The Liberal Democrats have gained the vacant seat of Broomfield and The Walthams on Chelmsford council on a massive 29% swing. The result strengthens the position of the Lib Dems on Chelmsford council, which now has 25 Lib Dems, 32 Conservatives and no other Councillors.
Kent Highways have announced they are planning to improve the existing pedestrian facilities in Horn Street, Cheriton at the junction of Queens Avenue (private MOD road). The aim of the scheme is to improve the existing footways, enabling pedestrians and pupils from St Martins Primary School to cross Horn Street at a safer location.
Former NatWest chief Sir Derek Wanless, has revealed in a new report that obesity and low productivity are putting NHS finances at risk. The report, commissioned by the King's Fund think-tank, predicts that a third of men and 28% of women are likely to be classed as obese by 2010. The report identifies that half of the extra investment since 2002 has gone to sustain new pay deals for staff, with the biggest increase in hospital activity being emergency admissions, reflecting inefficiencies in preventative healthcare.
The top US military commander in Iraq, General Petraeus, has come under heavy criticism in Congress as he reports on the progress of the US military surge. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos dismissed Gen Petraeus' assertion that military objectives of the surge were being met. In his testimony before two committees, Petraeus said he thought around 30,000 troops could be withdrawn by the middle of next year. A record 168,000 US troops are now in Iraq after 30,000 arrived in the surge between February and June.
The British army's commander in Iraq has said British troops should have withdrawn from Basra Palace five months ago, but the pull-out was delayed because of 'high politics' following a request from the US. Brigadier James Bashall, commander of 1 Mechanised Brigade, said American pressure caused them to stay in the exposed outpost, since when 11 soldiers have been killed and 62 wounded in months of intense fighting. British forces were finally pulled out of the palace and back to Basra airport a week ago.
Conference this morning discussed the recent flooding and how to manage the impact and risk of flooding. Annual flood damage now averages £2.3 billion per year, and this total is rising as climate change increases the variability of weather patterns. Over two million homes are currently at risk from flooding, and this may underestimate homes at risk from inadequate drainage and extreme rainfall.