Figures have been uncovered that show Essex County Council spent £173 million on consultants and agency staff over the last three years. The figures were uncovered by a question from Liberal Democrat County Councillor David Kendall at a full council meeting.
The Opposition Liberal Democrats have expressed shock and dismay that the
The borough council is piloting a new monthly market on the last Sunday of each month, starting in October, for local businesses, traders and budding entrepreneurs. It is hoped that the new market will encourage economic growth by supporting local industry, providing an opportunity for local traders and businesses to network and develop their trade in a sought-after town centre setting.
Wiltshire Councillor Howard Marshall has asked the council's Environment Scrutiny Committee to investigate the financial fall-out from the Conservative cabinet's decision to increase parking charges.
60 and 30 are the key numbers for my 2011 village tour, which gets underway tomorrow with open surgeries at Farndish, Hinwick, Podington and Wymington. This year I will be visiting 60 villages across the Borough in September's 30 days, holding a mobile surgery in each village and talking to rural residents about the issues that matter to them. The village tour is intended to give people the best possible chance to talk to me directly about any issues they want to raise. Clearly it's not easy for everyone to get to Borough Hall for one of my monthly 'by appointment' surgeries, or to one of my monthly 'out and about' sessions, so I hope lots of people take the chance to come and talk to me while I'm in their neighbourhood. For more information about where you can find me or how to arrange to see me, including full dates, times and locations for the village tour, click on the 'Meet Dave' button on the menu on the front page of mayordave.org.
A report published this month by Oxford Economics has set out the potential economic benefits of the East West Rail project, not just for areas along the proposed route such as ours but also for the wider economy, and it makes a compelling case.