FOLLOWING last week’s Full Council meeting and ahead of Corporate Overview and Scrutiny next week, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Lynn Worrall, has announced Thurrock Council’s emerging preferred option for four new local authorities for Greater Essex, as part of local government reorganisation. The…

THERE are lots of FREE things to do this summer in Harlow including these FREE art activities for local families! Harlow Creates are running a programme of free activities for families, led by amazing local artists. All sessions are drop-in, first come first served, and…

FIVE leading Essex politicians have written an open joint letter to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, asking for an urgent meeting to discuss the continued use of hotels within the Epping Forest District to house newly arrived asylum seekers. The letter, signed by Roger Hirst,…

MAJORMajor improvement works have been successfully completed at Hintons, one of Harlow Council’s Supported Housing Schemes, as part of the council’s mission to ‘invest in our housing’. Over seven months, the three-storey block of 30 one-bedroom council flats underwent a comprehensive £1 million upgrade programme, including: Replacement of…

PLACES for People (PfP) held a volunteering day at Gilston to clear the way for future ecological and biodiversity improvements on the development which has outline planning permission for 8,500 new homes. As part of a dedicated volunteering day, a team of over 20 individuals from PfP, Knight Frank and Meeting Place helped remove outdated tree guards…

CONSTRUCTION at Arkwrights marks another stage in council housebuilding programme Another council housing site has moved to the next stage of its development as construction begins at Arkwrights to make way for more homes for Harlow families. Contractors from The Hill Group are now on…

AFTER advocating hard on behalf of local hospices, Harlow MP Chris Vince welcomed the announcement that families will see further improvements in end-of-life care as the Labour government releases £75 million for hospices to deliver major upgrades and enhancements to facilities, including separate family rooms,…

CAMPAIGNERS from Harlow joined an estimated 750 strong march in support of refugees in Epping on Sunday 27th July. It was organised to show support for asylum seekers placed in the Bell Hotel who have been subject to intimidation and violence organised by the far…

ESSEX Police have facilitated a peaceful protest in Epping which featured to separate groups of protestors. A spokesperson said: “To ensure those who wanted to protest peacefully and lawfully could do so safely we put in place some specific measures and to ensure the safety…

EAST of England constabulary areas record another increase in shoplifting – Usdaw concerned about the impact on retail staff. Retail trade union Usdaw is deeply concerned by today’s police recorded crime statistics showing that in in the year to March, there were increases in shoplifting…

EPPING Forest District councillors voted unanimously on a motion to call on the Government to immediately and permanently close the Bell Hotel in Epping for the purposes of asylum processing at a full council meeting on 24 July. In a tense and emotional debate councillors spoke of…

CONSERVATIVE county councillors have failed in a bid to ensure the option of a single unitary authority for Hertfordshire would be back on the table reports the Local Democracy Reporter. Hertfordshire currently operates on a ‘two-tier’ system of local government – with 10 district and borough…

THE Essex Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) team is pleased to announce the publication of its latest Progress Report, detailing important advancements in aligning local education provision with the skills needs of employers across the region. This updated report marks a significant milestone in Essex’s…

A DISPERSAL order will be put in place on Sunday to ensure the community in Epping is safe. The order, which is in place from 12pm on Sunday 27 July until 8am on Monday 28 July, covers an area including the town centre and transport…