By Lewis Berrill @LewisBerrill Chief reporter - east London and west Essex
Cllr David Finch will not seek re-election at May s elections. The leader of Essex County Council has announced he will not be seeking re-election at the upcoming local elections in May. Cllr David Finch has been a member of Essex County Council for nearly 20 years, since being first elected in 2001, and has led the authority for the past eight years. Prior to becoming leader, Cllr Finch was deputy leader from 2010 to 2013 and held various cabinet positions from 2003 to 2010. “I have been proud to serve as a member of Essex County Council since the very first day I was elected almost 20 years ago in June 2001, and even prouder to lead this great authority for the past eight years , Cllr Finch told council members at a full council meeting.
AN MP has written to the Housing Secretary asking for him to step in and investigate Colchester Council’s handling of a £40 million student flats development. Colchester MP Will Quince has asked Robert Jenrick to intervene and investigate the council’s handling of Alumno’s development, which will see 336-student flats, a hotel and retail units built on land off Queen Street. Colchester Council’s Cabinet is set to approve using controversial legal powers to remove residents’ access rights from the Queen Street site this week. Mr Quince said Colchester Council was looking at using these same legal powers to “attempt to override” the restrictive covenant Essex County Council holds over part of the site.
Essex County Council has announced annual council tax increases
- Credit: Andra Maciuca
Essex County Council will propose a zero percent council tax increase, with a 1.5 percent increase this year from the Government’s Adult Social Care precept, half of that available.
The 2021/2022 increase could range from £13.20 for the whole year, for those in a Band A property, to £39.60 for Band H.
Cabinet will meet online to discuss the budget proposals on Tuesday, January 19.
Conservative Councillor David Finch, Essex County Council s leader, said: “Family, economy, and environment will provide our focus – from increasing the number of apprentices in the county and helping the recently unemployed start their own businesses, to creating an additional 1,500 school places and increasing support for older people.
KENDAL S mayor has wished the local community a Merry Christmas with his official Christmas card. In the card Cllr Alvin Finch expresses his pride at how the community has responded to this challenging year, he also thanked residents for their kindness, patience and endurance and wished everyone all the best for 2021. The Mayor has also released a Christmas video message, which is now live on Kendal Town Council s Facebook and YouTube pages. In the video Cllr Finch said: We are nearing the end of 2020, and what a year it has been! It has been challenging, and many of us have had to adapt to a new way of living during the pandemic.
Three young girls, who took it upon themselves to help clean up Kendal have now been recognised and rewarded for all of the hard work that they put into their campaign. Sisters Lola Walker, eight, Jessica Clarke, six, and Nicole Clarke, four, decided to go out litter picking after watching a Netflix TV series called Down to Earth, which features actor Zac Efron exploring ways we can live sustainably now and in the future. Accompanied by their parents, the youngsters picked up people’s rubbish around the Sandylands area and along the River Kent. And last week Kendal’s mayor, Alvin Finch, and Councillor Eamonn Hennessy said they were delighted to meet with the sisters to personally thank them and present them with awards.