A call for real action in Essex (especially in schools) to combat violence against women and girls has been rejected. Essex Lib Dems tabled a motion at the County Council meeting on 13 July. The Conservatives pushed through an amendment that patted themselves on the back for (limited) actions to date, added vague generalities and removed all the action points that would affect education.

Conservative MPs - including Children's Minister and Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford - have broken their 2019 manifesto pledge by voting to cut overseas aid from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income. Former Conservative Prime Minister John Major criticised the decision, saying, "The Government has blatantly broken its word, and should be ashamed of its decision."

While we nearly doubled our vote share in Maldon this election and came a strong second in the most recent elections, we know that the Tories have been asleep at the wheel for a long time in our part of Essex. Now they've been elected againt they must be held to account for the deluge of new houses built in Maldon, Heybridge, Southminster and Burnham with absolutely no realistic investment in infrastructure. How can planners and developers get away with this this? Something needs changing and the Lib Dems are committed to ringing the changes to a completely dysfunctional planning system. We want:

I wanted to thank you and all our other helpers here in Maldon for your help in the run up to the Essex County Council Election.

Unfortunately I was not elected in Maldon but we did get 20.24% of the vote - an increase of 9.02%. This would not have been possible without the fantastic help and support of the great local team who deliver our leaflets throughout the year and who work hard behind the scenes on a multitude of different areas.

The planning application for a Lidl supermarket in Springfield has been refused, protecting the land from development. The proposal came as a shock to local residents and councillors alike, because the land is designated as Open Space in Chelmsford's recently-adopted Local Plan.

Members of the Planning Committee unanimously accepted all reasons for refusal outlined by officers and noted that development would breach Local and National Planning Policy. They agreed that loss of open space on the scale proposed and the impact of development would be devastating to biodiversity and could not be compensated for elsewhere.