SCHOOL mornings just got easier for families across the country as 750 schools open breakfast clubs today, offering 30 minutes of free childcare, a healthy start for kids and a little more breathing room before the school bell rings announces the Labour government. Parents will…

ON Thursday May 1st, there is a by-election in the ward of Mark Hall. Mark Hall, if not a bell weather ward, has certainly seen a number of councillors from different parties. In 2014, UKIP had success and in 2021, the Tories also made gains.…

A PROGRAMME to replace all shelters across the county is well underway. Since September 2024, 100 bus shelters across Essex have been replaced. This is part of the council’s programme to provide better, more accessible and environmentally friendly shelters across the county. The first areas…

PUBLIC enquiries to Essex Highways have fallen by 27%, with around 16,000 fewer in 2024/25 compared to the previous financial year. The reduction in enquiries follows improvements to the reporting process. This includes being able to subscribe to existing reported issues, which has helped decrease…

EPPING Forest District Council is warning businesses to stay alert after reports of a scam targeting owners of licensed premises. A spokesperson said: “We’ve received reports of a person contacting licensed premises across the country claiming to be a Licensing Officer, and aware of one…

CYCLING routes in Chelmsford and Harlow are set to be improved with an injection of more than £1.4 million reports the Local Democracy Reporter. Chelmsford has already benefited from a range of active travel measures through the previous Active Travel Fund rounds, but to date,…

A SENIOR Harlow police officer has made a bold pledge to all those who burgle houses in Harlow. Superintendent Tim Tubbs said: “My message is really clear to anyone thinking of committing this horrendous crime; we will catch you and we will do everything we…

THE NHS will be pursued if it does not follow new guidance on single-sex spaces, the chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said reports the BBC. Along with other public bodies, the NHS will be receiving guidelines after the UK Supreme…

Dear Editor I RECEIVED a letter from Harlow MP Chris Vince in response to my email to him concerning the killing of fifteen humanitarian workers by the Israel Defence Forces in the Gaza Strip on 23 March. I am sure that many readers will be…

TENS of thousands of patients are receiving care closer to home, so they don’t have to be added to lengthy NHS waiting lists, as the government confirms the expansion of a GP scheme to shift care from hospital to community. The scheme named “Advice and…

JUDGES at the UK Supreme Court have unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law reports the BBC. It marks the culmination of a long-running legal battle which could have major implications for how sex-based rights apply across Scotland, England…

A RECENT Essex survey found that 75% of young people had seen content of serious violence when viewing content on social media channels. During February 2024, the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit and Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services ran a short online survey, asking…

ALMOST 16,000 parents and carers across the county will find out the outcome of their primary school applications today (Wednesday 16 April). This year, Essex County Council received a total of 15,618 primary school applications. Of these, 14,107 pupils who are due to start in…

ESSEX County Council has announced an updated support package to help people most in need in the county. The council has now allocated the £16,631,626 received from the Department for Work and Pensions’ Household Support Fund. It will support residents from young to old with…