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year Honour’s List. The Commissioner received this honour for services to Policing and to Community Safety. Mr Hirst said: “It’s…

THE leader of Harlow Council has revealed that the setting up of a new constitution has cost over £50,000. The admission follows a question at full council from Labour leader, James Griggs. Councillor James Griggs to Councillor Dan Swords (Leader of the Council): To date,…

POTHOLE compensation claims submitted to 177 local authorities have jumped by 91% in just three years – soaring from 27,731 in 2021 to 53,015 in 2024, new data analysed by the RAC reveals.* ​ A Freedom of Information request to 207 councils across England, Scotland…