AS Essex County Council faces around £90million extra costs due to the pandemic in this year alone, residents in every district are being asked which services should be prioritised in a budget consultation with the public. Maldon Nub News takes a closer look at some of the services the county provides for the town and district – and how residents can make their views known on issues likely to affect their everyday lives

In a statement released yesterday (Tuesday, 29 September), the leader of Essex County Council (ECC), Councillor David Finch, said: "We are facing some big decisions over the coming months.

"We know that lots of residents have and are still facing challenges they could never have planned for because of the pandemic and some of the impacts are still yet to be felt in full.

"This is why it is so important that we hear from you, the people of Essex, to understand exactly how the crisis has changed your priorities – for yourself, your family and your community – so that we can ensure we are responding in the most appropriate way."

The consultation is divided into two parts, with part one asking about priorities for recovery and challenges faced by the county.

But part two will focus more directly at budget pressures and look at how ECC should allocate resources to help recovery and at the same time sustain public services. This is where the "big decisions" will be examined.

Some of the services Essex County Council provides

With all this in mind, here are some of the local services that Essex County Council provides for Maldon district residents:

• Adult social care and health: includes social care help, advice on disabilities and health conditions, blue badge scheme, support for carers

• Children, young people and families: includes social care, adoption and fostering, health and wellbeing

• Schools and learning: includes school admissions, early years and childcare, post-16 options and adult learning

• Births, ceremonies and deaths: includes weddings, civil partnerships, births and death registrations, citizenship and other ceremonies

• Libraries

• Roads, streets and transport: ECC maintains public highways and lighting and school transport

• Planning, land and recycling: planning applications and recycling centres

• Business licences and trading standards support for businesses

• Leisure, culture and local heritage: includes cultural events and activities, historical records, archives and building conservation

• Environmental protection

This is not a comprehensive list, but provides an insight into how extensive the services provided by ECC are.

Taking part in the consultation

A spokesperson for Essex County Council added: "The results of this consultation will inform our plans for the next 18 months, the budget set for the next financial year (2021/22) and our longer-term strategies."

Residents can take part in the consultation, which closes on Friday, November 6, here.