From Essex County Council
We write regarding a Digital Demand Responsive Transport (D-DRT) survey that launches today, that we would welcome your support with securing as many residents as possible to complete.
The survey seeks to gather resident views on D-DRT to inform a potential future strategy around this and how it may lead to more sustainable travel and reduced car-use in Essex. The survey is one of the inputs alongside other primary and secondary research into the field of D-DRT, conducted as part of a project with Anglia Ruskin University.
Please share this survey link and ask residents to complete it: https://consultations.essex.gov.uk/iptu/resident-survey-for-digital-demand-responsive-tra
The survey closes on Sunday 1 November at midnight.
James Hopkins | Business Development Manager
Integrated Passenger Transport Unit
Essex County Council
Suicide Prevention Information
Home Composting Workshop
Notification of Chelmsford Park & Ride Consultation January 2019
Essex County Council is reviewing the ticketing options and fares offered and days of opening for the Chelmsford Park and Ride Services. This consultation gives you the opportunity to let us know your views about the proposals.
The consultation commences from 21 January and will run until March 22nd 2019, it is available online at: www.essex.gov.uk/Chelmsford-Park-and-Ride
Paper copies of the questionnaire will be available from the Sandon and Chelmer Valley Park and Ride sites, or by emailing:passenger.transport@essex.gov.uk.
A copy of the consultation can be accessed here
If you have any queries, please contactpassenger.transport@essex.gov.uk.
Art of the Possible
The Art of the Possible is a festival celebrating what’s great about Essex.
Running from 26 to 30 November the festival is all about reducing social isolation. It looks to showcase and celebrate opportunities that happen across Essex, day in day out, that enable people to connect with each other. Now in its fourth year, the festival promotes the inspirational things going on across our county, shares ideas and experiences and shows how we can all create the communities we want to see by bringing people together and building connections.
Whether it is friendship or fitness, skills sharing or networking, there will be interesting events happening near you.
If want to shape the place you live, launch an idea, or learn from others, then the Art of the Possible Festival is for you. Get involved and prepare to be inspired.
To find out more please visit https://artofthepossiblefestival.essex.gov.uk/ and book yourself on an event!!
Please also promote the Art of the Possible week throughout your communities for them to get involved now or to run Art of the Possible events in the future
For more information please email artof.thepossible@essex.gov.uk
Sandon Park and Ride - Christmas Information
Sandon Park and Ride - Christmas
Litter Pick in the Parish Saturday 1st September 2018
A team from Chelmsford CC took part in a 2 hour litter paick on Saturday 1st September, filling 21 sacks of rubbish along Main Road towards the turnpike.
Advice from UK Power Networks
You may have seen the forecast of unsettled weather over the next few days with heavy rain and lightning affecting parts of the East and South East of England.
We are currently monitoring the weather closely and we are in regular contact with the Met Office as the forecast develops.
Our electricity network is built to be resilient but extreme weather can affect overhead and underground power lines, resulting in some customers losing their electricity supply. Where this happens we work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. We have organised for additional staff in our contact centre to help customers whose electricity supply might be affected by the predicted weather, and we have called-up additional engineers to carry out repairs to our electricity network.
You will be able to find regular updates on our website www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk and social media @UKPowerNetworks throughout this period.
Anyone experiencing a power cut should:
· Call 105 to report power cuts and damage to the electricity network, or 0800 3163 105 (from a corded phone or mobile phone if you have no power)
· Visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk for the latest updates
· Visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/powercut and type in their postcode to view our live power cut map
· Tweet @ukpowernetworks to report a power cuts or to receive updates
We urge the public to stay well clear from power lines and anyone spotting a damaged power line needs to report it to us immediately by calling 105 from a landline or mobile phone.
If they see electricity lines that are down or causing significant risk to the public they should call 999.
We provide extra help to customers on our Priority Service Register during a power cut. Households with older or disabled people, those with children under five, or where someone uses medical or mobility equipment that requires electricity as well as other reasons can join the register. You can find out more information about our Priority Service on our website: ukpowernetworks.co.uk/priority.
If you would like to share information about preparing for the extreme weather or the priority service register on social media you might like to use the following:
@UKPowerNetworks has extra staff on hand 24/7 to deal with the impact of the current extreme weather. Call 105 to report a power cut and visit https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/storm-centre-prepare
Do you, or someone you know, need extra support during a power cut? @UKPowerNetworks provides free services to vulnerable customers. Visit https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/power-cut/priority-services-register for more information.
Farleigh Hospice Cycle for Life 2018
Farleigh Hospice, with continued support of local Chartered Accountants MHA MacIntyre Hudson, will be hosting Cycle for Life 2018 on Sunday September 16th and registration is now open.
Once again, the Cycle for Life offers the opportunity to enjoy a great day out with friends, family or work colleagues to take on this fantastic challenge, whilst raising money to care for local people affected by life-limiting illnesses.
There are three routes to choose from:
* 20km an ideal family friendly route through the Essex countryside
* 50km route open to all ages and abilities to enjoy the ride through picturesque villages
* 100km a sportive route blending the Essex surroundings with a challenging route.
All routes will start and finish at Farleigh Hospice, North Court Road, Chelmsford CM1 7FH To register on line simply visit: https://www.farleighhospice.org/Event/cycle-for-life . Registration cost: £15 per adult and £10 under 18’s. Please note that under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult. Registration closes on Wednesday 5th September at 5pm with limited places on the day.
We hope that you will be able to join us this year and many thanks for your continued support. It is because you care that we can.
Chelmsford Park and Ride Survey
Share your views We want your views on Chelmsford Park and Ride to help improve the service. The survey closes on 24th July. To complete the online survey, please visit: http://bit.ly/chelmsfordParkandRide
Rural Crime Survey
You may already be aware that the National Rural Crime Survey is currently open for responses, closing on Sunday 10th June.
What you may not be aware of, is that if there are over 600 responses from Essex we will be able to access local county data from the survey, but if the responses from our county are under 600 we will only have national data to use. We are therefore very keen to try and ensure that we reach 600 respondents – and we are a way off that at the moment.
Could I encourage you, please, to share the link and promote the survey to your contacts and networks (including family and friends!) in the final 2 weeks. The survey can be completed by individuals, organisations and businesses, and can be promoted in a variety of ways, including e-mail, websites, newsletters, social media and word of mouth.
The survey can be accessed here: http://www.nationalruralcrimenetwork.net/research/internal/2018survey/
Suzanne Harris
Community Safety and Reducing Reoffending Manager
Office of the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Essex
Changes to Mobile Library Service
Following a recent public consultation there will be changes to mobile library services from the week beginning 2nd April 2018.
The stop at Meadow Road, Rettendon, will no longer be served, as it does not meet the new criteria for the provision of mobile library services, namely that:
- the stop is 1.5 mile or more from a library
- the average number of customers is less than one
- each community should have only one stop (the most popular and/or accessible stop will be kept)
- the stops remain accessible to the mobile library vehicles
We have been working directly with customers at your local stop(s) to find the best solution for each individual, so that they can continue to access library books. The options are: using a local library, using a different obile library stop, a Friends & Family card, or perhaps a visit from one of our Home Library Service volunteers.
So that we can make sure that we find the right solution to best meet the needs of each individual, we are asking people to get in touch with us either by:
- emailing information.enquiry@essex.gov.uk
- telephoning 0345 603 7628
Details of nearby mobile library stops and the new timetables can be found at http://libraries.essex.gov.uk/mobile-library-service/
In future the stop will be every three weeks.
Essex Energy Switch
How does it work?
Residents can register their interest in using the energy switching scheme, with NO obligation to take up the offer after signing up. A one day auction is held, and energy companies compete against each other to offer their best possible tariffs.
Everyone who registers will receive a personalised offer which details how much they could save by switching to the winning provider, or cheaper tariff. The winning provider may be your current provider, so you will not actually "switch" but be offered a different tariff. Offers are sent out for residents giving approximately 4 weeks to decide whether to change supplier/tariff or not.
Why should I register?
Essex residents taking part in previous auctions have together saved over £2million! There is a real possibility that you could make significant savings. If you have been on the same tariff with the same energy supplier for a few years, you are particularly likely to make savings.
When is the next auction?
Registration for the next auction opens on 5 December 2017 until 13 February 2018 and you will receive your energy offer on 23 February 2018. You can still register online prior to this date and we will contact you near the start of the next auction, offering you the opportunity to sign up for a free quote.
What do I need to do?
To register for the next auction all you need to do is visit www.essex.gov.uk/energyswitch and fill in the online form, or call iChoosr Switching helpline on 0800 048 8285.
If you don't have access to the internet you can ask a relative, neighbour or friend to assist, because registrations can be made using their email address. One email address can be used up to five times to register for the scheme. ALternatively you can call Essex County Council on 0345 743 0430 to register over the phone.
If you require any further information please ring the iChoosr helpline on 0800 048 8285. Lines are open Mondat to Friday 8am - 5.30pm or go to the iChoosr website: www.ichoosr.co.uk
Home Library
If you have trouble getting to the library, let Essex Libraries rbing the library to you! Click on the link below for further information, or contact Essex County Council, Essex Libraries:
- essex.libraries@essex.gov.uk
- www.essex.gov.uk/libraries
- Tel: 0345 603 7628
Home Library Service
Essex Libraries
County Hall
Chelmsford
CM1 1QH
HeadsUp
HeadsUp offers advice, support and mentoring to people with common mental health problems such as anxiety or depression to help them get back into the workplace after a period of long-term unemployment. We understand that the journey back to work can seem daunting, so HeadsUp provides tailored one-to-one support from an experienced peer support worker for as long as the participant needs it.
Not only do we help our participants with the practical skills needed to return to work, such as writing a great CV or giving them the chance to practice interview techniques, we also focus on the emotional impact of making such a big change to their lives. We believe that to be successful in returning to work after a long-term unemployment, consideration needs to be given to the emotional barriers that might be present such as anxiety, lack of self-confidence or negative thought patterns. Through a series of interactive workshops participants are given the chance to explore their emotional well-being, discover ways to build their personal resilience and learn how to manage their feelings when faced with stepping outside of their comfort zone. Our programme is a solutions-based model so we help our participants identify and focus on positive solutions to their situation and share in their successes and progress as they complete each stage to help reinforce self-esteem and self-belief. You can click on this link to watch a short film about HeadsUp https://youtu.be/yQ1LC6Oq7FY
The website address is www.enableeast.org.uk/headsup
You can also contact the Parish Clerk for more information.
Chelmsford Business Magazine
For the latest issue, please click on the link below.
Chelmsford City Council - Draft Local Plan
Notification of Development Policy Committee – 18 January 2018
Chelmsford City Council is finalising its Draft Local Plan which contains a long-term vision for new development in the Council’s area to provide new homes, jobs and infrastructure up to 2036.
We are writing to advise you of a change to Development Policy Committee date. The Council had planned to seek approval of the Draft Local Plan for its third and final round of public consultation at the Development Policy Committee on 30 November 2017. Unfortunately, the Council is unable to complete all the necessary assessments required by Government ahead of the Committee meeting and it is essential that this information is available for Members of the Committee when assessing the final version of the Local Plan. Therefore, this Committee date has been re-scheduled to Thursday 18 January 2018. The Draft Local Plan document and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment will also be presented to the Development Policy Committee for agreement for public consultation.
Although there is a change in the Committee date, public consultation on the Draft Local Plan and accompanying documents can still start in January 2018 in accordance with the Council’s timetable.
The agenda and items will be published no less than five working days before the date of the Committee and can be viewed on
For further information on the Local Plan, please view the Council’s website http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/new-local-plan
Be Winter Ready
Are you ready for winter?
As the nights get colder and darker, the chances of severe weather increase. Storms, floods and other extreme conditions can cause damage to network infrastructure and disrupt your energy supply. That’s why the UK’s gas and electricity network companies have come together to launch the Be Winter Ready campaign.
The campaign aims to help the public better-prepare for power cuts and gas emergencies that may result from bad winter weather.
To Be Winter Ready, you should:
• Know your free emergency numbers - in a power cut dial 105 or, for a gas emergency, dial 0800 111999.
• Prepare your home – keep a torch handy and get your appliances serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Vulnerable households can get extra support by signing up to the Priority Services Register. Contact your gas or electricity network to find out more. Visit www.energynetworks.org to find out who your network operator is.
• Keep your eyes open – keep an eye on the weather forecast and, if you have a power cut or a gas emergency, check on your neighbours.
In recent years the chances of unplanned problems with electricity and gas supply have reduced dramatically. Since 1990, network companies have invested £80bn in improving the reliability of local energy networks in the UK. As a result, on average, electricity customers have a power cut just once every two years and gas distribution customers will have their gas supply interrupted without advance notice just once every 40 years. Despite this, our gas and electricity networks can be affected by natural events, with severe winter weather potentially causing significant damage. The gas and electricity network operators are urging the public to Be Winter Ready. Make sure you’re prepared in case you have a power cut or gas emergency.
For further information please contact the Parish Clerk