A number of interested authorities met for a private meeting on Friday (August 30) to discuss the future of public services in the Maldon District.

The summit meeting took place at Maldon Town Hall and was attended by leaders and members of Essex County Council, Maldon District Council, Mid and South Essex NHS. Maldon MP Sir John Whittingdale and Maldon Town Council.

Discussion focused on future housing growth in the Maldon district and how best to ensure that the road infrastructure, health service provision and public transport services could support this.

Sir John said: "This was a very valuable discussion about the future provision of public services in the District and it was great to have such strong representation from all the relevant bodies attending the meeting in Maldon. 

"Our local infrastructure is already under huge pressure and the further housing growth that the new Government is insisting upon will only add to that. 

"We agreed that we need greater co-ordination at every level of Government, local and national, and that we will have regular meetings going forward to plan how best to protect and improve our local infrastructure on which residents depend."

Those in attendance included Richard Holmes, Director of Service Delivery, Maldon District Council, County Councillor Kevin Bentley, Leader of Essex County Council, Kate Butcher, NHS Alliance Deputy Director for Mid Essex, County Councillor John Spence, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Cllr Richard Siddal and Cllr Andrew Lay of Maldon District Council, as well as a number of other local councillors.