Mayor Clare Lager said Mr Ryland was a man who cared deeply about the town. Mrs Lager said: It is with great sadness that I, as town mayor, announce the death of Councillor Paul Ryland. He had served Witham continuously as a councillor from joining the Witham Urban District Council in 1966 until the present time on the town council. He was a man who cared deeply about our town and will leave a lasting legacy in all aspects of the town s life. Our thoughts are with his wife and family. It is with great sadness that I, as Town Mayor, announce the death of Councillor Paul Ryland. He had served Witham.
I must disagree with the statements made in Councillor Paul Ryland’s letter (Times, December 10). The Manor Street/Victoria Square development is a strategic investment project on Braintree District Council-owned land which not only will provide social and economic benefits to Braintree, but generate financial returns to pay for public service delivery across the whole of Braintree district. Full pedestrianisation in the vicinity of Braintree High Street, is being paid for by sums from an increasing long-standing town centre improvement budget for the three towns. This was complemented by a Department of Transport grant in 2020 for maintenance projects, Braintree High Street was in need of urgent repair.